Instructions for a typical

This page features generic assembly instructions to show how easy Pine Canyon kits are to assemble. The assembly and painting procedures are the same for most of our kits. The actual instructions included with each kit show details specific to the kit. Even the large firehouse kit is this easy to build.

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Preparing The Wall Panels

We at Pine Canyon have sanded and cleaned all wall panels for easy assembly. However, it may be necessary to slightly adjust the bottom or sides for perfect alignment as you build. If necessary, using 60 grit sandpaper, lightly sand the bottom and outer ends of the walls to form a square, seamless joint.

One of the most handy sanding tools is a strip of sandpaper glued to a large paint stir-stick. The large ones for stirring a 5-gallon paint can. These sticks can be found at most home improvement centers. We use two different sticks. One with 60 grit sandpaper and one with 100 grit. Cut the sandpaper to size and glue in place using 3m Spray adhesive.

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Test-fit the window castings into the walls. We pay special attention to the window openings to make installation as easy as possible. On rare occasion, it may be necessary to trim a small bit from the wall casting or sand a bit from the window frame for a perfect fit.

Painting The Walls

For most kits, it is best to paint and detail the walls before cementing them together. This way, they can lay flat allowing the grout stain to flow into the lines.

For fast and easy painting, we recommend Krylon Fusion spray paints or Bright Touch General Purpose Primer by Dupla-Color. For the brick color, we purchased Bright Touch, zinc chromate (Red Oxide) primer from a local Pep Boys automotive supply store. However, you can use any color you desire. A flat, dull finish is best. Just spray on a couple light coats and let dry.

If you are custom mixing your paint, you can match the color to a brick or clay flowerpot in your yard.

After the paint has dried, locate the bottle of grout solution supplied in some kits. Or use our Driftwood Stain. Shake the bottle of grout well, then pour into a paper cup. From the cup, apply two very wet even coats of grout across the wall panel, into the grout-lines. Let dry between coats. We use a 1/2 inch brush for fast even coverage. Apply the solution in one wet, even pass of the brush across the entire brick facing. Dip the brush often, keeping a nice even puddle of solution moving across the brick facing. Also, do not touch the brush to the bottom of the paper cup where the pigment will be settling. That will cause white blobs. The solution settles very fast and will have to be stirred often.

Blot the brush on a tissue and soak up any excess buildup in the corners.

Let the panel lay flat until dry so the stain will settle into the cracks. Once dry, apply a second coat to bring out the grout lines even more. The grout solution will settle the bright color of the brick down to a nice pastel tone.

To tone the brightness down, apply a coat of black ink that has been diluted in rubbing alcohol. Test the ink solution before applying to the walls. If it is too dark, you will have to paint all over again. We mixed about 12 full squeezes of black drawing ink from the eyedropper supplied with the ink, into a quart of rubbing alcohol. Shake well before application. We will use this ink solution on just about everything, so save the remains for later use.

Immediately, lightly blot with a tissue to remove most of the ink solution from the brick facing and let dry.

Raising The Walls

We recommend using instant setting glue with an accelerator, so we can quickly move around the assembly without waiting for slow glue to cure. These glues are available from Pine Canyon or your local hobby shop. In many places on the structure, we also use 5-munite epoxy, available at most home improvement centers.

Sand any paint from all places where glue is to be applied for a good bond.

Always use a square to align the wall panels.

Apply a nice bead of instant setting glue to the end of the front wall panel, then quickly go to the next steps.

Cement both ends to the front wall, by aligning the upper and lower brick facing on the front wall, with the brick facing on the end walls. Hold in place and give the seam a shot of accelerator spray to instantly set the glue.

Cement the back wall panel to the end-walls. Hold in place and give the seam a shot of accelerator to instantly set the glue.

Installing windows

For easy painting, we stick the windows and doors to a strip of packing tape, taped to a box sticky side up. We then sprayed these with flat white paint. Dark green or brown are also good colors for the trim. Paint only one side of the windows so the clear glass will get good adhesion when applied to the back.

Cut the clear plastic to fit into the backside of the window frames. To make this process easier, we have cut the plastic strips to closely match the height of the frames. Use an x-acto knife to cut the window glass to size. You should have to make only one cut (vertically) per window.

Lay the glass into the backside of the window frame. Using liquid plastic cement, lightly touch the edge of the glass allowing a bead of cement to run around the seam. We use a small weight to hold the glass in place during this process.

Window shades can be made using simple masking tape stuck to the back side of the glass.

Remove the window castings from the trees and sand off any burrs.

Cement the windows into the wall panels. As glue, we use Testor’s Dullcoat applied with a brush from the bottle. Apply a nice heavy coat to the opening in the wall and press the window frames into place. Align the window square with the wall.

Final Assembly

Using 5-munite epoxy, cement the structure to the foundation.

Paint the floor and foundation concrete color. If you want a weathered look, apply a wash of grout solution to the foundation. Once dry Apply a wash of the ink solution we saved from the wall painting process.

Install the doors as desired.

Now is a good time to paint the interior and add any desired details or lighting.

Roof and Final Details

Paint the cap along the top of the walls concrete color or terra-cotta tile color.

Assemble the roof and install any desired details.

Paint the chimney cap concrete color. Paint the roof as desired. If you want a weathered look, apply washes of brown and black or pastel to age the roof. We also applied a wash of the diluted ink solution to the entire roof assembly to bring out the details.

Paint the seam at the bottom of the chimney black to represent flashing.

We applied black pastel powder with a brush to the top of the chimney and roof to represent soot.

We left the roof removable, so interior details can be added later.

Install the structure onto your layout, add weeds and have fun.

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