In-stain in the membrane

Forever ago, I posted a video of me sandblasting the paint off an old headboard.  

Sandblasting worked pretty well on some of the tough to reach places.  I definitely have not perfected the process but I would try it again in the future if the need arises.  

I then repainted the bench with an outdoors fleck stone spray paint.  After the repaint I attached the lion crest and I added dark wax to age up the fleck stone spray.  

Using pocket screws and 1x4's I made a seat for the bench.  I then tried to wood fill some of the gaps in between to make a butcher block type of solid surface. 

I used my Ryobi orbital sander on heavy grit paper to get the uneven spots out and worked it smoother with 220 after to achieve a nicer texture. 

I then applied several layers of Minwax Polyshades.  This product is a stain and a finish polyurethane combo and I wanted to try it out.  It's supposed to work on already finished wood as well with just a light sanding first.  I am going to try that technique very soon.  I have an old table in my garage that I need to unbury and I would love to not have to strip it before staining. 

Here is the seat after more coats.  It is a rich and nice dark red.  Before the final coat, I lightly sanded with 220 grit paper again and then the finish coat looks much smoother. 

This is the old headboard turned bench today.  I like the contrast between the wood and the faux stone, it gives it a earthy and ancient feel. 

Here are a few more photos so you can see the wood grain and the knots in the wood.  It will make a fun entryway bench here until it finds a home. 

Have a great day!  I will be outside enjoying this beautiful spring day, I hope you will be enjoying it as well. 

Love, Lori

Paint spraying 101

I have been fortunate enough to be around a few excellent paint teachers.  My husband and my Father in Law are both professional contractors who specialize in painting and coatings.  They mostly do industrial painting (water treatment plants, utilities, sewer treatments, airports.... Big jobs) I am pretty sure I talked about that before. 

Here is my hubby's truck, they are Orion Painting and Coatings.  Every day at home and every family holiday party I hear a little "shop talk." My husband has been painting over 15 years and my FIL over 20 with general construction before that.  They have painted homes, schools, businesses and everything in between.  I have always listened to the shop talk but only recently I have become fascinated by it. 

I just finished painting this desk and chair for my friends daughter.  It's still wet in the photo. 

I will post better photos later and show the before and after with all the steps.  This post I wanted to share a few paint tips I have learned about using an air compressor and a spray gun. 

For this one I used plaster of Paris and water to make a chalky base.  3tbs of dry mix and about 3tbs of water (mix well in cold water) then mixed into 8oz of paint makes a good chalk paint.  *not chalkboard paint*  I brushed it on and it made an excellent primer.  

You can see it's streaky on the chair which a first coat or primer will be.  I kinda wish I would have used regular primer (or tinted the primer) because I could have sprayed it on and not had the brush lines.  

The good thing about using the chalky primer is that it's super sandable,  so you can sand off the lines or paint drops before putting on a regular latex top coat.  I did have a few places to sand smooth before using the non-chalky finish coat. 

Chalk paint does not spray well, it's very thick and it clogs the sprayer easily.  I recommend straining all paint before putting it in the sprayer.  Disposable plastic cups are a great way to strain and keep paint in small workable quantities.  When you need a break, Glad Press and Seal Wrap makes a good lid. 

See the big paint chunks? These would clog the sprayer and slow progress way down.  All paint in sprayers needs to be watered down.  I like adding about a tablespoon of water at a time to the strainer to thin the paint.  The free at Home Depot paint can openers, make an excellent small stir stick. When the paint dries, it peels right off the metal and you can use it again. 

If you do get a clog,  the paint won't come out where it's supposed to. In this photo you can see it coming out the top valve.  I had to stop and clean out the sprayer and all its parts.  I have had several sprayers and this one is my favorite, it's a gravity fed cup gun.  I have used the kind that the paint is below and it pumps it to the top,  they work but this is easier and the cleanup is quicker.  If you can't afford an air compressor plus a cup gun,  you can get the electric spray gun for not very much. 

I think I got this one for under $20 at Harbor Freight with a coupon.  Now that I have the experience with both types, I definitely recommend the air sprayer.  When you get the right consistency of paint (when it is runny like milk) it sprays on nicely.  Several thin coats are the way to go.  Don't try to do it too thick or it will run, drip and cause more misery later.  On a warm day a thin coat will be dry to the touch in about 10-15 minutes.

When cleaning the sprayer I recommend using brushes to get in the little paint holes.  I picked these brushes up free at Harbor Freight with a coupon.  I love the freebies there.  I didn't show it in the photos but the tip also comes off & needs to be cleaned.  

When it's all cleaned out its good to fill up the cup gun with water and use the air just like you are painting to make sure it's completely clear for the next time. 

When closing up a paint can, place a drop cloth, rag, or paper towels on top of the can. This will keep the paint that gets trapped around the rim from flying everywhere.  

Then you can tap the hammer around the edge and save your floor or walls from unwanted splatter.  These might be simple tricks and tips that you may already know.  Some of you have never painted before.  If you have any good tips for me, please send them in!  I am so excited that I just got an airbrush set, I can't wait to try it out and tell you all about how that goes.

Have a good day and don't be afraid to try something new! 

Love Lori

 

Behind the scenes

I have been doing a lot of prep work on my pieces this week,  aka sanding and using wood filler.  Not such exciting work but necessary for a good outcome.  

I am currently working on this table and chair set.  This one will have a painted base and chairs,  with a stained top. 

These chairs will look the same when finished and the whole set will match nicely.  One chair had a broken spindle that someone else repaired but there was chunks missing at the base.  Time to bring out my wood-filler friend. 

I am also working on this dresser for my Mother-in-law.  This piece will be fun and a bit more artistic,  I can't wait to show you when it's done!  

Right now it too is getting the basics worked on with wood filler and sanding.  I am doing this and the table and chairs at the same time because both will require primer and it's easier to just dedicate a day to setting up multiple pieces for spraying.  Not the most exciting blog post but the basics are important! 

I saw this picture on Facebook and her poor feet are horrible.  It illustrates a good point though.  If you want a beautiful ballet you will have dancers with terrible feet.  If you want beautiful restored furniture,  it takes a lot of boring sanding and waiting for wood filler to dry. Putting in the hard work is the only way to have the outcome you desire.  Hopefully I will get to show you the pretty stuff soon!

  Have a great day! 

Love, Lori 

Daydreaming in wood

I am thinking out loud in this post.  The more I look through furniture that draws me in,  the more I see ornate carved wood. 

I didn't make this piece, I am no where near this skill level.  I would love to learn how they did this!  

And look at this beautiful, antique bed!  I have searched online to try and find ways to make furniture like this.  

Long story short:  each one of these fantastic pieces is carved by hand.  Someone took the time to chisel and sand out each detail and that's why each of them are so fabulous.  

I really admire the artistry and the detail.  People have carved the most unusual things out of wood that are absolutely stunning.  Here are a few examples:

Isn't this incredible?  This owl looks so real! Every feather is a piece of carved wood. 

This is a neat musician,  again an artist took the time to carve each tiny detail!  I don't ever see myself having the patience or skill to do this but I can appreciate someone who took the time and had the talent.  I have purchased wood and plaster carvings to go on furniture before.  Here is a plaster one I am about to use and that I have colored.  

For now I will continue using these but maybe, just maybe,  I might ask for a set of wood chisels for my birthday.  ;) 

Hardware quick change

A couple of years ago I painted this dresser for my girls. 

I had left the hardware the bright brassy gold but I was never a big fan.  I purchased some more colors of guilders paste over the weekend and in about a half hour,  with no removing the handles, I made it look completely different. 

This is the brand of guilders paste I love to work with the most.  If any of your local stores don't carry it,  you can purchase it on Amazon.  For the handles I used Baroque guilders paste in silver.  My finger looks a bit like the Tin Man from "The Wizard of Oz" but I wears off your finger quite quickly. 

Here is the before,  I had tried a bit of the German Silver on them but it was still too gold.  

Here is the after, I decided to leave the brassy color in the grooves because I liked the contrast.  If you wanted to eliminate that,  you could use a small art brush.   See the smudge above the handle on #2 drawer?  I accidentally touched the drawer front.  The smudge will come right off with a little clear paste wax,  even weeks later, if you don't have time to fix it immediately. 

I really like the silver look much better! If I decide to change my mind in the future there is always a ton of other guilders paste colors to try.  

Have a great day and try something new!

Love, Lori

Kelly's hutch complete

Here she is 100% complete and glass back in safely! 

Every piece I wish 2 things,  that I was an octopus, and that I was instantly smarter.

 I am not saying that I am dumb.  If I was just a little smarter,  I could figure things out much easier.  I guess I will get there, as I keep trying new things and gaining experience. 

 As for the octopus part,  having 8 arms would have helped get the hinges,  screws, and glass into place much faster.  

Here is the before photo.  It looks very different.   To show you the steps I did for the final details,  I will start with the hinges.  

I had previously sprayed the hinges black but when you install the screws,  the screws still are brassy.  Here is how you get them to match.  

Use the same spray paint, but spray inside a paper or plastic cup.  Then, take a small brush and dip it in the paint at the bottom.  Moving quickly because the spray dries fast,  paint the screw heads.  

Then the screws match the painted hinges and it's much easier than trying to spray the screws and have the little pieces blow all over.  That is a tip I picked up from my hubby.  This is the type of stuff he usually paints. 

Well,  I am off to get back to work.  Have a great and productive day!  Love, Lori