Determining Dollhouse Scale and Sizes of Miniatures (2024)

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Lesley Shepherd

Lesley Shepherd is a miniature artisan who shares her knowledge about miniatures. She has over 30 years experience teaching this highly specialized craft. Lesley is also a professional museum model maker.

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Updated on 01/15/20

Determining Dollhouse Scale and Sizes of Miniatures (1)

Dollhouses come in a wide range of standard sizes, but how can you tell which size you should collect or build? How can you check the size of the furniture you need for an antique house or toy dollhouse?

Standardized sizes for modern dollhouses​ include 1:6, 1:12, 1:16, 1:24, and 1:48, while antique houses are often a custom size. Some scales are popular for collectors of artisan miniatures, while others are more useful for children's playor families who share a range of hobbies with similar scales. Before investing in a dollhouse, you should understand the various scales available and determine which scale is best for your collection and skills.

Determining Dollhouse Scale and Sizes of Miniatures (2)

  • 01 of 07

    1:12 Dollhouse Scale: One Inch to One Foot

    1:12 scale (sometimes called 1-inch scale) gained widespread acceptance amongst collectors of artisan miniatures when it was chosen as the scale for Queen Mary's Dolls House. At a time when imperial rulers were marked in 1/12 of an inch, this was,and continues to be, a popular size, which allows for the creation of greatly detailed miniatures. In 1:12 scale, doorways will be 6 to 7 1/2 inches tall (15 to 19 centimeters)or larger, and most adult dolls are depicted at between 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) and 6 inches (15.2 centimeters) in height.

    The scale is common in playhouses for younger children, with Plan Toys and Calico Critters (Sylvanian Families) making their dolls, furnitureand some animals in roughly 1:12 scale. For collectors in all ranges, 1:12 scale is the most widely available dollhouse scale.

    The scale is not popular for other miniatures, however, so cars or trains and some other accessories in 1:12 scale are difficult to find. Space considerations mean 1:12 scale is not as popular with collectors who want to make an entire scene with several buildings or outbuildings. There are some popular model horses (Breyer and others) in this scale, with a few animals. A wide range of animals are available from artisans, but common farmyard animals are limited in this scale.

  • 1:6 Scale Dollhouses: Fashion Doll Scale or Playscale

    Items in 1:6 scale, also known as "Playscale" or "Fashion Doll" scale, are sized to fit with common fashion dolls such as Barbieor collectible action figures, principally military action figures.

    In this scale, 1inch is equivalent to 6 inches in full size. A standard 7 1/2-foot-tall door would measure 15 inches (38 centimeters), while an adult male doll would be 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) tall. Some artisan miniatures are produced in this scale, mainly in modern styles. This is also the scale for most Japanese 'Re-Ment' accessories and play foods.

  • 03 of 07

    1:16 Dollhouse Scale: 3/4 Scale

    1:16 dolls house scale (sometimes called 3/4 scale) was a common scale for play dollhouses from the 1930s to 1950s and has now been revived by the Brinca Dada toy company for its new range of modern dollhouse toys. One inch in this scale equals 16 inches on a real item, or 3/4 inch equals 1 foot. An adult male doll in this scale will be roughly 4 1/2 inches (11.5 centimeters) tall, while a doorway will be 5 3/4 inches to 6 1/2 inches (14.5 to 16.5 centimeters) high. Collectible houses and furniture in this scale include pieces from Tri-ang (a British Manufacturer), Marx (Little Hostess, Amanda Ann), and Petite Princess (by Ideal, marketed in the U.S.).

  • 04 of 07

    1:18 Scale: 2/3 Scale

    Lundby dollhouses, made in Sweden, are in 1:18 scale, sometimes called 2/3 scale. They are often furnished with 1:16 scale furniture, as play furniture in these scales is often "fit the box" scale rather than strictly to size.

    Continue to 5 of 7 below.

  • 05 of 07

    1:24 Scale: Half-Scale Miniatures

    1:24 dollhouse scale, or half scale, is gaining ground in the UK and Europe as a popular miniature scale. This scale is more commonly found across scale hobbies, with "G" or garden scale railways producing many inexpensive figures and details in scales from 1:22 to 1:24.

    This is also a common play scale for children, as Playmobil houses and accessories are in this scale to go with the company's railroads and vehicles. There is also a range of inexpensive "puzzle" houses available in this scale. 1:24 scale is also fairly popular for high-end die-cast car collectibles, so street scenes are much easier to construct in 1:24 vs 1:12 scale.​

    In the artisan dollhouse market, the scale remains somewhat of a niche,with some artisans in Europe producing duplicates of their 1:12 scale range in 1:24 scale as well. 1:24 scale items are becoming more widely available commercially, but the range is still limited compared to 1:12 scale. Some kit manufacturers, including The Daisy House, produce furniture kits in 1:24 scale.

    In 1:24 scale, a doorway is usually 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 centimeters) high, with male dolls standing between 2 1/2 to 3 inches (6.5 to 7.5 centimeters) tall.

  • 06 of 07

    1:48 Scale: Quarter-Scale Miniatures

    1:48 scale, or quarter scale, dollhouses are becoming increasingly popular, especially on the west coast of North America and in the UK. This scale is similar to railroad "O" scale, and building parts available for railroad buildings can be used for quarter-scale houses. In this scale, a person who is 6 feet high would be 1 1/2 inches inches (almost 4 centimeters) tall. This scale also works well for gamers who use 25/28 or 40 millimeters figures. Many of the gaming buildings available are either S or O railroad scale.

  • 07 of 07

    1:144: Micro-Scale

    1:144 has been called Dollhouse for a Dolls House Scale, or Micro Scale. Buildings this size can be used as 1:12 scale dolls houses inside a 1:12 scale dolls house. This is very close to the British "N" scale railway size of 1:148 and slightly off from the North American "N" scale railroad of 1:160 scale. It is a popular size for Christmas Railway Scenes.

Determining Dollhouse Scale and Sizes of Miniatures (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate scale for miniatures? ›

1" scale: 1 foot in real life, equals 1 inch in miniature life. Also known as 1/12th Scale. Always when breaking down a real life object to a certain scale, you divide the length and width by the number of parts in scale , 12 for one inch scale, 24 for half scale, or 48 for quarter scale.

What scale are dollhouse miniatures? ›

A majority of standardized dollhouses, furniture, accessories, and figures are manufactured around the 1:12 scale. In the USA, this makes it easy for us to calculate, since one foot in reality equals one inch in dollhouse scale.

What does 1:12 scale mean miniatures? ›

The 1:12 scale is a traditional scale (ratio) for models and miniatures. In this scale (ratio), one inch on the scale model or miniature is equal to twelve inches on the original object being copied. Depending on the application, this particular scale (ratio) is also called one-scale (since 1 inch equals 1 foot).

How big is a 1:12 scale dollhouse? ›

One-inch scale (also called 1/12 or 1:12 scale) means 1 inch equals a foot or twelve inches. If your adult dolls are 5 to 6 inches tall or your doll house rooms are about 8 to 10 inches tall, you have 1 inch scale or 1:12 scale miniatures. Half Scale (also called 1:24 or 1/24 scale) means 1/2 inch equals a foot.

How do you calculate dollhouse scale? ›

If you don't know the scale of your dollhouse, you can generally determine it by measuring the ceiling height of the first floor/main level. If it measures between 8" and 10" (generally), you could be pretty certain you have a 1" scale dollhouse.

What is the formula to find scale? ›

The basic formula to find the scale factor of a figure is expressed as, Scale factor = Dimensions of the new shape ÷ Dimensions of the original shape.

What is the best scale to be used in house miniature? ›

1:12 Scale

This scale is also known as the One inch scale, this scale became very popular for dollhouses after it was chosen as the scale for Queen Mary's Dolls House in 1924. This scale allows for the creation of greatly detailed miniatures and is a common scale used fro both adult and kids playhouses.

What are the different scale sizes for miniatures? ›

Scales of 20 mm, 25 mm, 28 mm, 30 mm, 32 mm, and 35 mm are the most common for role-playing and table-top games. Smaller scales of 2 mm, 6 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, and 20 mm are used for mass-combat wargames.

What does 1:12 scale mean for dollhouses? ›

1:12 scale is sometimes called one-inch scale and means 1 foot (or 12 inches) on a real item that has been scaled down to 1 inch. If you measure the ceiling in your house and it's 10ft, it would be 10in in the dolls house.

Which is bigger 1/12 scale or 1/6 scale? ›

As you can see from the above table, 1:6 scale is twice as big as 1:12 scale. That means… … to convert a 1:12 scale into 1:6, simply double all the measurements: WIDTH, HEIGHT, and DEPTH.

What scale is bigger 1:12 or 1 24? ›

Smaller Scales

The next smallest common dollhouse scale is 1:24. It is twice as small as the standard 1:12 size. Because it is half the size, it is commonly also referred to as 'half scale' or 'half inch'. Here, 1 foot equals half an inch.

Which is bigger 1/16 scale or 1/64 scale? ›

1/16 scale model is typically about 30 cm long. 1/32 scale is typically about 15 cm long. 1/64 scale is typically about 7.5 cm long. 4WD articulated tractors are somewhat larger and small tractors like the grey Fergy are somewhat smaller for the same scale.

What size is a 1/4 scale doll? ›

Mini size dolls, sometimes referred to as MSD size from the Mini Super Dollfie size range, are about 40 cm (15.5 in) tall.

How many inches is a 1/12 scale figure? ›

1/12th scale is roughly six inches high. These figures, featuring articulation, clothing and head sculpt options and detailed accessories, are great for space-challenged collectors. Look for Mezco's ONE:12 series, plus new series by DAM (modern military) and COO/CM Toys (ancient world).

How tall is a 1/12 scale model? ›

1:12 scale - Very large, highly detailed models; usually about 14 or 15 in (36 or 38 cm) long; mainly targeted at adult collectors. These models are generally much more expensive than the 1:18 models. Many diecast motorcycles are also produced in this scale.

How many inches is a 1/6 scale doll? ›

Items in 1:6 scale, also known as "Playscale" or "Fashion Doll" scale, are sized to fit with common fashion dolls such as Barbie or collectible action figures, principally military action figures. In this scale, 1 inch is equivalent to 6 inches in full size.

What does 1 2 scale mean? ›

Half scale is 1:2. It is helpful to think of this as one unit on the drawing equals two units on the object. A small object can be enlarged on the paper and drawn in 2:1 scale. This means the drawing of the object is twice as large as the object itself.

What size is a 1 24 scale doll? ›

½ Inch (1:24) - 1/24 - Half Inch scale is also fairly popular, you will find many of the half in scale items in our store, they will be clearly marked as such.

What is the standard scale for a dolls house? ›

The 1:12 scale has its roots in the imperial measuring system – where one inch on the doll's house is equivalent to one foot on a real house. So the house is twelve times smaller than a full size house. Historically, it was chosen as the scale for Queen Mary's dolls house.

Which scale gives the most accurate measurement? ›

Analyser scales tend to be the most accurate, offering a comprehensive breakdown of your body's composition – some on our list can take up to 17 different metrics.

Which is bigger 1/24 scale or 1/32 scale? ›

A 1/24 scale diecast car is generally about 16 - 20cm. Many of the cars made in the smaller scales (1/32-1/38) are actually made so that the car will be exactly 5 inches long, regardless of the scale.
...
What is diecast scale?
Diecast ScaleApproximate Size
1/64 Scale2.5-3 inches / 6-8 cm
4 more rows

How tall are 32mm scale miniatures? ›

28mm scale in this case refers to the eyeline of the miniature, while 32mm refers to the top of their heads. There are also manufacturers who state they produce 32mm scale miniatures, but they measure the 32mm up to eye level, so these miniatures are 35mm high to the top of their heads.

How tall is a 1 24 scale figure? ›

A 1/24 scale diecast car is generally about 6.5-8 inches.

How many inches is a 1/16 scale model? ›

Every inch on the replica equals 16 inches on the real tractor. The larger the scale, the smaller the denominator; a 1/16 scale toy is much larger than a 1/87. “Scale” doesn't refer to actual size. For example, a 1/16 scale toy could measure 8, 12, or 14 inches long.

What size is a 1/10 scale model? ›

How Big is a 1:10 Scale Car? When shopping for 1:10 RC cars, you will find that they start around 17.5 inches but can be as large as 22 inches in length, particularly if they emulate the look of classic American muscle cars. These 1:10 RC models should not be wider than 14 inches.

What doll is 1:12 scale? ›

Quick Dollhouse Scales Chart
ScaleReal Life SizeMiniature Size
1:1212ft12in
1:2412ft6in
1:4812ft3in
1:14412ft1in
1 more row

How tall is a 1:18 scale figure? ›

It's about 4~5 inches tall.

How do you calculate 1:12 scale? ›

You measure the 1:1 bookcase and it's 80 inches tall. You want to make a 1:12 scale version. You divide 80 by 12 and get 6.666667 or 6 and 2/3 inches. That's the height of the 1:12 bookcase–easy peasy!

Is G scale the same as 1:24 scale? ›

Depending on the manufacturer, G scale model trains range in scale from 1:24 to 1:32, but generally run together on the same gauge track. At the turn of the last century, Lionel was the first to produce electric toy trains in America in what they called “Standard Gauge,” where the rails were 2.125″ apart.

How big is a 1 18 scale model? ›

The scale size 1:18 is one of the biggest size of scale model cars and is DNA Collectibles most popular scale. How big is 1 18? Model cars in this scale are between 10 (250 mm) and 12 (300 mm) inches in length, and by definition, it is said that it is 18 times smaller than a car.

What size is a 1 16 scale figure? ›

1/16 World Figure Series. At approximately 120mm tall, the figures in this series come in the popular 1/16 scale and boast natural, lifelike poses as well as vivid facial expressions for a superb level of realism.

How big is a 1 50 scale toy? ›

Fisca 1:50 die-cast front loader model metal construction vehicle, it is a great toy for kids and adults. You can use it to decorate your room and table also. 1:50 scale, dimensions: 7.9 * 3.1 * 2.7 inches, weight: 1.43 pounds.

How tall is a 1 3 scale doll? ›

For dolls in the 1:3 scale range such as SD ball jointed dolls measuring 53-60 centimetres (20-24 inches). Roughly 1/3 scale, they usually represent fully grown teenagers or adult body types.

What size is a 1/5 scale model? ›

1:18 - 25 cm (10 in) long. 1:12 - 38 cm (15 in) long. 1:8 - 60 cm (24 in) long. 1:5 - 92 cm (36 in) long.

What size is a 1 3 doll? ›

SD dolls are 1/3 scale and range from 50-70 cm (19-28 in).

Is 6 inch action figure 1:12 scale? ›

A: Yes. The Action Force figures are 1/12 (6 inch) scale, so their accessories should be most…

What size is a 1/7 scale figure? ›

Featuring an alternate embarrassed faceplate, this 1/7 scale figure measures about 9.5" tall.

What scale is Ikea dollhouse? ›

The dollhouse is based on 1:12 scale, perfect for any doll or stuffed animal which measures 4-6 inches like Maileg Mice, Calico Critter, Chelsea Barbie, Peg dolls, etc.

Can you be a model with 5 1 height? ›

Runway Models

The height requirements are 5.9 and above for female models and between 5'11" to 6'2" for male models. The fashion industry is very strict and has high, and sometimes unreasonable standards. Since the requirements are not very flexible, it is a hard industry to get into.

How do you size a scale model? ›

Divide the real life dimension of either length or width by that of the model. So, say the real life object had a length of 55m, and the model had a length of 50 cm, or 0.5m, then do 55/0.5. This is equal to 110.

How tall is a 1/6 scale model? ›

An average one sixth scale (1:6 scale) Hot Toys figure is around 12 inches tall depending on the character or hero, and features an astonishingly high level of detail.

How does scale work in miniatures? ›

Definition: The relative scale of miniatures is a modeling scale that compares the size of the model to the size of a real life object. This ratio will show how many times the model is smaller than the original size. For example, 1/72 means that the size of the miniature is the 1/72th of the size of the original.

Is 40k 28mm or 32mm? ›

Generally speaking, we can consider Warhammer 40k to be 32mm heroic scale, and the debate between 28mm vs 32 mm miniatures is really something of the past, as Warhammer models used to be much smaller and have grown consistently in size (with no end in sight).

What is the 1/24 scale for miniatures? ›

The 1/24 dollhouse miniatures scale is also known as 1/2" scale. It means that if something is 12" in real life, it would be scaled down to 1/2" instead of the standard 1". They're a great fit if you're looking to furnish an extra small space. Shop our extra tiny minis below!

What are the 3 ways to represent scale? ›

There are three primary ways to indicate scale on a map: a representative fraction (e.g., 1:24,000), a verbal scale (e.g., “One inch to the mile”), or a graphic scale bar.

How big is a 1:12 scale figure? ›

1/12th scale is roughly six inches high. These figures, featuring articulation, clothing and head sculpt options and detailed accessories, are great for space-challenged collectors.

Are DND Minis 28mm or 32mm? ›

28mm Standard - This is the standard size of all our minis.

What is the scale of 28mm miniatures? ›

So the answer to the question: what scale are 28mm figures, the answer is 1:60 and 1:76. If you get models in these scales they won't look too bad alongside the miniatures on your tabletop.

What size is a 1/32 scale toy? ›

1/32 scale is typically about 15 cm long. 1/64 scale is typically about 7.5 cm long.

What scale is closest to 28mm? ›

1:64 (29mm) S-scale – This is a somewhat rare railroad modeling scale (as compared with O, HO or N-scale. This is the closest scale to the 28mm miniature war game standard 28mm, e.g., Games Workshop and others.

Is bolt action a 28mm? ›

Bolt Action is a miniature wargame produced by Warlord Games. It is set during World War II and uses 28mm-sized models.

What size is a 28mm? ›

Size Conversion Chart
GaugeInchesMillimeters
-1"25mm
-1-1/8"28mm
-1-1/4"32mm
-1-3/8"35mm
22 more rows

Whats bigger 1/24 scale or 1/64 scale? ›

A 1/64 scale replica would be about 2.8 inches long. In general, this means that for the same model car, a 1/18 scale version will be larger than a 1/24 scale version, which is larger than a 1/32, which is larger than a 1/43, which is larger than a 1/64, and so on.

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