Exterior Finishes for Model Buildings and Dollhouses

Sheet Siding for Miniature Applications

• Scribed Wood Siding
• Styrene Sheet Siding

Board and Batten wood siding in scale is made easily with strips of card or craft wood glued to a plywood, sheetwood, or mdf base. You can see an example of board and batten siding in 1:12 scale made using stripwood over thin plywood on the sides of the Miniature Cabin Front Porch . The effectiveness of this finish is due to the spacing between the battens, which in real life would cover the joins between standard width boards. Older structures would have wider milled boards than do modern structures which use this finish.

Plaster and Stucco can be made in scale indoors and out using a range of materials. For buildings that must withstand some weathering, sanded or unsanded grout work well for plaster and stucco. For buildings that will be kept indoors, Golden Light Molding Paste allows the creation of a range of styles and scales of stucco finishes, including decorative stucco or pargeting For smaller scale, dry brush application of paint using a stucco brush will often create an exterior stucco finish.

A method I don't recommend is the popular method of using tissue paper and white glue. These create raised lines, which are not like realistic stucco or plaster finishes available through other methods. If you do insist on using this method, use acid free tissue and acid free glue, in order that your finish will not yellow and streak as it ages.

Pebble and Pebble dash finishes must be carefully scaled to be look realistic in miniature. Model Railway ballasts and odd items like (including budgie grit) can be used with grout or artist's molding paste to create realistic finishes in a range of scales.

• Pebble Dash, Pebble and Flint Finishes for Model Buildings and Dolls Houses.

Scale Brick and Stone can be made in a range of ways. Printed papers are one common method, especially in smaller scales. For exteriors which will be exposed to weather, mylar stencils and unsanded grout work well. For interior applications, you can use unsanded grout or acrylic mediums and special stencils. Bromley Craft make a very realistic range of stone and brick stencils in several patterns and shapes, for use with grout or their own proprietary mixtures. Rounded Cobbles and brick and stone patterns for scale exteriors which will not be exposed to weather can be made from air dry clays or Creative Paperclay. You can also use styrofoam bead board or high density insulation board and acrylic paint or Rosco Foamcoat to model realistic stone walls.

Miniature cedar shakes, shingles and real slate tiles in 1:12 and 1:24 scale are available precut, but many modellers make custom shingles, shakes and roof slates from lightweight card using paper punches or decorative edging scissors. This is especially effective in small scales but also works well for patterned shingles in scales of 1:12 and 1:6.

• Create the Effect of Shingles in Miniature
• Slate Roofing Made From Paper in 1:48 Scale for the Markland Market Hall

Textured Styrene sheets are useful for smaller scale exteriors where special effects are required. Styrene comes ready stamped with a number of patterns including siding, corrugated metal, and tile. It is most often available in railroad model scales. For larger scale buildings you may be able to find corrugated paper in a suitable size for metal siding, and you can mark out tiles in paper or card.