WORD OF ADVICE
We would strongly advise you to do a quick dry assembly before you start gluing the
laser cut parts together. Lay out all the parts on your work surface and make sure
that the parts are not upside down or mirrored. In most instances it will make no
difference, but in others it may be crucial to ensure a perfect product in the end.
Our laser cut parts are specifically cut to very fine tolerances to ensure a snug fit and
therefore it is wise to check all fits before gluing parts together. You may need to trim
a lug here and there to make assembly easier.
PAINTING YOUR PRODUCT
We would strongly advise you to finish the product with paint or wood stain to make
them as appealing as possible. The parts should be primed (2 coats) and painted
before final assembly. Spray paint can also be used to get a very smooth finish (the
finished product in the photo above has been spray painted). Oil or water-based
paint can be used and specialised paints like chalk paint can be used to give unique
finishes.
Generally, it is highly advisable to paint/spray before gluing. You may not be able to
get to the inside of the structure after it is glued together. Covering all the parts that
must not be painted or sprayed with the same colour can be a tedious process. Pre-
painting will avoid this process.
Please ensure that no paint clog a slot where a lug must fit in later. The tolerances
are often so tight that too thick a layer of paint may cause problems. It is our
experiences that a small foam roller instead of a brush, will produce a better finish
and far less clogging of sleeves.
Applying a base or undercoat normally makes life easier afterwards. Two coats of
primer are advisable because the MDF absorbs a lot of paint. Using a single colour
for the undercoat of all parts works quite well from personal experience. You can
choose the paint of your preference, whether it is oil or water based. Cleaning
brushes and rollers are just so much easier if you use a water base paint. A chalk
paste can give a unique finish to walls and give a weathered look if so desired. If you
prefer to protect the paint work of your structure you can always apply a clear spray
coat.
LET’S GET STARTED WITH THE ASSEMBLY
We can start by gluing the nubs of the of four walls, the front wall (
B
), the rear wall
(
C
) and the two side walls (
D
) and (
E
) into the slots in the floor (
A
). You will notice
that the front wall has an engraving that must face outwards.
All that is needed for a proper sturdy assembly is some glue where any two parts
touch each other. The lugs that fit into the slots stop any movement, but the glue
holds all the parts together. The walls must therefore have glue at the bottom and
