Simple wall art

This weekend I put together a rather large wall hanging for a rather large blank space in our house. Such a simple but effective idea using a few pieces of timber offcuts, fabric and a staple gun. First of all, I cut the lengths to the desired size and screwed it together so it was braced.   

timber frame from off-cuts

stapling the fabric 

 

Mrs found this fabric on a discount table for $8 a metre (usually $29.95 per metre) and purchased 1.3 metres of it allowing enough fabric to cover the frame.

one very large
blank wall

Voila!

You can change the look of a room with a splash of pattern or color! 

Here is a cot panel we made into a piece of art for our daughters room. Mrs added some glitter fabric paint to make it extra special. 

 cot panel

A great way to add some art work without needing too much time or money to any space in your home.

---Mr---

Seasonal hazards!

So I got to thinking, what happens when the weather is on the chilly side and winds are cold? When will it be suitable to prime? paint? stain? varnish? How long between coats? Indoors or outdoors if the sun is out?

  

"Weather conditions can have a great impact on how well paint holds up. The worst conditions are extreme heat or cold. Paint needs to chemically bond to the surface it is covering. This bonding can only happen if the solvent (water or mineral spirits) in the paint evaporates at a slow or medium pace. Water-based paints used on a bright, hot or windy day can result in the water evaporating too quickly from the paint. Plan your painting for cooler temperatures and try to paint areas after direct sunlight has left them for the day." Matt Weber - Extreme how-to

Today I simply tried applying a primer to my timber frame that has seen better days! 

This mirror has seen better days

glass removed and primer on

As I began applying the primer I was sure to fill in all the detail.

primer applied to all the detailed carving

As I lightly brushed over the next corner I loved the look of not having all the gaps filled in and so I have decided to first do a dark coat before going over the top in a lighter color.

The detail of the timber is highlighted with this effect

I will take a little time to glean ideas from my favorite home magazines and look forward to seeing the end result. Stay tuned!

---Mrs---

What will it cost?

We made our way to Bunnings on Monday evening around 5:30pm. It was a quiet time and gave us the opportunity to speak with someone in paint about some of our options. First we looked at primers.
The median price range was

• $20.73 for 470ml

• $33 for 1Litre

• $87.93 for 3.75L

Obviously the savings are reasonable. So we will be buying the larger tin.
 Next we had a look at paint. We have decided to use water based paint for its ease of cleaning. Did you know the Australian government may be getting rid of oil based paints within 15 years?

• H20 enamel 4Litres was $66.72 for 4L. 

•  Aquanamel  was $74.25 for 4litres but paints on with ease. 

Stain and varnish: together or separate?
We have used a combined stain and varnish in the past but might try taking a little more time to use the stain first followed by the varnish. Why? Apparantly staining alone sinks into the timber and shows more of the grain. It also gives a more even finish. Using a combined stain and varnish can look more like a paint rather than a smooth varnished stained surface. I, Mr, am skeptical about this advice. But as we haven't perfected the stain and varnish to date we may give it a go.

Varnish prices were

• $11 for 250mL

• $26 for 1Litre and 

• $60 for 4Litres

For those items where we cannot remove glass panelswe looked at masking tape. Some would easily allow the stain or paint to bleed through. Scotch has a blue tape for around $10 for 55m.

Paint brushes were last on the list and we found the price difference significant. The brushes we will be using will be synthetic as they have softer bristles and will be easier to use. No hairs will come out on the surface and if well looked after will last. The bigger the brush the more paint it can hold. We also noticed the better quality brushes had layers of bristles (like a layered haircut for the ladies). For the varnish the softer the bristles the better.

For our three door hutch we will need

- 1 x 3.75L primer $87.93
- 1 x 4L paint $74.25
- 1 x 1L varnish $26
- 1 x stain around $30
- 1 x scotch tape blue 55m $10

Approximate total required =   $228.18

Still need to add sandpaper and handles for the cupboard doors but it's a start!

---Mr & Mrs---

Preparing for prepping!

Time to get our three door hutch underway. Before researching products and prices I thought it might be helpful for those of you wishing to refurbish your own furniture, to have a guide as to what you will need when painting an already stained item.

Before - dark stained hutch

To get started

Tomorrow we will venture to our local hardware store and ask a few questions. Apart from getting an idea of price we also want to learn a little more about the basic three products we need to paint our dark stained timber hutch. 

Sandpaper

·         What grade sandpaper do I use before priming?

·         Do I need to sand after priming but before painting? And, if so, do I use the same  grade sandpaper?

·         I am going to re-stain the bench part of the hutch. Do I need to strip it right back with my belt sander? What grade sandpaper do I need?

Primer

·         What kind of primer will I require? eg oil-based, water-based, acrylic…

Paint

·         What kind of paint will I require? eg oil-based, water- based, acrylic…

·         What products will I require for cleaning? eg methylated spirits 

Paintbrushes

·         What size paintbrushes will I need?

·         Will I need a different type for priming, painting, staining?

We will see the difference in product quality and  price and let you know what we find out!

---Mr & Mrs---