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This dollhouse is built like real furniture rather than a toy, on purpose — 3/4" plywood floors instead of thin hobby-grade sheet, built to survive years of play and still function as a bookshelf once the dollhouse phase is over. Have your lumber yard rip the plywood into a 24"-wide and a 13-1/2"-wide strip; from there it's just crosscuts, which is far more accurate than trying to rip full sheets at home.
Build the two end frames first and check that they match before joining them with the longer 2x2s — one measurement matters more than any other here: the top 2x2 needs to sit exactly 13-1/2" above the top story's 2x2, since that's what keeps all three stories consistent. The angled roofline joints get glued, clamped, and predrilled with a countersink bit, using only one screw per joint (with generous glue) to avoid splitting the thin stock at an angle.
Build the floors in from the bottom up, offsetting the walls between stories slightly if you're nailing rather than pocket-screwing, since that offset gives you solid wood to nail into rather than empty space between studs. The stairs are simply staggered 1x2 boards, glued generously and nailed carefully since there's not much material for a nail to grip on its own at this scale. Caster wheels on the base let the whole house roll and swivel for repositioning between play sessions.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 3/4" PureBond plywood, full sheetHave it ripped into a 24" and a 13-1/2" strip at the store. | 1 each |
| 2x2, 8 ft | 7 each |
| 1/4" plywood scrapsRoof strips. | 1 each |
| 1x2, 8 ftStairs. | 2 each |
| Caster wheels, 2", with screws for 3/4" stock | 4 each |
| Self-tapping star bit screws, 3" (or pocket hole screws, 2-1/2") | 60 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 40 each |
| Brad nails, assorted | 60 each |
| Wood glue | 5 oz |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical frame posts2x2, 8 ft | 7 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 32" |
| Horizontal ties2x2, 8 ft | 6 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 24" |
| Roofline angle pieces, non-parallel2x2, 8 ftBoth ends cut at 30° off square, ends not parallel, long point measurement. Source omitted this length — 20" is an estimate for a modest roof pitch; measure your own assembled frame and desired pitch before cutting. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 20" |
| Roofline angle pieces, parallel2x2, 8 ftOne end cut at 30° off square, long point measurement. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 37 5/8" |
| Floor panels3/4" PureBond plywood, full sheetCut per the diagram into the three story floors and walls. | 1 | 3/4" × 24" × 96" |
| Roof strips1/4" plywood scrapsCut into scalloped lapped strips. | 1 | 1/4" × 13 1/2" × 48" |
| Stair treads1x2, 8 ftStacked and staggered. | 10 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 13 1/2" |
Some parts are longer than a 8 ft board, so there is no honest board count to show here. Open the board plan to pick a longer stock length — it names every part that does not fit.
8 boards
0 boards
2 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Have your lumber yard rip the full plywood sheet into a 24"-wide strip and a 13-1/2"-wide strip, then make all remaining crosscuts yourself according to the diagram.
Build the two end frames from the vertical posts and angled roofline pieces, using a countersink bit and 3" screws, or a pocket-hole jig with 1-1/2" pocket holes and 2-1/2" pocket hole screws. For the angled joints, clamp, glue, and predrill with a countersink bit, using just one screw per joint to avoid splitting the wood. Build two and confirm they match.
Join the two end frames with the horizontal ties. Confirm the top tie sits exactly 13-1/2" above the top story's tie — this measurement keeps all three stories consistent.
Secure the plywood floors to the frame with 3/4"-stock pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws on all sides, or with scrap 1x2 corner braces and countersunk screws if you don't have a jig.
Cut the stair openings in the floors per the diagram. Add the bottom-story walls (offset slightly between stories if nailing, to give yourself something solid to nail into), then the middle-story interior wall, then the top-story walls and interior wall system.
Build the stairs by stacking the 1x2 treads staggered, gluing generously and nailing carefully. Attach the scalloped 1/4" plywood roof strips, lapped and nailed down.
Attach the caster wheels to the plywood base so they swivel freely. Sand and finish, or decorate interior walls with decoupaged paper as desired.
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