Craftsman Building Kit Walls Warping

You might try painting the inside and outside walls at the same time.  John

@rattler21 posted:

You might try painting the inside and outside walls at the same time.  John

Yes, I tried that and it helped a little. Still, a lot of warping. Thank you, John.

Personally, I think I've had to reinforce pretty much any wood craftsman style kit... but that's okay, it's like a real structure!  🙂

Mark in Oregon

You are on the right track. Plenty of bracing but I would assemble the kit before painting to make it even more ridged. Spray painting light coats will help too. Brushing water based paints can saturate the wood.

Pete

What did you use to paint the structure?  I’ve used oil based stains on a wood craftsman kit from AMW with no noticeable warping, even when applied before assembly.  I’ve seen warnings against water based paints and stains since they can induce warping, but I’ve never tried them on wood so I have no first hand experience.  

Finally, what kit are you building?  I’ve been searching for a wood interlocking tower

@Scott R posted:

What did you use to paint the structure?  I’ve used oil based stains on a wood craftsman kit from AMW with no noticeable warping, even when applied before assembly.  I’ve seen warnings against water based paints and stains since they can induce warping........

Using water based paints are the only times where I've experienced a wall warping; I tend to avoid such paints but when doing interiors, the lamination of additional wood cross-grain generally eliminates warping.  Even if it warps that small amount in the 1st post, slot & tab construction will flatten out laser cut wood pretty easily. When it's not actually real wood, but one of others like laser board or resin impregnated card, then all bets are off.

Bracing and weights=straight.

Dave

I always stain wood for craftsman kits with oil based stain, both sides. That seals them, I've never experienced warping. The stain also provides an excellent base for coloring with acrylics. An added benefit is that staining eliminates the glare of bare white wood, inside or out.

If you paint any unprimed wood with a water-based paint (acrylic), it is prone to warping. 

Ergo, I usually paint wood parts...particularly thin, unreinforced walls...with a rattle-can primer (gray) first.

Also, I do this in my spray booth which has a small pistol-type 2-heat hairdryer holstered nearby.  So, to further minimize warping, I give the paint an assist with the dryer.

When/if I later follow up with an acrylic (cost and clean-up advantages...IMHO) color, that pistol hair dryer is even more important.  But the primer, if left to thoroughly dry, will very much minimize acrylic paint warping.  It seals the wood, minimizing water absorption.

Of course, if I plan to add interior lighting to a structure such as you're discussing I'll usually add enough reinforcing beams, carefully placed to support additional floors/walls for isolating room by room lighting.  And those, as others have recommended above, very certainly help avoid warpage.

You'll get the hang of it.  You're asking the right questions.

I have been doing craftsman kits for many years and have always used bracing before staining or painting.  Many creators of these kits suggest bracing.  Some even show where to put the bracing.  My suggestion is to always brace it, even if it is only one story tall.  Dennis.

One of the axioms of furniture building is that when you coat one side of a thin piece, you also have to coat the other side the same way.  Applies to veneering or finishing.  The problem is that the laminated (or painted side) can no longer absorb moisture while the untreated sidecan and does, and the moisture causes it to expand.

If you watch You Tube. Jason Jensen Trains is a good watch for building craftsman kits. Some smaller structures that are laser cut with tabs I find don’t need a lot of bracing. The tab construction seems to straighten everything out as it goes together.
My structures don’t feature detailed interiors and are built to be handled. They won’t win any contests and are usually well braced on the interior. I use mostly solvent based paints such as Scalecoat 1. If convenient I’ll even get out the airbrush and put on just enough paint to hide the bare wood. My latest somewhat complete build.

@Scott R posted:

What did you use to paint the structure?  I’ve used oil based stains on a wood craftsman kit from AMW with no noticeable warping, even when applied before assembly.  I’ve seen warnings against water based paints and stains since they can induce warping, but I’ve never tried them on wood so I have no first hand experience.  

Finally, what kit are you building?  I’ve been searching for a wood interlocking tower

I started with a coat of thinned Idia ink that will show through the areas lighty dabbed with a spong of acrylic. The ink was thinned with alcohol. So, this is probably the worst case scenario. It looks good but I'll use stain the next time around.

Here's the kit I'm building...

@Dave_C posted:

If you watch You Tube. Jason Jensen Trains is a good watch for building craftsman kits. Some smaller structures that are laser cut with tabs I find don’t need a lot of bracing. The tab construction seems to straighten everything out as it goes together.
My structures don’t feature detailed interiors and are built to be handled. They won’t win any contests and are usually well braced on the interior. I use mostly solvent based paints such as Scalecoat 1. If convenient I’ll even get out the airbrush and put on just enough paint to hide the bare wood. My latest somewhat complete build.

Very nicely done! Thanks for the tips.

Ratler is correct. When painting  wood on one side, the drying of the paint is pulling the material from one side and creating a corn chip. Reinforcement before painting or painting both sides at the same time works. This happens with thin plastic also. I always reinforce because temperature change over time will do the same thing.

Thanks Al.  I have experienced that too.

Paint both sides with a good primer.

Card stock assembly. BTS kit.  Painting one of the first projects.  Click on the underlined phrase.

Wall brac-ing with dimensional lumber.

I painted both sides of the wood before assembly, glued them together to make a side and then used a piece of wax paper followed by the structure side, and then another piece of wax paper and finally a big book on top to keep the pieces from warping while the glue dried.  Once I was assembling the structure, I used 1/8" hollow square brass tubing to brace the corners, plus wood bracing where possible. No problems with warping.

Dale

Ralph:
If you look at the second photo you posted with the bracing you can see how the wood grain is oriented. If you get a chance try bending a short bare panel with and against the grain. You will see that it is much easier to bend the wood with the grain. This is why thin wood panels with grain will always warp with the grain.  I find it good practice for craftsman kits to brace the panel perpendicular to the grain even if both sides are painted or not.
Alan is also very right about plastic. I found this out the hard way early in my career- see below. Even though the styrene was 80 mils thick, once laminated and after the glue dried sufficiently the plastic warped. This is why Alan told me to always add bracing to the underside of any laminated platform.

@Joe Fauty posted:

Ralph:
If you look at the second photo you posted with the bracing you can see how the wood grain is oriented. If you get a chance try bending a short bare panel with and against the grain. You will see that it is much easier to bend the wood with the grain. This is why thin wood panels with grain will always warp with the grain.  I find it good practice for craftsman kits to brace the panel perpendicular to the grain even if both sides are painted or not.
Alan is also very right about plastic. I found this out the hard way early in my career- see below. Even though the styrene was 80 mils thick, once laminated and after the glue dried sufficiently the plastic warped. This is why Alan told me to always add bracing to the underside of any laminated platform.

Joe, thanks for the tip. The procedure going forward will be to add bracing to any structure. Fortunately, I was able to add the bracing after painting the siding and it is now flat. Thanks again for your help.

Your Welcome sir

I laser cut, score and engrave all of my models. Scoring and engraving on one side weakens the material.

So I add all sorts of bracing to minimize the warping.

Except, when I create a living hinge, I cut all the way thru the material in a specific pattern to create the hinge.

Painting both sides ... not thought of that!

@HudsonORailRoader posted:

I started with a coat of thinned Idia ink that will show through the areas lighty dabbed with a spong of acrylic. The ink was thinned with alcohol. So, this is probably the worst case scenario. It looks good but I'll use stain the next time around.

Here's the kit I'm building...

An update on this kit...

I've begun some of the painting and bracing on this kit and I have to say I'm not too impressed with it. The windows and doors are made from a very thin cardboard material. It requires layering the sash, windows etc. So, there is practically no dimension. I prefer separate applied plastic molded windows and doors. Corner trim pieces are made of a similar material and will provide very little dimension as well. I would not buy this brand again. The necessary details just aren't there.

I'll likely complete the build and perhaps sell it on Ebay when finished.

@HudsonORailRoader posted:

An update on this kit...

I've begun some of the painting and bracing on this kit and I have to say I'm not too impressed with it. The windows and doors are made from a very thin cardboard material. It requires layering the sash, windows etc. So, there is practically no dimension. I prefer separate applied plastic molded windows and doors. Corner trim pieces are made of a similar material and will provide very little dimension as well. I would not buy this brand again. The necessary details just aren't there.

I'll likely complete the build and perhaps sell it on Ebay when finished.

Ralph - though not this kit but I have built some AMB kits for customers and on occasion substituted Tichy or Grandt Line doors and windows. Those big windows on the tower may be an issue though. Most of the 'laser cut' kits like AMB, BTS, Laser Art are the same way. The manufacturers are up front and specify either peel and stick doors/windows or 'layered' doors and windows.

Some laser cut kits like Brennan's Model RR or Right on Track come with plastic doors and windows.

@Joe Fauty posted:

Ralph - though not this kit but I have built some AMB kits for customers and on occasion substituted Tichy or Grandt Line doors and windows. Those big windows on the tower may be an issue though. Most of the 'laser cut' kits like AMB, BTS, Laser Art are the same way. The manufacturers are up front and specify either peel and stick doors/windows or 'layered' doors and windows.

Some laser cut kits like Brennan's Model RR or Right on Track come with plastic doors and windows.

Thanks, Joe. I'm new at O Scale craftsman structures. I ordered the unit but didn't really know what peel and stick meant. I too thought of substituting doors and windows but your are right...those big windows could be an issue.