Repurpose a piece of furniture this weekend!

Rather than tracking down a painted piece with just the right patina, you can create one yourself with a custom finish.  I advise clients on repurposing pieces all the time.  More often than not, they're simply tired of the piece an need a change.  From a nightstand to armoire, it's easy to paint, and if you add distressing, mistakes you might make add character!, Here's how:

Materials
Flat latex paint in contrasting shades - one will be the base coat and one the top coat
Primer
Crackle medium
Buckets
Paint brushes
Top coat of urethane or wax- optional


Start by lightly sanding your piece - unless you want those bumps and blemishes for character.  Prime it and let dry fully. I really do mean fully.   The first coat is key to having the rest adhere properly. Paint the first coat of color ..... that will be the one to show through your final color coat. This one is a deep rust color.  Let dry 24 hours.  If you want crackle, pour the crackle medium into a bucket and stir gently.  Using a clean brush, apply a thick layer but do not overwork it. Let this coat dry 1-2 hours (if you go too long the mixture will cure and the next coat will not crackle. Use another clean, dry brush for your topcoat - this one is a creamy beige. As it dries, the crackles appear.  For a worn look, you can lightly sand the edges of doors, drawers, and the box. I like to apply a light coat of Briwax rather than urethane, so I can enrich the sheen many times with ease.

  If you just want a bit of aging, skip the crackle medium and instead  rub wax along edges and places where wear might occur.  Continue with your top coat.  When the top is dry, rub off the paint in the areas you added wax with 0000 steel wool. That paint will come off nicely and the steel wool leaves it smooth.  I've experimented with other grades of steel wool and even sandpaper to give a more rustic appearance,  it's all done with  paint so you can always go back an make a change. 

To embellish with pattern, I often use stencils over the too cost and apply shellac to protect the final product.

Have fun!

S 

Rugged, durable hypertufa for tables and more.

What the heck is hypertufa?  It's a mixture of cement, peat moss and perlite that makes a fabulous surface for an  outdoor table. It's as durable and strong as concrete, but weighs significantly less.  You don't need to seal it, ever, and the textured appearance is natural.  If you're handy with small tools, and have 2 days, you can make a base and tabletop.   Visit THIS OLD HOUSE for detailed measurements and directions.

TOOLS: Miter saw, jigsaw, drill/driver, utility knife, mixing tub & hoe, chip brush, hammer, nail gun


MATERIALS FOR A 30" x 20" x 20 3/4" TABLE: 1x4 scrap lumber for the form, 1x4 and 1x2 cedar for the table crosspieces, stretchers and legs, 1 1/4" deck screws, 2 bags of perlite, large bag of peat moss, 47 l b bag portland cement, an acrylic fortifier to add to the mix, 3/4" foam insulation, vaseline or cooking spray to coat the form, hardware cloth and plastic sheeting for protection and to cover your form, gorilla glue or other polyurethane glue, 1" brad nails and dust mask and gloves.