Wood Finishing

Weatherproofing a Wood Table

March 21, 2013 by Christa @ Stories of a House 8 Comments

~ As promised, I’m back to show how I prepared this CL table for use on our back patio ~

I haven’t started on the benches yet ~ I’m sure I will finish them to match the table color, then find a bright outdoor rug to ground the table and define the area.

We are just starting on our patio space, and one of the first things Kevin did was hang these cute outdoor lights overhead.

patiotablelights1

The lights create the right amount of bling and ambiance while hanging out back.

patiotablelights2

Anyway, back to the process of refinishing the table.

First, I sanded through the old stain and finish with 120 grit electric sandpaper. Then, I smoothed it all over with 220 grit. You can see the table after sanding here.

Next, I used a pre-stain wood conditioner, since pine is so soft and porous and the wood would have otherwise looked too blotchy. The stain color I chose was what I had on-hand, Minwax oil-based special walnut.

Since the final finish was going to be applied with my spray gun, I chose a water-based product. This is Spar Urethane in satin, which is supposed to be good for furniture used outdoors, as it claims to expand and contract during changes in temperature. I applied 5-6 coats, and will be sure to update at a later date whether or not I would recommend the water-based Spar. They make an oil-based version, and that is what I would have used if I were brushing this product on. But, my spray gun wins almost every time, and I go for the easiest clean-up

p.s. I could only find the water-based Spar at Home Depot; my Lowe’s only carried oil-based.

Whomever built this otherwise amazing table used PINK wood filler all over it! I mean, it was everywhere.

So, after staining, I took some acrylic craft paint and a small brush and blended the pink in with the rest of the table color.

After painting….

…and after sealing with the topcoat.

Here’s one more shot of the finish that I am expecting to hold up to rain and the major AZ temperature swings.

Up next is a boy’s antique dresser set in midnight blue!

Filed Under: Before and After, Do it Yourself, Home Decor, My Home, Products I Like, Table and Chair Sets, Tutorials, Wood Finishing

The Patio Table in Progress

March 15, 2013 by Christa @ Stories of a House 11 Comments

We have been looking for an affordable patio table for over a year now ~ something durable that didn’t cost a fortune. Until this weekend, we weren’t sure we’d ever find something that fit that criteria, but then the heavens opened and I found this massive farm style, pine plank table. We bought it for $1300 less than the owners said they paid for it. We actually bought it for less than the materials would have cost us to build. We know this after building our DIY farmhouse table. Plus, this thing weighs two tons. I could barely lift the corners up myself to lay something down prior to staining and sealing.

As you can see, it had been sitting outside but hadn’t been properly sealed for outdoor use. I went through a lot of electric sandpaper to get it smooth and ready to stain.

After sanding an re-staining:

Here is a quick before and after peak of the finish:

I’ll post the final “after” and also more details on how I’ve prepared the table for lots of wear and tear, soon.

Filed Under: Before and After, Do it Yourself, Finding Furniture, Furniture, Home Decor, My Home, Table and Chair Sets, Wood Finishing

Our diy farmhouse table

November 27, 2012 by Christa @ Stories of a House 16 Comments

We are so happy to have the folding kitchen table back in the garage and our homemade Farmhouse table finished! First, Kevin designed our vision on Autocad and this was that look we were after:

He spent a couple of days building it and I spent a couple of days finishing the top and painting the base and here is what we have now…we LOVE it!

I found the two Pottery Barn Windsor arm chairs on Craigslist, and the four side chairs on a Craigslist as well – which I plan to paint and distress to match. Now that I look at this photo, everything in this room is either homemade, from Craigslist or Goodwill, and most of it refinished from home.

Here are a couple of shots of the building process. Kevin dealt with a lot of warped pine and I dealt with a lot of cracks to fill with glue and sawdust before staining the top. The sanding alone took me an entire day to get it smooth and ready for staining and sealing. The stain I chose was Minwax Jacobean, but first I rubbed on a stain conditioner per the directions to prevent blotchiness. It turned out very rustic and gorgeous! The final finish is the same one I used here.

We have a ton of shots of the building process, but right now Kevin is job hunting. However, if he gets a chance to give more details on how he put it together, he will do it!

Back to the table, we purchased the chunky legs online from Osbornewood.com and the customer service was excellent.

Kevin built the table skirt himself.

We love the light and dark effects with the knots and where the cracks were filled with glue and sand dust.

One final shot of using our table for the first time on Thanksgiving. We look forward to many more holidays, family dinners, and game nights around this table.

Filed Under: Before and After, Do it Yourself, Furniture, Home Decor, My Home, Table and Chair Sets, Wood Finishing

Resolving an open master bath doorway

September 12, 2012 by Christa @ Stories of a House 4 Comments

While we are still getting settled and I have no inspiring pictures to share, I wanted to share a cool project my brother did for his master bath doorway.

He built this barn door out of pine planks in order to cover that space. When two work schedules collide it is nice to let the other sleep, and this was their solution. I’m sure it’s all over the internet, but the concept was new to me and I was so impressd with the results. My sister did one too, and while I was able to paint hers for her, I ran out of time to paint my brother’s with the move sneaking up on me. However, I told him what products to use and he did a great job.

^I love the track they chose for it to slide on^

Here it is all closed up, keeping bathroom lights away from the sleeping spouse.

My brother and his wife also did an amazing job with simple elements from Lowe’s to create a spa feel in their bath.

It’s so serene in there. I love all of the finishing touches, especially the mini chandelier and photograph of my sister in law’s bouquet on their wedding day. Simply fabulous!!

Filed Under: Before and After, Do it Yourself, Home Decor, Household, Wood Finishing

2011 in review & 1000 followers giveaway

January 5, 2012 by Christa @ Stories of a House 30 Comments

Happy New Year!

When I started my little blog in 2010 I had ZERO expectations. Sure, I wanted to take furniture refinishing to the next level and share it with whomever would have the patience to sit through my ramblings…but I NEVER expected I’d be enjoying friendships with people from all around the world via phone, email, and text. I absolutely love what I do, and I appreciate your friendship, whether you just lurk or directly correspond with me. Thank you so much….muah!

2011 was a year of growth and change for myself and our family. I like to blog about these things here and there because this is my little scrapbook journal (I gave paper scrapbooking the old college try but failed miserably). This isn’t just for my family to read but also for my blog family to get to know me better as a real person, and not just a girl who perpetually has paint in her hair and under her nails. Here’s our 2011 in a nutshell:

* Last week we received final approval on the second home we put an offer on which is just a few doors down from my folks’ house. This transaction took 5 weeks. The other offer we made is still going on 9 months and is dead in the water. God is good; we like this house better, and being so close to Mom and Dad is the most AMAZING blessing ever (along with having my brother and his wife 2 blocks away). So this means we are putting our lovely home on the market and the packing begins. (Anyone wanna come and help; I’ll feed ya!) We look forward to downsizing and cutting expenses, but will greatly miss this home which holds precious memories.

* The girls changed schools. Boy was this ever the 2011 monstrosity. It took about 3 months before the tears subsided, and although they are doing okay, and in spite of being voted class representatives, they aren’t “feeling it.” But, they are really learning a lot. Many times I’ve resorted to saying, “hate me now, thank me later.” I was offered a job as their school nurse, but since I absolutely love the refinishing and working one day/week at the surgery center combo I accepted a substitute school nurse position. I can render aid to playground boo-boos and stay in the loop of what’s happening at the school.

* I was invited to put my furniture in the most adorable boutique, and I move in on January 12th. Email me if you want the location!

* My sister got engaged to the most wonderful man. She waited 32 years and he was worth the wait.

* I am now seeing a personal trainer because I am wearing a strapless dress next month to the aforementioned occasion. Right now my arms are shaking because I did a total of 210 push ups this morning. That was not a typo; thanks, Mark

* We resolved to take more family trips in 2011 and have done pretty well. We did Florida, a Disney cruise with Kevin’s family, camping (twice, with great friends from church community group), and annual passes to Disney. We’ve been to Disney twice in 2 months so far, and the girls cried last night when we came back home. I see another trip in our future, soon.

* I wrote a book! I can’t believe I accomplished it with the help of our friends, Mike and Keeley of European Paint Finishes. Kevin and I truly enjoy their company, and they are a whiz at what they do. Love them!

Well, enough about me and my family…on to the giveaway!

Having 1,000 followers and 2,010 RSS readers is very humbling. If you “like” Stories one way or the other (facebook, Google follower, RSS feed – I’m easy) just leave a comment for any or all of them and I’ll randomly select a wonderful person to receive a download link to our Guide to Furniture Finishes e-book. If you already have the book before the giveaway is over and are selected, I’ll just refund ya

Happy New Year and blessings from above to you ALL!

(Scroll up to the top to click to leave a comment; another WordPress feature I need to figure out…)

Filed Under: About Me, Antiques, Before and After, Cabinetry, Do it Yourself, Family, faq, Favorites, Finding Furniture, Furniture, Home Decor, Household, My Home, Organizing, Paint Colors, Products I Like, Project Diaries, Ramblings, Real and Raw, Recipes, Table and Chair Sets, Thrifting, Tutorials, Uncategorized, Video Tutorials, Wood Finishing, Workspace

Before and After :: 1920′s Antique Buffet

November 9, 2010 by Christa @ Stories of a House 36 Comments

I know I say this a lot, but this is my favorite piece yet.

I found this antique buffet/sideboard on CL, and called to ask the usual questions,
including if it had always been in a smoke-free environment.

She said “no, it hasn’t…”

Because of that, I offered $25 less, and she accepted. I drove out to take a smell look.

If the smoke smell was bad, I knew what kind of primer I could have used to cover it up.

But, when I got there, there was no smoke smell in this little lady.

It needed some repairs and wood filling, which wasn’t too bad, and although I could restore the top, the base was trashed.
Yes, I know, I know, you don’t paint over antiques.
That is, unless it was not well taken care of and is beyond repair, which was the case with this.

Here she is after stripping the top, re-staining it, and painting the base BM Bone. This has become my favorite white for furniture, as it is not glaring, yet doesn’t have any yellow in it.
It is a soft, mellow white.

I looooove her.
I kept the original hardware, and painted it black.

I staged her with a 70 year old mixing bowl

(which I found at at a garage sale) filled with limes.

I am lucky to have a neighbor who always brings me lots of fresh limes.

I love the top, which has a beautiful, hand-rubbed finish.

Have a great day!

Filed Under: Antiques, Before and After, Finding Furniture, Furniture, Paint Colors, Products I Like, Thrifting, Wood Finishing

Executive Desk :: Before and After

October 21, 2010 by Christa @ Stories of a House 31 Comments

I could have easily had this desk done a week ago, but had so.many.issues. with my sprayer.

This is what happens to certain people with certain personality traits

who perhaps don’t think they need to read manuals on very complex machines.

Before

After

I wasn’t sure at first which direction to go with this desk that I picked up at a garage sale.
It was so stately with its’ leather inlays, yet it had feminine embellishments and feet.
I decided to go with the finish you see, and hope I chose correctly.
I guess I’ll know when it sells or not!

I loved the original hardware, so I only primed, painted black, and poly’d them with spray paint.

The big question for me is always how much distressing do I want,
and once it’s painted a solid color, where should I start?

To see the video tutorial on how I distress, it is here. (I’m sorry about the fact that I couldn’t steady the camera very well!)

Disclaimer: This technique is best used to distress small areas, like edges.
Large areas show the areas distressed as lighter than the rest of the paint, even after clear coating.
But, I’ve never had problems with edges.

I usually start with the details and edges, and highlight those first.

On bigger panels and tabletops, I do edges, both the inside and outside edge if there is one,

trying very hard not to let the solvent bite too much into the surrounding paint. Again, the smaller the areas to distress, the better.

I wanted to bring out the leather in-lays, so I distressed around them.
I should also mention that the thinner the layers of paint, the better.

And – keep the denatured alcohol away from the leather.

Yes, I ruined the black leather by being ~~stupid~~ careless and placed the container right on top of it. The protective paper was still on, but it bit right down to the leather. Rather than panicking,
I marched over to my cabinet for some blue tape, taped the gold off,and sprayed the leather back to black.
Phew. You can’t even tell the difference.

It’s fun to find what lies in drawers.

Just a few tips:

After using the solvent with the 0000 steel wool, there will be steel wool fibers everywhere.

A tack cloth and a pair of gloves are your friends.
You may have to do this step twice, wiping down with a damp cloth in between.

I always grab a bunch for $0.99 at Sherwin Williams because they are ~ $3 each at the big stores.

Also, you may be wondering why I don’t just sand through. Well, for one, I like the result of this so much more than sanding alone. Albeit, I do admit it takes more time.

And two, on more than one occasion, I have sanded the edge of a painted piece,
and it turned into the runaway latex bandit.

Which means I have to do this, and start all over. And that makes me grumpy.

We somehow need to find a way to get it inside to stage it for its’ debut on Craig (shudder),
but it is so heavy that Kevin needs two guys over here to help. He usually single handedly schleps furniture where I ask without me even noticing any effort involved. This desk is that heavy.

So, my question to you is, how should I price this piece?
Edited to add: the quality of this desk is excellent, it is 100% solid wood, obviously weighs a TON, plus has a glass cover for the top.

Pricing is always the hardest part, because some things sit and some things go like hotcakes,

and I’m still trying to figure out a rhyme or reason.

Products used:

SW Solo Low VOC in Tricorn black, semi-gloss

See tutorial on distressing here

Topcoat: Varathane, semi-gloss

Linking to:

Sawdust and Paperscraps

Finding Fabulous

Filed Under: Antiques, Before and After, Furniture, Tutorials, Wood Finishing

Video Tutorial :: How I Distress Furniture

October 20, 2010 by Christa @ Stories of a House 17 Comments

Well folks, this is my very first video. I really didn’t mind talking to myself while nobody was home.

For those who have wondered how I distress a lot of my pieces, I hope it is helpful!

I’m entertaining myself over the fact that I’m not actually in the video,
but look like a ghost against the black desk towards the end.

Anyway, I added the final finish to this desk today,
and should have pictures up tomorrow.

Stay tuned!

Edited to add: if you are doing large areas of distressing, don’t use the solvent. The dullness may be too obvious, even after the clear coat. But, for smaller areas and highlights, knock yourself out!