Category: Furnishings

How to Tape & Texture Sheetrock

The U.S. Gypsum company introduced drywall, that it markets as Sheetrock, as an alternate to lath and plaster in the early 20th century. Though its popularity rose gradually, drywall is now the number one wall covering in the usa. It comes in 4-by-8-foot sheets that you screw or nail to your framing, but the installation is not complete until you complete the seams between sheets with tape and joint compound, or mud. When properly completed, a Sheetrock-covered wall resembles a plaster one, especially after the use of a feel, which is an optional process.

Use premixed mud or blend your own by pouring the powdered variety into a 5-gallon bucket and stirring in some water. It needs to be soft enough to spread on the walls, but stiff enough to stay on a drywall knife when you flip down the blade upside down. Use taping compound to tape seams and topping compound for complete coats, or utilize all-purpose joint compound for the two purposes.

Move a quantity of mud to a mudding tray, and it can be a rectangular trough with a steel scraping blade affixed to one lip. The blade will come in handy for keeping your application tools clean.

Coat a seam with mud using a 4-inch drywall knife. The coating width should be approximately the same diameter as the blade. Distribute the mud generously and evenly, being careful to prevent leaving voids.

Cover the seam with paper or fiberglass mesh drywall tape. Should you use paper tape, moisten it with water until you lay it on to enhance adhesion and stop bubbling and lifting. Scrape the tape level with the knife, removing excess mud from beneath the tape and returning into the tray. Distribute a coat of mud over depressions produced by nails and screws as you’re taping seams.

Tape inside corners with drywall tape, but utilize metal or vinyl corner beading for outside corners. Affix the beading with glue or drywall nails or screws, based on the type you use, and coat the edges with a layer of mud.

Let the mud dry, which can take anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. It is possible to accelerate the drying by conducting a heater in the room. Spread another coat of mud on all horizontal seams, inside and outside corners and fasteners and scrape it level having an 8-inch blade. Let it dry, then repeat the procedure, but scrape with a 12-inch blade. The progression of wider blades will create increasingly wider layers that will gradually feather into the wall.

Sand the final coat lightly with 120-grit sandpaper until you feel. Wipe off the sanding dust with a rag.

Texture the wall by spreading mud with a knife to create a swirl, Spanish knife, knock-down or comparable pattern. You could also thin mud to a pourable consistency and apply it with a sprayer or a paint roller to generate popcorn, eggshell and other patterns.

Let the feel dry, then sand it very lightly with 120-grit sandpaper to knock down some sharp edges. Cover the wall with wall primer before you paint it.

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How to Revive a Teak Wood Finish

Like many tropical hardwoods, teak includes natural oils that protect it from rust, and that’s an important reason craftspeople use it in order to make boat decks and outdoor furniture. Teak oxidizes and turns grey quickly, and while some people find this attractive, others favor the honey-tan colors of new teak. You can often restore weathered teak just by massaging it, but when the discoloration goes deep, or when there’s a surface layer of mold, it might be easier to scrub it with a cleaner. Begin with a gentle cleaner and progress into more powerful ones.

Wash the walnut with an all-purpose cleaner to remove surface grime and dirt. This step is important for exterior furniture which has turned dark. If the piece is a uniform grey color, or it is an interior piece, you can probably skip this general cleaning.

Scour the timber with a gentle cleaner. Some possibilities are scouring powder and water, a mixture of 1 cup per day of ammonia and laundry detergent in a gallon of warm water or a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar in a gallon of warm water. Scrub lightly through the grain with a scouring pad or scrub brush.

Rinse the timber after scrubbing it and assess its situation. If you are happy with the colour, you can advance to sanding, however when the timber is still grey, you might need to advance to a cleaner.

Utilize a 1-part teak cleaner designed to remove deep stains. A typical product includes an abrasive powder along with a moderate acid, such as phosphoric or malic acid. Follow the directions on the container. If you want even more cleaning power, use a 2-part teak cleaner with more powerful caustics and acids. Wear rubber gloves and goggles when using 1- and 2-part cleaners, follow the directions carefully, and protect nearby furniture.

Rinse the timber after you have finished cleaning it and let it dry. Sand it with an orbital sander and 150-grit sandpaper. You are not sanding to modify the colour except to knock the grain and smooth the timber. After sanding, you might prefer to leave the timber unfinished, but it will soon begin to oxidize and discolor if you do. Prevent this by finishing the timber.

End interior walnut with walnut oil. Spread the oil with a cone, going with the grain of the timber. To maintain the natural wood colour, you might have to repeat this treatment every few months. You might even seal teak with just one coat of varnish diluted with 50 percent skinnier. This therapy provides a surface coating which prevents oxidation, but unlike oil, it may peel or chip .

Apply several coats of spar varnish to protect teak woodwork on boats or other places subject to extreme sun and moisture. Construct the end gradually by minding the initial 3 coats with thinner and applying thin coats with a paintbrush. Following the next coat dries, scuff-sand it with 220-grit sandpaper and coat it with three to four layers of full-strength varnish.

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How to Restore the Antique Finish on Door Locks

Antique door locks make a considerable contribution to home styling. Years of corrosion and a number of layers of paint, however, can make them stick out like a sore thumb. Whether your locks are showy or plain, restoring their finish is a weekend job which uses materials you probably already have at hand. Once restored, your doorway locks will add trendy detail to your home.

Cleaning

Occasionally all of your door locks require is a fantastic cleaning to remove dirt that masks the pretty finish beneath. This is especially true of brass hardware which has a pleasing, aged patina. Remove dirt with a general household cleaner and a soft cloth. Use a toothbrush to remove hard-to-get-at dirt grooves and recesses. Clean nicely painted door locks in great condition exactly the same manner.

Removing Old Finishes

There are times once the paint or lacquer must go. To get a thorough, gentle removal, remove hardware in the doorway and put it in a slow cooker. Fill with water and add enough liquid dish washing soap to generate the water shiny. Cover, then turn the stove on low and let sit around eight hours or overnight. Remove the softened paint or lacquer with toothbrushes, wooden toothpicks, plastic scrapers and other stuff that won’t scratch the finish. Re-soak pieces which have stubborn paint.

Polishing

Frequently, taking away the paint leaves a pleasing, mellow patina on brass and nickle-plated locks. If you want to polish, however, rub a soft cloth dipped in brass polish to shine it. Use a circular movement. You’ll see that the high spots become glowing and the recesses remain a tiny brownish. Catch it this way if you prefer it. Otherwise, keep polishing, using a toothbrush at recesses until you achieve the shine you desire. A bit of baking soda helps rub dark pitting. Start looking for a brass cleaner which leaves a waxy finish that prevents tarnish or rub a small paste wax onto your polished item and buff to a shine.

Painting

If steel or iron locks are hardened, rub them with fine (0000) steel wool and family oil. Clean away the oil with soap and water, then dry the lock thoroughly and prime with metal primer. Spray or brush on a durable enamel top coat and let dry. Spray a tiny household oil to the lock’s openings to soften the workings. Oil brass locks, too, before reinstallation.

Creating a New Antique Finish

Pour 1/2-inch clear household ammonia in a plastic or glass dish. Then, add a piece of plastic which can serve as a shelf, such as the bottom inch of a margarine tub. Put your washed brass lock on the shelf, then cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and wait. Check every hour or so and eliminate the hardware once you find the colour you desire. Use fine steel wool or brass polish to clean and polish the brass to your pleasing color. Work Outdoors or in a ventilated area.

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How to Establish a Verdigris Finish on Terra-cotta Pots

Verdigris is a painting technique which ends in a vintage look of green patina on copper, bronze or copper. The natural patina types from oxidization when the metals are exposed to air and other exterior components as time passes, but you can create the antique finish in a matter of hours.

Cover the work surface with newspaper to protect the surface in paint. Place the terra-cotta pot on the table and then wipe it down with a moist cloth to remove any dirt or debris.

Ventilate the area. Paint the exterior of the pot with black acrylic paint to create a base coat to the verdigris finish. Permit the paint to completely dry.

Cover the pot with bronze or copper acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry. Use a thick craft paintbrush to dab dark-green paint over the pot to create a stippled effect for texture. Dab a clean cloth over the surface to further enhance the stippled look. Allow the green paint dry thoroughly.

Paint the pot with light-blue or turquoise acrylic paint using random brushstrokes to craft a realistic appearance. Dab at the most recent layer of paint with another clean cloth to reveal some of the bronze or copper colour underneath.

Slim white acrylic paint having 30-percent water to create a slightly transparent look. Brush the white paint on the pot in random strokes and let it dry completely. Rub a tidy kitchen scrub pad gently over the white paint to reveal a number of the other colors below to get a multidimensional look.

Employ a transparent acrylic sealer spray over the dry paint to guard the verdigris finish in the elements.

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Could it be Okay to Debate Over Drywall That Is Lost the Paper?

Bad things may happen to great drywall. Especially when upgrading walls by removing old wallpaper or paneling, drywall surface paper might be ripped or remove pieces using all the old wall finishes. The surface paper is a vital part of drywall, protecting the gypsum from moisture. As you don’t have to replace the drywall, you do have to seal it as part of the process of texturing over drywall with damaged paper.

Cut away the ragged edges of any torn or missing drywall surface paper using a razor knife. Cut the rest paper into right sides, creating a square or rectangular-shaped section.

Seal the missing-paper places with an oil-based sealer or shellac. Apply the sealer over the trimmed edges, sealing existing paper borders adjoining the torn place. Allow to dry completely.

Skim-coat the affected region with joint compound and a trowel. Spread the compound thinly (no longer than 1/32 inch). Apply a second coat as required to make the missing-paper area mix with the surrounding drywall material. Allow to dry completely.

Sand smooth. Wipe wall down with a dry rag or towel to remove all dust.

Apply affected region using a primer sealer paint. Allow to dry thoroughly.

Spray texture above the affected drywall places, feathering the texture into surrounding areas by spraying brief, light strokes.

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