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In this post you’re going to learn how to design and build your own version of a tiny house to scale.
This is a great way to play around with different ideas you might have before you actually start spending lots of money building your home.
It allows you to work out kinks and try out different concepts after you’ve gathered ideas for your future tiny house before you ever buy any of your materials.
And one of our readers, Dan Paquette, is going to show you exactly how to do it step by step in the video below.
How to Build your own Scaled 3D Tiny House Design (VIDEO)
What you’ll need before you start:
- 4 1/4 inch styrofoam sheets
- Marker & pencil
- Tape measurer
- Speed square
- Straight edge ruler or yard stick
- Nail pins to hold everything together
- Glue gun with glue sticks
- Masking tape
- Box cutter
Besides that you’ll just want to have plenty of ideas for your tiny house.
For example, you’d want to know some of the measurements for the windows, appliances, and furniture that you’re thinking about going with so you can scale them down accurately.
How to do it Step by Step
1. Have your ideas ready! This means you should have your general design chosen (8×20, 8×30, etc), favorite appliances, furniture, and everything else picked out with measurements ready to go.
2. Go get your materials that are outlined for you above.
3. If you’re using 1/12 scale, as shown in the video above, that means every 1 inch equals 1 foot. And every 1/8th inch equals 1 and 1/2 inches.
4. With those numbers in mind, you’re ready to begin converting your ideas into a real life scaled model tiny home!
For further reference, watch Dan’s video again below:
And be sure to click here and subscribe to his YouTube channel as he’ll be releasing more informative instructional videos based on his designs and future tiny house build.
If you enjoyed this tutorial on how to build your own scaled down model of a tiny house you’ll love our free daily tiny house newsletter with more!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Alex
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This is great and very helpful. My family just gave me a second house to refurbish. This one is very similar to the first one. One square box split in the middle. A scaled model will help make the difference.
Excellent idea. My only suggestion is to get an architect’s scale. This is a ruler – usually triangular in cross-section – with the markings already measured to scale. This allows you to do the layout directly without the conversion of units. Cheap ones run about $6 at office supply stores.
very nice
I can’t find 1/4″ foam boards
It’s not styrofoam sheets. It’s Foam Core sheets and they come in a standard 1/4″.
I like the method you use on the scale. Makes it simple and you explained it very well.
Thanks, Dan
Great video. I can’t wait to make my tiny house.
good idea,
Thanks
I’m excited to try this. Thank you so much for the informa
Thank you very much for the article
Great information. Love it and want to hear more.
Thank you for sharing.
Fantastic, dude! Definitely subscribing!!! Off to Walmart for my gator foam!
To determine livability, a tiny mock-up is a start.
Then, a full-size mock-up gives a better idea of traffic flow and sight-lines and air circulation and usability of cabinets and furniture.
Uh… I don’t have enough money for Styrofoam sheets- or at least I don’t want to spend my money on them. I’m doing a project with my friends, and we don’t have access-not allowed to touch- to hot glue guns and stuff like that. Instead, we’re using packaging tape, cereal boxes, and cardboard boxes to recycle. Can you help us with planning something for that?
Why not build a double envelope tiny house with geothermal heating /cooling & solar panels . So you could live totally off grid. The only thing you would pay is taxes on the land , once it is payed off.
That sounds awesome! — Tiny House Talk Team
Is there any place to buy tiny house scale models?
Huh! I’ve never seen it! — Tiny House Talk Team
Have you seen this?
http://www.thetinyhouseplanner.com
No! Looks great!
Hi to every one, it’s really a good for me to pay a quick visit this site,
it contains important Information.
I used this site for a project and I got an A+ because of this site. 🙂
Way to go, Beverly! Glad that article was helpful, sounds like you did a good job executing the information here! Keep it up… 🙂
I like how you mentioned that a speed square, ruler, yardstick, and a glue gun are just some of the equipment you’ll need to build a scale model home. My wife and I are thinking of hiring an architectural scale model specialist because we’re considering building our dream custom home for us to live in with our kids. It seems like a good idea for us to think about hiring a reputable professional to help us construct a smaller version of what we want in our house so that the real house can be built to our specs.
Hi Jesse, thanks for adding to the conversation. Seems to me like that would be a really good and smart thing to do too. The more you plan everything now, the easier everything will go when it’s time to build. Wishing you guys the best, please keep us updated. Would love to see your models/designs too if you would ever like to share.