Monday, September 28, 2020

REDO Antique Book Shelf

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Way back when...like three years ago, I posted photos of my tiny master bath.
Saying it was due for an upgrade, we had peeling wallpaper, needed new tile, and some serious drain pipe issues. The small space was screaming for a makeover from its 1990's origins.

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I featured this little shelf, which held everything we needed in the tiny bathroom.
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It was just always so foreboding brown, I hid the dark with towels and doilies.

Now, I had a quart of satin latex with primer added in light blue, a few shades lighter than my bedroom walls.

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(PS, I'm not fond of chalk paint for anything but craft projects. Satin Latex paints have beautiful strong finishes and are durable enough to use on furniture, walls, or trim. Most have added primer which makes one coat sufficient for almost all surfaces.) And, no sealing or waxing or anything else, extra...! So, unless you are going for a 'custom' layered expensive finish---Satin Latex proves it's durable, and certainly more cost effective.




Originally this Arts &Crafts Movement Library book stand has been in my collection for about 50 years. We dragged it from Wisconsin in 1976 to Illinois.
It's always been in my bedroom until 1990 when we made an extra bathroom out of a walk-in closet. The width was then cut to fit our new bathroom. It's been perfect for towels and bathroom storage since then.

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NORMALLY I WOULDN'T PAINT AN ANTIQUE!

I've always wanted to paint it, or at least lighten it. I tried some paint-wash on the underside of the dark stained boards. The orange tones in the stain made my light blue paint very gray

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In anticipation of painting, I scrubbed and lightly sanded the wood and let it dry. This was made from raised grain almost rough sawn red oak. How large the tree must have been to cut these thin full-depth planks that barely warped in 100 years. The piece is from prior to 1915. 

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On the underside of the shelves, I tried a couple of techniques. The left was a dry brush with a full strength paint, the upper-right wiped off full strength paint, the bottom brushed on
 with full strength paint. 
I opted for the wipe off technique, thinking I could always add more color.

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North Chicagoland's been in a drought, so the air was very dry, and I worked on a small area at a time, paint-wipe, paint-wipe with a dry rag, and so forth.

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Even working in the shade the paint was drying fast.


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Hubby just kept taking photos...as I worked very quickly.

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Working from the inside out, there is less likely to have drips and then your outside surfaces aren't disturbed while you are working.

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Progress, it was certainly brighter than the original.

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In the end, it was pretty even. I lightly dry-brushed any areas that were still dark.

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Normally I don't paint antiques...but this piece had been altered anyway the top V shelf had been replaced from slats, which were awkward and warped.

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Now the newer wood, just blended in, as I wiped lots off to leave the softer grain to match the others.

Best part, this color blends beautifully in our new up-graded bathroom with new drain pipes, I'll share in another post! 


Hugs, 

What Projects have 

you finished in Lock-Down!




Sunday, September 27, 2020

DIY Metal Swing Project

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Have you been busy with Projects? 
We sure have!

This is an OLD  metal swing, which was long past its prime. The roof top has long ago blown away. But it is a favorite of our family in the backyard. 

We decided to REDO, rather than send it into a landfill or a recycle center. We ripped all the deteriorated ancient fabric off the seats and we were suddenly left with an empty frame and no firm surface to sit on.



Sorry no 'before's'---hubby started working on this before I got photos of the demolished frame. 

He only used one NEW wood board for the back, and  drilled holes through the metal tubing and bolted it on. We decided more pieces might actually be uncomfortable in the lumbar region.

Hubby opted to add two NEW cross pine boards and then add the thinner aspen boards for the actually seat. These are attached with countersunk screws for a smooth finish. All the edges have been sanded. The idea being we could sit on this without the cushions. 



We set up our spraying tent for several projects and four cans of spray semi-gloss spray paint with primer in it and it's done. A super tight finish on the old metal.
We also encased the legs in plastic plumbing tubes with caps as the ends, because they had deteriorated so badly. 


We slipped the plastic plumbing pipe over the ends and then capped the bottoms. A little caulk sealer inside makes them waterproof, and the spray paint totally hides the sturdy 'fix'.

Our old cushions are still bright and liven up this quiet corner of the backyard.


I love where the swing is located, in the middle of 
our Grand's play area...and in the shade, she loves to rest here after running her obstacle course. It's the Perfect Place for critter watching...and usually a bit of breeze comes through from the west.


Honestly I rake this area twice a week, but due to the drought here, leaves fall faster than we can rake or blow them. Our Coleus are still going strong in those square pots. LOVE THEM!


I'm awfully pink here, I was spraying in the sun on the side of the house, and it was hot. Cooling off in my favorite spot in my very comfortable REDO Swing.


Everything planted is waning now. We have tons of aster flowers and buds, it's actually a bush now, the bees are so happy. The Zinnias are drying on the stalks. Such a pretty view from the swing.


We are trying to slow down a bit ourselves. I'm looking forward to not pulling weeds, and we have been working hard on so many projects this year while stuck at home. 

I'll share some of our other REDOs soon. 
  • Tools and supplies needed for this REDO
Power drill for the pipes
Bit larger than your bolts
Countersink drill bit for your screws
Saw (electric or handsaw)
Sanding paper

3 swing lengths of 1"x3" pine
9 seat depth lengths of 1/2"x 2 1/2" x (we used 24") Aspen 
9 bolts to go through your swing tubing and 9 nuts
18 wood screws for slats
Mask for spray paint 
4 cans of semi-gloss spray paint with primer
4 12" lengths of plastic plumbing pipe
4 caps for pipes
plastic pipe glue
weatherproof caulk


Where is your favorite place
 in your yard? 

Do not use my photos without linking back to this post on my blog.


Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi