How to convert the desert houses 3 and 4.


  • Tools and material I used:

    Cutter knife, sandpaper, ruler, 2k-glue, woodglue, acryl colors, brush, tooth pick, styrodur


    This is the delivery form of those desert houses:



  • And here the "Oriel 2" from Thomarillion:



  • Prologue


    There are a lot of possibilities how to convert hardfoam buildings.

    I decided to create a two floored building from two single flored ones.
    You can also open the buildings if you like to play inside or you can substitute windows with open versions.



  • Step 1


    At first I find the position for the smaller building on the 2nd floor.

    I let the upper building overlap a bit to get a bigger balcony.

    I mark where to cut an start cutting the vertical lines.
    Afterwards I cut horizontal and remove the wall carefully.
    Always check on the inside of the wall that your cut is correct.
    ATTENTION! You will need the removed wall later!



  • I smooth the cutted surface with sandpaper and glue the smaller building in position.



  • Step 2

    I like to cover the small window above the groundfloor door with an oriel.
    I have to remove the fith beam from the right.




    Now I can glue the oriel into its place.


  • Step 3


    I like to put some supporting beams underneath the overlap of the first floor and underneaththe oriel.

    You can achieve this with wood or as I did with Styrodur.



  • Hold a longer piece in position and mark the cutting lines.



  • I cut four identical beams and give them a wooden look with the cutter.
    Underneath the oriel I put two more beams but a little snaller ones.



  • Step 4

    I create a gardenwall out of the removed balcony wall.

    Mark an entrance brad enough and cut with your cutter.
    The little step makes sense, it's easier to glue the wall to the house then.
    You can also use tooth pickt to tack the wall to the building.



  • Step 5


    Now I have to fill some gaps with filler.



  • Step 6


    I mix a suitable brown color and paint my additions and the filled regions.



  • Step 7


    Finally I paint the building.

    I brush the wooden parts with light brown and beige, for the plasterwork I use a light brown and ivory.

    I paint the bricks with brown and the gaps with a dark grey.

    I dekorate the doors and windows colorful.

    As usual I use drybrushing to paint the building. You paint from dark to light and the lighter the color the dryer the brush should be.

    The trick is to hold the brush flat, so you only hit the upper regions of the surface with color. Only painting the windows and all the fixtures is a bit "annoying".


  • And here are some pictures of the convertion:




  • We wish you a lot of fun with constructing and painting.


    Your team

    Thomarillion