Let's build the Lafayette!
Written: Dec 15 '02
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Affordable, easy to build, a great beginners kit.
Cons: Spiral staircase kit from hell. Flimsy wood.
The Bottom Line: This kit is above average for a beginner and below average for a pro.
|
|
|
| Mininut's Full Review: Dura-Craft LF 140 Lafayette Dollhouse |
For those of you that thought I was dead and gone, I am back I took a much-needed vacation to work on my dollhouses so that I could come back to you and write about my first love. First of all, thank you MaryTara for adding so many beloved dollhouses to Epinions. This is going to be fun so sit back and grab a drink and prop your feet up while I take you on another adventure of building dollhouses.
Let’s talk about the Lafayette
The Lafayette is manufactured by Dura-craft “America’s dollhouse company” and measures 20”H x 20 ¼”W x 14”D assembled and weighs about 9 lbs after construction (unfurnished weight). The Lafayette is a 2-4-room dollhouse with a spiral staircase that can be used for all types of settings. The partitions in this house can be removed making the 4 rooms into 2. This particular house is on the small size so using it as a playhouse would be a stretch but I have used this particular kit as a display home, a bakery, a library, and 2 country cottages. This particular house is also great for making a Halloween haunted house. When you open your Lafayette you will find 8 roof pieces (this includes the smaller pieces for above the door and window), 4 main wall pieces, 2 wall partitions, an upper floor piece, lower floor piece, 3 base pieces, 9 windows (this includes the small round ones and basement windows), 1 door kit, 1 spiral stair kit, 4 wood shutters, 1 bag of shaker style shingle, 6 long pieces of gingerbread style trim, 12 pieces of house trim, window and door trim and 3 of the ½ wheel trim for the gables, as well as a set of black and white illustrated instructions. The kit is made of 1/8” plywood and while this is a nice house; it is in my opinion not as durable as some other houses that I have built. The window kits in this and all Dura-Craft houses have silk screened windows as well as a silkscreen door insert. The door is a working door but the windows are not. You can see interior pictures of this house at
http://home.austin.rr.com/mininut/00lafayette1.jpg
http://home.austin.rr.com/mininut/00lafayette2.jpg
What the Lafayette has to offer
This is a very quaint little house that is sure to please anyone. It has a wonderful garden bay window that is non-working and would make a great flower box for a kitchen setting. The spiral staircase can be carpeted for a more country cottage feel or you can leave them stained or painted as well. This house has a faux basement so you see 2 small windows at the base of the house that make the house look larger than it actually is. The porch is small but can be dressed up with flowers and a welcome mat or maybe a wreath on the door. The Gingerbread trim and ½ wheel trim just add more elegance to this house and give it a Victorian flare, which is one of my favorite designs! The wall partitions can be placed in any part of the house that you like or they can be left out completely which gives the house even more potential. This is a great house for “Kit bashing”. For those non-miniaturist out there, kit bashing is when you take a dollhouse kit and you put it together however you want using pieces from other kits or using pieces that you made your self. It basically opens more options when building a house because you can add or take away wherever you like. I do not recommend that you run right out and kit bash though, wait till you have about 20 houses under your belt.
What I don’t like about the Lafayette
Ok you knew it was coming didn’t you? I am a very discriminating miniaturist. I do not like flimsy dollhouses and this one is right up there with the Ashley on the flimsy scale. However, on Dura-crafts defense they have recently changed all of their designs and are now using thicker and more durable wood and they are also no longer using the tab and slot methods for putting dollhouses together. This house is on the small scale so you want to make sure that if you decorate it that you do not use a lot of furniture or the house will look cluttered. I have found that the cheaper off scale pieces do work well in this type of home. Another bad point about this house is that it is off scale. Now if you have no idea what I am talking about and you have not read my review on the Ashley dollhouse (here comes the shameless plug) http://www.epinions.com/content_67931704964 Then I am going to list here how scales work. Dollhouses come in many scales, this particular house is 1” (1:12) scale or 1” = 1’---- but other common scales are ½” (1:24) scale or ½” = 1’---- ¼” (1:48) scale or ¼” = 1’. When you put 1” scale furniture in this house it does not fit and the pieces look like they do not belong in the house. Now a majority of the people in the world would never catch that but if you have been doing miniatures for any amount of time then you would recognize it instantly. Here is a photo of the interior furnished with standard 1” scale and some off scale furniture to help blend the items better. http://home.austin.rr.com/mininut/00lafayette3.jpg. Another aspect that I do not care for is the spiral staircase. This is one of the worse staircase kits I have ever run across, they are hard to assemble and if you do get them assembled most of them come out uneven and take a lot of work at filing and cutting to get them all even and laid properly. Because of the thickness of the wood in this kit I would not recommend this kit for a child under 8 years of age. This is also not a good dollhouse for child play.
What I like about the Lafayette
This is an excellent beginner house that is easy for anyone to put together. It is also very affordable and runs about $40 - $50 (kit cost only) at most retail shops that sell dollhouses. The instructions for the Dura-craft are excellent and are easy to follow which is another added bonus if you are a beginner. I have taught this particular kit in 2 classes and when completed it makes a wonderful showpiece and is really something to be proud of. The Lafayette is a 2-story dollhouse; the first floor has a main wall partition so that you can split the down stairs into 2 rooms. The upstairs has a ½ wall partition to separate the attic area into 2 parts. This works well if you are planning to place a bathroom in the house like the one in the link above. This house has a lot of space for potential but is not so large that it takes up a lot of room either and if you are in a tight space or if you have numerous other dollhouses then this is a great kit that takes up very little room but still has designer quality if built correctly.
Let’s put the Lafayette together
When putting together any dollhouse kit you will need a simple tool kit to work with. (This list is also found on my Ashley review) In your kit you should have an X-acto knife with extra blades, Aleene’s tacky glue (the best there is) can be quick dry, Quick-tite super glue, hot glue gun with glue sticks, scissors, small hammer, masking tape, wood filler, sand paper, acrylic paint, black fine tip marker, small paint brushes and a small pair of needle nose pliers. I do recommend that you read your instructions thoroughly before building any dollhouse kit. This helps you get an idea of what needs to be done before you start. First you will want to pick out your house color(s), flooring, wallpaper and window décor before hand so that you can decorate as you build. This house like many of the “old style” Dura-Craft homes is put together using the tab and slot method so you will need to be sure to have some wood filler or wood putty on hand. The tab and slot method is simple; your upper and lower floors have tabs that fit into slots in the walls. This is a great method because you will not need to hammer nails or create supports to hold the floors till the glue dries. (Please note that this is only for the old style Dura-craft). Once your outer walls and floors are installed you will want to fill in the slot areas with wood putty and let it dry for about 4 to 8 hours but you can let it sit longer if you wish. Sand the excess putty off till you have a smooth surface and you may have to re-putty 2 – 3 times before you paint. You will want to place all of your trim on last and be sure to paint your trim before you place it on the house or you will have a pain trying to get it painted when it is already glued on. Don’t worry if you glue something on and then need to take it off because Aleene’s tacky glue is water soluble, so spray some water on the piece you need to remove and let it sit for a little bit before trying to remove it. You will also want to shingle your house after you have completed the exterior design and painting.
Mini’s tips and hints to make your project go faster and look better
(These are also found in my Ashley review)
Now what would a review be if I didn’t give you some of the age-old techniques from the pros right? First let’s talk about a glue bonding technique; You will want to take your Aleene’s tacky glue and place it on the areas you want to glue, then take a few drops of your Quick-Tite super glue and place the pieces you want to glue together. Place the areas with the tacky glue and the super glue together and hold them for about 30 seconds and then lay the item flat or use masking tape to hold the items in place. The super glue creates a quick and strong bond that will last longer than if you were to use straight tacky glue. As always I have to recommend that you use Aleene’s tacky glue instead of general white glue. Aleene’s is thick glue and bonds better to the wood and other surfaces and holds longer. You can also now get tacky glue in a quick drying formula. Always paint your exterior walls and all trim before you put them up, this will make your paint job look more professional and very clean because you do not have to paint around trim. You may need to paint a couple of coats over any of the wood putty areas, if the area is still rough then you will need to continue sanding until it is smooth. Install your wallpaper and flooring before you put your roof on, this will make the alignment much easier and you have easier access to the areas as well as more light. Don’t feel that you have to spend a fortune putting wallpaper in this house because the best thing to do in a small kit like this is to get craft paper at the hobby store for 4 sheets for $1.00 instead of paying $1.25 per sheet of dollhouse wall paper. Walls can be painted as well but you will want to sand them before you paint them so that they will be smooth. The same goes with the floors, if you are going to stain them then be sure to sand them well so that they are smooth. Do not use glue to install wallpaper; this will cause your paper to bubble badly and look very unprofessional and you will have one heck of a time removing the paper as well. Use Modge Podge found at your local hobby store and lightly brush it on with a paintbrush. Apply your paper and use the edge of a credit card to smooth the paper. Do not over do the Modge Podge or you will end up with bubbles. Modge Podge also makes a great sealer, if you place paper on the floors then place a coat or 2 of Modge Podge over it and it will dry with a shine like a real floor. You should also sand around all edges of this house as you are putting it together because most Dura-Craft houses are made with rough edges and some of the pieces may not want to fit together properly. Watch out for splinters as well. For flooring you can use paint, dollhouse carpet or wood stain. I cannot say this enough If you plan to use carpeting please do not use anything but dollhouse carpet. I hate to see a dollhouse with real house carpet in it because the scale of house carpet is much too large for a dollhouse. Stain the floors and use throw rugs whenever necessary because throw rugs are so easy to make and they can be purchased cheaply so you are saving money. If you plan to electrify your house then you will need to do this before you put up any wall paper and you will not be able to just paint the walls once you tape wire it. You will actually have to paper or texture your walls to hide the tape wire. As with most small houses you may be able to use a strip lighting or no lighting at all. Be careful when inserting your door, if you use too much pressure you will break the needles and the door will have to be glued in place. You will need to use small needle nose pliers and small hammer to place your door needles into the door. Always save your stairs, doors and windows for last. It is much easier to apply wallpaper when there are no windows in the way. Always cut away from you when using your cutting knife and keep band aides with your tool kit at all times. Do not use tacky glue when applying shingles; you will be sitting in front of your house for hours on end holding shingles. Use a hot glue gun instead, it dries quickly and holds tightly and you will be able to shingle the house quickly and efficiently. Please do not use hot glue on any other part of the house; you will want to use glue that will hold tightly when framing your dollhouse. Shingles are made of balsa wood and can be cut to fit any angle. You will need to cut several different angles on the shingles so they will fit together at the roof joints. You can cut shingles using any pair of scissors or a miter cutter if you have one.
Do you want a bigger kit?
This list can also be found on my Ashley review
Dura-Craft offers a huge selection of dollhouses in all sizes and styles. No matter what you are looking for, you can find it with a Dura-Craft. The kits that Dura-Craft offers are
Bellingham Farmhouse 3 story with 8 rooms
Bayberry Cottage 3 story with 5 rooms
Manchester Country house 3 story with 7 rooms
Newport Cape house 3 story with 5 rooms
Winston Cottage 2 story with 2 rooms
San Franciscan 3 story with 7 rooms and 2 staircases
Linfield 2 story with 6 rooms
Marquam Hill Mansion 3story with 8 rooms and 2 staircases (My favorite Dura-Craft)
Lafayette 2 floors 4 rooms
Newberg 2 floors with 6 rooms
Shenandoah Cabin 2 story with 2 rooms
Sierra Cabin single room
Pioneer Cabin single floor with loft.
Dura-Craft also offers tab and slot furniture that you can build yourself and then decorate to match your taste.
Want to learn more about dollhouses?
You don’t have to just choose from Dura-Craft houses, there are numerous homes on the market. Just look at your local hobby store or dollhouse store and you will find my personal favorite RGT (Real Good Toys) and Walmer, which is now owned by RGT, Greenleaf, Corona concepts and now and then you may find a Lilliput. You may want to find a house on E-bay or at an internet store but you will end up spending a lot in shipping so I would suggest going to a local hobby shop or dollhouse store. You can find out more about Dolls and Miniatures at http://members.aol.com/DollsInMin/index.html. If you like magazines then you must have "Dolls House World" Another wonderful magazine full of tips, hints and wonderful pictures of dollhouses and miniatures. You can also find a wealth of information on their web site at http://www.dollshouseworld.com. Also available is “Miniature Collector” that will delight you with 12 issues a year. You can find more info at http://scottpublications.com/mcmag/. Last but not least is “Dollhouse Miniatures” formerly known as Nutshell News. You can view this magazine’s site at http://www2.dhminiatures.com/dhm/ or you can read my review on this magazine at http://www.epinions.com/mags-review-2B7B-C6ED783-3A3AE82D-prod1.
About Dura-Craft
You can view more about Dura-Craft at their website http://www.dura-craft.com/
You can even find other miniature enthusiasts in one of their chat rooms. To contact Dura-Craft by web then please go to http://www.dura-craft.com/contactus.htm or contact them by mail, E-mail or fax at contact@Dura-Craft.com, phone 503-538-3100, fax 503-538-7012 or mail Dura-Craft Inc. PO Box 459 Newberg, OR 97132 USA.
If you are missing any components to a Dura-Craft house, no matter how old it is; Dura-Craft will send you the replacement at no charge. Now that is an excellent company.
I know you want to see my dollhouses don’t you?
Ok I know you are sitting there wondering what my creations look like and lucky for you, I have a website. You can see my creations at http://home.austin.rr.com/mininut and
click on gallery to see my creations and collections or click on for sale to see what I have to offer.
In closing
This is another great kit for beginners, so if you want to learn to build dollhouses or even if you are looking to build one small treasure then I would definitely recommend this kit. If you decide to get it and you need help, you know where to find me and I want to see pictures. Good luck and happy Mini’ing.
Big Smiles and warm Hugs
Heather aka MiniNut
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 45.00
Type of Toy: Arts and Crafts
Age Range of Child: 9 Years or Older
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Mininut
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Member: Heather
Location: Leander, Texas
Reviews written: 88
Trusted by: 273 members
About Me:
Mother of 4 gorgeous children and survivor of Cervical Cancer.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.