Recycle your old paint!

 

Anyone who aspires to be truly green will want to extend this to their home, and so when the time comes to redecorate there are lots of ways that you can make environmentally friendly choices for your decorating.

Get out all your leftover paints and look at them to see what your possibilities are, e.g – Blue and Red make purple! Add colour drop by drop, stirring well after each addition and alternating if you’re adding more than one. Dab your paint onto paper or another surface to test, then paint one wall with your new colour and make it the focal point.
Most of the eco-friendly paints on the market are water-soluble and use plant oils such as linseed oil and plant resins to form the paint solution. The pigmentation comes from minerals or plant dyes. Some eco-friendly paints are supplied as powders, which you dilute yourself. This reduces the weight and size of the paint, so the environmental damage from transporting the paint is lessened, and large metal or plastic containers don’t have to be manufactured to hold the paint on its journey from the factory to your home.
Many of us find we have half a pot of paint sitting in our shed or garage that we no longer need or can’t even remember why we bought it! If you want to donate your paint to a good cause, Community RePaint collects reusable domestic paint in reasonable condition for redistribution to community and voluntary groups, charities and individuals in social need. Visit their website to find the nearest collection point to you.  http://tiny.cc/1rcjd
Posted in DIY, Environmentally friendly products, Paint, Preparation, Room Design | Leave a comment

A facelift for wooden furniture, a cheap option.

The cheapest furniture by far is from charity stores and junk shops. Or you may have some pieces already. It’s easy to give them a face lift. 

For the most effective furniture makeover, choose pieces made from solid wood, and check that joints are well made and sturdy. Do any small repairs before painting/varnishing. Don’t waste time on rickety chairs or flimsy drawers. Change any handles for that final finishing touch.

You will need:

A shave Hook, An old cloth and/or sponge, bucket, washing-up liquid and white spirit, medium-grade sanding paper and mask, small brush, your choice of finish (whether primer and paint, or varnish), and brush cleaner.

These flexible sanding blocks make light work of those difficult areas and uneven surfaces.

Painting your furniture

A painted finish is easiest as you can usually paint over old varnish or paint. Good quality brushes are a must! Try the Harris Brushes range, they have natural bristles and high performance synthetic filaments, with new comfort grip shaped handles. http://www.harrisbrushes.com/brushes

For this project, we updated four plain, wooden kitchen chairs. Allow around three days. It is not particularly labour-intensive but drying times are essential.

1. Make sure your furniture is free from dirt. Wash it over with warm water and allow to dry completely. If your furniture is very dirty, add a few drops of washing up liquid to the water, use a soft scrubbing brush, and give a final clean rinse.
2. Sand the surface to smooth out rough areas, scratches and dents. Wear a mask to avoid inhaling dust. Use medium-grade sanding paper, working with the grain, and then wipe over with a cloth dampened in white spirit.
3. Using a small flat brush, apply a primer and allow to dry for at least six hours.
4. Choose a good quality gloss paint colour for the final surface. Apply two coats, allowing at least 16 hours between coats. Clean brushes.

Stripping old furniture

If the finish on your old furniture is very poor (for example, uneven, cracked or flaking), you should strip it off. And of course you will need to do this if you want to simply varnish the bare wood.

Modern paint strippers can remove layers of paint with ease (eg Polycell Advanced Paint Stripper with “active gel” which can take off up to 15 layers of paint/varnish without harming the wood).

1. Decant the active gel into the lid of its tin.
2. Using a brush, apply a generous even coat over the furniture surface.
3. Leave until the paint begins to blister (from two to four hours) and gently test scrape, using a paint scraper or shave hook. You can leave it on for up to six hours if necessary. When ready, softened paint should scrape off easily. Don’t try and hurry the process: you may score the surface of your furniture.
4. Remove all of the peeling layers of paint.
5. Repeat the process if any paint remains.
6. Wipe over with white spirit to remove any remains of stripper/paint/varnish – this will avoid raising the grain of the wood.
7. Clean brush with soapy water.

Varnishing a chair 

A varnish pad can be used on intricate bits of furniture, such as chair backs

Varnishing wooden furniture

A simple way to varnish stripped wood is with a varnish pack, which comes complete with a pad for easy/quality application.

1. Prepare furniture as described above, stripping back to bare wood, wiping over with white spirit, and sanding to a smooth surface.
2. Gently lower pad onto surface of varnish, making sure that the flock underside is evenly covered, but keeping foam pad dry. Scrape off any excess onto sides of tub.
3. Use pad flat to cover all flat areas in long smooth strokes – it’s quick and easy.
4. Use the angled front edge to reach any intricate bits, such as chair backs. You can take the pad off the handle to get between uprights.

If short of time, use a quick dry varnish (eg Ronseal Quick Dry Varnish) Or there is Ronseal Eco Varnish based on oil-based resins, with a third less petrochemicals than traditional varnishes.

Posted in Interior, Paint, Preparation, Room Design, Tools | Leave a comment

Is it Black & White?

In the age when coloured photography is on its peak and required in day to day of your life yet black and white photography did not loses its shine and still demanded by most of the photographers and photo lovers. There could be significant reasons behind it because black and white photography is that kind of photography which could portray emotions and the mood quite well. This type of photographic atmosphere could not create by the colour photographs. Black and white photography is much more interesting because as they focus much more on the subject by the help of shadows and lights.

Another most important thing for black and white photograph is the selection of the subject because in case of colour photograph you may not need to do so. A photograph which looks good in colour photograph can look dull in the black and white photograph. As black and white photograph is the simplest forms of photograph and also at the same time complex as the image must be clean and fresh so that it must leave a great impact on the heart of the viewer. Most important this type of images captures the impression and emotions in nostalgic as well as in the dramatic way.

The 3 great elements:
Lights colour and shadow this are the most important elements in black and white photograph. By the help of lights and shadow you could change the whole appearance and the meaning of a photograph and also the impact of the image in the mind of the viewer. Now why colour? Yes colour is highly important because choosing the right subject solely depend upon the fewer colour of the subject. More the colour more it would be difficult to choose the right subject.

In true sense black and white photography is eternal. Many of the black and white photographs which are made by the famous photographers still knock our heart. So choose the proper subject before go for black and white photographs.

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How to fill a hole in a masonry wall

1. Start by removing any loose debris with a wallpaper scraper then soft dry brush.

2. Wet the hole with a dampened brush – this will help the filler to stick inside the hole.

3. Press the filler into the hole with a filling knife, dragging the blade across the hole to push the filler into place. Fill the hole to be slightly proud of the wall.

4. Once dry, rub down with fine grade sandpaper to be flush with the wall before painting.

Top tip
If you are filling a hole more that about 10-12mm deep you must fill in layers. Scratch each layer as you go as this will allow the subsequent layers to adhere better.

Posted in DIY, Exterior, How to do it, Paint, Preparation | 12 Comments

How to fill a hole in a plasterboard wall

 

Little dents or holes can be fixed with filler but for larger holes you’ll need to fit a plasterboard patch first to stop the filler simply falling into the cavity.

1. Start by neatening the edge of your hole with a craft knife to get rid of any loose material or scraps of the papery covering.

2. Cut a patch of plasterboard that is a little bigger than your hole, but can still be pushed through it. Drill a little hole on the centre, thread a cord through and knot on the far side.

3. Apply filler or glue to the front edges of the patch, hold the string and push the patch through the hole. Pull on the string to bring the patch into place to block up the hole from behind.

4. Keep holding the string and add filler to the hole. Tie the string to a chair to keep it taut while the filler dries. Once it has set, cut the string flush with the wall and apply a final coat of filler, allow to dry and then sand for a perfect finish.

Posted in DIY, How to do it, Interior, Preparation | 7 Comments

Give wooden chairs a mini makeover

 

Look 1: Country chic

Turn a dull wooden chair into a charming focal point, pretty enough to grace any kitchen or bedroom

You will need
• Quick drying eggshell paint
• Fabric of your choice

1. Remove the seat pad by either lifting straight out or unscrewing from below. Having completed any repairs, rub down the wood frame with fine sandpaper to give a smooth finish. Paint the whole chair with an all-in-one primer/undercoat and allow to dry.

2. Apply two coats of eggshell paint allowing each to dry thoroughly before applying the next.

3. Remove any old fabric covering the seat pad. Lay the seat top down on your new fabric. Allow 10cm all around and trim. Fold the top hem over, and attach the fabric with a staple gun to the underside of the seat pad. Smooth the fabric and pull tight before stapling the bottom hem as before. Continue with the sides. Trim any excess fabric and reattach the seat into the painted chair frame.

Look 2: Sumptuous dining

This dated chair had an unattractive brown velour padded seat and back panels. See how it can be transformed with striking fabric

You will need
• Eggshell paint
• Super grip primer
• Fabric of your choice

1. Remove the upholstered seat panel and check to see how the back panel is attached. It may be glued or screwed on – carefully remove it and put both panels to one side.

2. If the chair frame is solid wood, rub over with sandpaper and apply a coat of all-in-one primer/undercoat and allow to dry. If it is coated in a hard lacquer, apply a coat of Dulux SuperGrip Primer or similar undercoat as the first layer. Apply two coats of beige eggshell paint allowing each to dry thoroughly before applying the next.

3. Remove the fabric covering the seat and back panels and recover and replace them following the instructions in Look 1.

Posted in DIY, How to do it, Interior, Paint | 11 Comments

Turn an occasional table into bathroom storage

 

However, with a bit of work, it is now a beautiful bathroom addition

You will need
• Primer/undercoat
• Sandpaper
• White paint
• Eggshell paint
• Shelf baskets

Directions

1. Luckily this item was in great condition. It was solid, but one of the legs was a bit wobbly. Most small wobbles can be rectified with wood glue and a screw hidden from underneath.

2. Sand the whole piece – if it’s varnished you don’t have to remove all the coating. Get rid of any flakiness, and make sure that everywhere has been sanded to give the undercoat something to stick to.

3. This table had an H shaped cross frame on the legs. Measure the width and depth and have a piece of 12mm MDF cut to the correct size at a DIY store. Glue and screw this piece to the H frame to create a shelf.

4. Apply a coat of primer/undercoat then two coats of eggshell paint – allow each to dry thoroughly before applying the next. Highlight any decorative carving by painting the grooves with white paint, applied with a thin artist’s brush.

5. Baskets sitting on the shelf give great storage and you could screw a small hook to the side to hang a hand towel.

Posted in DIY, How to do it, Interior, Room Design | 12 Comments

Create an elegant linen cupboard

 

 

You will need
• Eggshell paint
• Wallpaper
• Glass handle

Assess the furniture
At first glance, the cupboard looked like a solid piece of pine, but on closer inspection, it became apparent that, although the frame was solid wood, the panels were unattractive plywood – these will never look as beautiful as wood so covering them made sense.

1. Remove the handle and sand the whole piece to remove any imperfections – any dents can be filled but it’s not essential. Remember, this is an old character piece so it doesn’t matter if it looks a little worn.

2. Using a one coat wood primer, paint the wood frames, top and the inside and allow to dry.

3. Apply several coats of eggshell paint over the primer, letting each dry thoroughly before applying the next.

4. Measure the panels and cut pieces of wallpaper to fit – make sure the pattern is level. Now cut pieces and line the shelves inside. Mix up a little wallpaper paste and glue each in place. Attach a pretty glass handle.

Posted in DIY, How to do it, Interior | 7 Comments

Update existing kitchen doors

You will need
• Plasti-kote Cupboard Colours
• coarse sandpaper
• newspaper
• screwdriver
• masking tape

Directions
1. Remove any drawers and doors from your kitchen units and take off the handles where possible. If the handles are glued on, wrap them with masking tape.

2. If the units have rough or damaged surfaces or the paint is chipping off, you’ll need to rub them down with sandpaper.

3. Clean the surfaces with a damp, soapy cloth to remove grease, then rinse and leave to thoroughly dry.

4. Lay newspaper on the floor and make sure the area is well-ventilated.

5. Spray the fronts of the units with several thin coats of Cupboard Colours, building up until you have the depth of colour you want.

6. Once the units are dry, carefully put them back together.

Posted in Colour schemes, Kitchen, Room Design | 7 Comments

How often should I clean my garden furniture?

 

 

 

 

With summer now officially here our thoughts turn to outdoor living and investing in the latest stylish garden furniture. We can easily spend as much money on a set of teak chairs for our outdoor space as we would on our dining table and chairs, but do we invest as much time in looking after it? If the answer is no, then help is at hand. The experts at Furniture Medic have some handy advice on how to keep your outdoor furniture in tip top condition.

How often should I clean my garden furniture?
Furniture specialist, Carolyn Barnett says, ‘Whatever the material of your furniture, it should be protected from the elements when not in use. Store it away over winter, cleaning and drying thoroughly beforehand and again in the spring when you bring it out for use. During the summer it is essential to tackle any stains that occur straight away and keep it as clean as you would your indoor furniture.’

How do I look after my wood furniture?
Much of the modern furniture we see today has an oil finish to it which requires regular maintenance. This kind of finish is not permanent, warns Gary Butler, Furniture Medic’s wood expert; ‘Each time you wipe your furniture down, a small amount of the finish is removed. He advises that when purchasing an item, it is best to enquire as to what type of oil it has been finished with. In order to keep your furniture looking at its best apply the oil once every one to two months.’

Is there any specific advice for looking after metal outdoor furniture?
Most modern day metal furniture has been treated to prevent rusting and corrosion, however if it does occur and is caught early enough, then a tarnish remover can be used to bring it back to new.
Whilst aluminium is lightweight and rust free it still requires regular cleaning – use a high quality car wax for this task.

To clean painted metal furniture, ensure it is dry before you start, clean out any dirt from the joints and seams with a soft brush, and finish with a gentle detergent and water. When cleaning wrought iron it is a good idea to tilt the feet to ensure they dry properly.

Does plastic furniture need any special care?
Avoid using abrasive cleaners or scrubbing brushes as this can scratch the furniture and for a nice shine try using your regular furniture polish.

What about my awnings, umbrellas and cushions?
These materials have a tendency to attract mildew. Tackle it use a non-ammonia soap or dishwashing detergent and if it is a pale or white fabric use a non-chlorine bleach solution to remove mouldy spots and stains. Always rinse and dry thoroughly. Vinyl materials can be cleaned with convertible car hood cleaning products.

If any of your furniture has been seriously damaged either by mould and mildew whilst in storage or has developed rust by being outdoors, then Furniture Medic will come to the rescue of any item of furniture, new or old, thus providing a cost effective alternative to replacement.

To find a Furniture Medic near you call 0800 021 3071 or log on to www.furnituremedic.co.uk

Posted in DIY, Exterior, Garden design, Garden furniture, Garden rooms | 9 Comments