My DIY Blog

This Blog looks at various approaches of transforming old furniture back into gorgeous, useful pieces for your home, in particularly painting.

Painting an unit might seem like a simple sufficient job but the option of both brush and paint type will truly effect the end result. It’s also essential to prep the wood initially and use a guide if you’re searching for a constant colour. Here are the fundamental actions:

Choosing the paint

For timber furnishings it’s best to use a satin or semigloss surface in either a latex or oil-based paint. This will offer you a more consistent surface and as soon as dry will offer you a much better surface.

Preparation

Similar to all DIY jobs, it may get messy so it’s finest to set a dust sheet first. Ensure that you are working in a well-ventilated room and use a face mask and gloves for protection. You must likewise get rid of any of the detail off the furnishings such as handles or knobs so that you can paint these separately and not have any sign up with lines.

Surfaces

If there are any chips, holes or pits on the surface now is the time to fill them. Apply wood filler with a little putty knife to the harmed areas and let dry. Sand down so that there’s no overlap and it feels totally smooth versus the surface.

Sanding Tools

Using either sanding sheets or an electrical sander (if you don’t have an electric sanding tool you can use a Sanding Kit with your electric drill), sand any existing varnish or lacquer away so that you’ve stripped it back to its original wood. This will ensure that the guide adheres. Ensure any locations you previously filled with wood filler follow the wood. Wipe carefully with a moist cloth to get rid of any remaining residue.

Priming

You are going for a smooth coat of primer all over, so the very best tool to use is a paint roller for all the wide spaces. Heavy stack rollers are for anything with a deep grain, medium-to-short for smooth surface areas. Use a little paint brush for the comprehensive locations. Sand in between layers (see below) and use numerous coats of guide, guaranteeing you let it dry effectively in between each layer.

Sanding

In between each layer of primer discuss the whole piece with a sandpaper. This will make sure the paint bonds with the guide. Around 120 grit sandpaper would be perfect which will offer eliminate any small flaw and rough the guide up enough for the paint to stick well.

Finishing

Guarantee you use a good quality paint brush or roller for the paint layer. The distinction in the bristles or stack quality makes a big distinction to the end outcome and will save you needing to choose any loose bristles or swellings of clagged up paint. We advise the Hamilton paint brush variety and the Hamilton roller range. Coat the furniture in a thin layer, using the roller for big surfaces and a brush for small. Do not use too much paint at once, instead use several coats of thin layers for a better finish. Once totally dry you can add a clear varnish to the whole piece to secure it from nicks and scratches, however the quality of your paint may assist you decide whether you require this.

Care for your brushes

When you invest in good paint brushes you’ll want to keep them in shape and you’ll find that with the ideal treatment they’ll be reminded an exceptional condition once again, all set for future paint jobs. Usage either tidy spirit or white spirit to clean up the brushes and once clear of paint, cover in clingfilm to keep them supple. You can also use paint brush restorer if the bristles have actually dried up or have old paint on them.

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Any DIY’er knows that the right tools make tasks much easier, more secure and neater. Some of us are fortunate adequate to have a moms and dad who has the knowledge and enthusiasm to pass on their power tool abilities. The rest people are on their own! If you have actually never used a specific tool prior to they can be very challenging. How do you understand which one to purchase and what the heck do you do with it as soon as its home?

One of the most essential and versatile tools of all is the power drill. The diagram listed below shows you the most important parts. Basically you exercise which is the right type and size of drill bit to use, attach it, make an imprint in the surface for the end of the drill bit and off you drill. There are sections on raw plugs and drill bits at the bottom of the post.

Basic Drill Parts

The drill bit is the threaded metal end that actually forms the hole. There are different types of drill bits. Almost every drill comes with a selection of drill bits however they are normally low quality. Among the first things you discover is much better quality drill bits make drilling a lot easier and neater.

The chuck is a rotating clamp that holds the drill bit in place. Some drills need a ‘chuck key’ to loosen or tighten this; other drills have a manual release. Loosen up the chuck; insert the drill bit into the opening. Stand the drill up so the drill bit is dealing with straight upwards and is straight. Tighten up the chuck so it strongly grips the drill bit, make certain it is straight. Make certain you eliminate the chuck key prior to you start the drill. Drills will come supplied with their own chuck secret.

A drill might or might not have a torque and/or speed selector. These are used to adjust the drill for various products. Using the proper settings reduces wear on the tool and also makes the job easier and neater. Check the drill manual to learn which settings to use.

Picking A Drill

A standard drill will permit you to drill holes in products like doors, plasterboard and window frames. It should also have settings and accessories so you can use it as a power screwdriver. To drill into tough products like metal and brick you need a drill with hammer action or even SDS (unique direct system). SDS drills are truly for professional jobs– they can take larger drill bits and be used for sculpting through concrete and punching through thick walls.

Cordless Drill

You must choose if you desire a cordless or corded drill. Cordless drills are more portable so if you want to drill things at the bottom of the garden or away from a power source you truly require one of these. They tend to be lighter and easier to manage making them better for an amateur and for jobs that involve balancing or holding the drill upwards or at an angle. They count on their battery to provide power and for that reason buy a brand name with a great battery. Poor quality batteries may not last long (they can be costly to change), run out of power rapidly and need to be recharged regularly all of which can make using the drill a discomfort. But modern-day quality batteries will last for ages, charge rapidly and hold their charge for days if not weeks. Some cordless drills just are not powerful enough for masonry and metal but as most of us live in modern-day buildings we don’t need this capability. The voltage of the drill tells you how effective it is. An 18V drill is a great choice for a basic household drill.

Corded Drill

Corded drills draw their power straight from the grid so they are more powerful and can provide functions that are hard to provide in a cordless gadget. They tend to be bigger and heavier – make certain you check the weight. Can you securely hold and angle the drill? If not, don’t buy it as you will not have the ability to operate it safely. For corded drills the power is given in watts. For many property owners the power of a corded drill is not need and their weight makes them hard to use. If you have on old home and you need to drill into bricks, stone or metal you will really require one of these.

You should be looking for a variable seed drill with a reverse gear. The reverse equipment makes it helpful as a power screwdriver and helps you withdraw the drill bit from some products. The variable speed alternatives make it easier to use the drill on various materials safely. Nowadays you must be able to get a decent drill cheaply that has both these alternatives – do not be lured to opt for the most affordable drill with the least options. You will regret its lack of versatility.

It’s actually crucial to pick a drill that you can grip securely and easily and that feels well stabilised in your hand. This truly does make a distinction to how cool your tasks will be and how securely you can manage the tool. If you are purchasing a cordless drill I recommend choosing one that will stand up on its battery. If you have an unstable drill or one that has to be laid down; you are likely to drop it or just get exceptionally inflamed needing to continuously find a safe place to pop it down during your DIY.

It’s helpful to pick a drill with a built in level so you can make sure your holes are true. Depth stops work to ensure you don’t drill though a surface area which your hole is deep enough for a raw plug.

We also recommend thinking about purchasing your cordless drill from a variety that has a single battery and battery charger that can be fitted to numerous tools. The battery and battery charger are the most costly and heavy aspects. If you just need among these you can buy great deals of various power tools like saws, routers, sanders, staplers, nail weapons … Just charge the battery and select the tool you want to use.

Security Pointers

Remember that water, gas and electrical energy pipes and cable televisions might be running under the floor, ceiling or walls. If you don’t understand where your cable televisions and pipework run consider buying a tool which will sense where they are prior to you drill.

Loose clothes, pendants, scarves and long hair can quickly get captured in the turning parts of a drill so be sensible and make certain your hair is connected back and loose clothing or jewellery has been eliminated.

Goggles should be used. I understand– every tool handbook states this from a toothpick to a forklift truck. But drills produce dust, a lot of dust, hot dust, a lot of extremely hot dust which can burn your eyes.

The drill bit fumes, really hot. Provide it time to cool off before you attempt and change it.

Remove the chuck before usingthe drill – unless you desire a heavy metal things flying at fantastic speed into your face.

It is hard and risky to drill into a flat surface area. For slippery surfaces such as tiles put some masking tape over the location. The tape will help the drill bit stay steady while it perforates the surface of a tile. If you do not tape the area first you run the risk of the drill bit sliding over the tiles injuring you, scratching or breaking the tile. For other surfaces use a screw or nail suggestion to make an imprint for the idea of the drill bit. Constantly start to drill gradually applying gentle pressure. As the drill begins to bite, gradually increase the speed and pressure on the drill. This will prevent the drill leaping and must produce a neater hole.

Raw Plug and Screw

These are normally made of plastic and they help to transfer the weight of an object (to be hung by a screw) into the wall or other surface area. The raw plug avoids the surface falling apart and the screw falling out– along with the things! In the majority of domestic scenarios where you are drilling into plaster board or masonry raw plugs are vital– you can’t just drill a hole and screw straight into it. Rather a raw plug ought to be carefully pressed into the drill hole and a hammer used to carefully knock all of it the method. Then the screw is screwed into the raw plug, see left.

Screw & Raw Plug Set

The size of the screw, raw plug and drill bit are very important and ought to be associated with each other. Start with the screw, then select a raw plug to match– it will be just a bit larger than the screw. Choose a drill bit just a little bit wider than the raw plug. The concept is to be able push the raw plug into the drill hole without using too much force however the hole must not be so large that there is clear area around the raw plug. You will typically discover that the screws and raw plugs that come with racks or TV brackets are little and poor quality or none are supplied. Every DIY’er needs to buy some decent quality general purpose screws and raw plugs in a series of sizes. All DIY stores sell these in compartmented buckets. Purchase a pail and you will have no difficulty finding a screw and matching raw plug appropriate for any job.

Once you have actually screwed into the raw plug check it is protected– if the screw can move around in a circle or falls out of the hole you need to begin once again. If the hole is too huge pick a bigger raw plug and screw. If the surface area has actually disintegrated move a few inches and drill a brand-new hole.

If you require to remove a raw plug from a hole you must screw in a screw a couple of turns and after that use your hand or the claw end of a hammer to take out the screw and raw plug together.

Drill Bits Matter

Do not be lured to purchase the most inexpensive ones or to use the same bit for every task. First of all you require various sizes for each raw plug. You require particular types of drill bits for each various product– wood, metal and brick require specific drill bits. If you don’t utilise the best drill bit you might damage your drill, end up with a crumbling useless hole or give yourself a coronary attempting to require the drill bit into a product that’s too tough for it.

Masonary drill bits are for bricks and breeze blocks/ Wood drill bits are for … well wood and have pointed ends/ Countersink drill bits drill a hole and make an indentation for a screw head and assistance avoid wood splitting when screws are tightened up/ High speed steel (HSS) bits are for drilling into metal and are black/ Wood Spade or Paddle bits look like spades and are for making large diameter holes in wood/ Only SDS drill bits need to be used for SDS drills or on SDS settings/ Special drill bits need to be acquired for tiles, ceramic tiles and glass./ Screwdriver drill bits can be used to use the drill as a power screwdriver.

Many drills will include a set of drill littles different sizes. It is often worth buying much better quality drill bits – you really will see the difference.

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Believe Finding The Right Paint Colour Is Difficult? Wait Until You Look At The Brushes!

When you start preparing to paint a room you ‘d be forgiven for believing that the challenging choice remains in which colour to choose. Picking the right tool for the task may entirely change the surface and quality of your task. We give you ‘trade secrets’ from a painter-decorator to assist you understand when to use which kind of brush, which products to use with each paint type, and which spec to select to offer you an expert surface.

Matching brush to paint type

” The first step is to match the paint brush to the paint you’re using. For water based paints utilize artificial bristles which are longer-lasting. For oil based paints the paint is thicker so use natural, non-synthetic brushes as it has better ‘pick-up’ the paint flows off the brush much easier.

The size of the surface area will figure out the type and size of brush to use. For a larger area use a brush head in between 3-4 inches (100mm). For intricate work such as window frame painting use a sash brush which is smaller and pointy– it can enter into the corners well. It also works well on skirting boards and door frames, so you get a cleaner finish in the corners.

Quality vs Cost

Price is directly proportional to quality when it pertains to paint brushes. Cheap brushes will not last you as long and will not offer you as good a finish whereas a mid-range priced brush will last a lot longer– you ‘d be able to do a few rooms with the same brush (presuming that you look after your brushes correctly).

Quality shows up in all aspects of a brush, from the manage which may be plastic, wooden or rubber moulded, to the size, material and finish of the ferrule (metal band that holds the bristles) – a good quality ferrule won’t rust. The bristles will likewise vary greatly. Under a microscopic lens you ‘d have the ability to see an unique distinction, a finer bristle will have a pointed, tapered surface compared to a blunt end. The results will be visible in the drag lines on the wall, with a finer bristle offering you a much cleaner finish.

Rollers vs Brushes.

Pick a mini roller for restricted and tough to reach places such as behind the radiator. Move the sleeve on a long and thin handle and it’s simple to come down into the space without needing to take it off the wall.

Use a spongier roller head for gloss paints and synthetic woven heads for water-based paints. Woollen heads will give you a much better surface specifically if you’ve gone for a greater specification of paint.

To understand which pile length to go for depends upon the quality of the wall surface you’re painting. If you have a very smooth wall without any imperfections, pick a short pile. With a rough surface such as an outside pebble-dashed wall use a long-piled roller head – that will help you get into all the pockets of the unequal surface area.

For a requirement, tidy surface wall in a property home you’re probably best off beginning with a 9-inch (225mm) roller and opt for a brief to medium pile, this will provide you the great professional surface that you’re trying to find.”

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If your house feels small and a little cramped, or like most of us, you continuously appear to require more area, you may dream of a huge remodelling and create the best open-plan living space. Unfortunately, this is not a feasible option for the majority of us, as it is expensive, time consuming and extremely disruptive. Fortunately, there are a lot ways you can modernise and open-up your home, even on the tiniest spending plan. Before you go for what you have, here are some creative techniques and suggestions to upgrade your interior.

Make Your Decor Flow

Unless you favour a minimalist, clean white look, or reside in a rented home that is painted magnolia throughout, every space in your home is most likely decorated in a different colour. While it is enjoyable to reveal your character and explore colour, having an array of dark or dynamic colours can likewise separate your home and make it feel smaller. Rather, aim to embellish in similar tones and colours to produce a flowing living space with blurred borders.

Use Lots of Glass

A lot of modern airy builds use glass, especially by installing substantial wall-sized windows. While taking apart a brick wall and replacing with glass is probably not perfect, there are other things you can do with glass. You might enhance your windows with light and intense materials, remove heavy or flouncy blinds and pelmets, change your wood internal doors with safety glass alternatives, or make your corridor feel larger by opening your stairs with glass balustrades. Other techniques consist of moving large pieces of furnishings far from windows to areas where they won’t block incoming light and eliminating extreme plants and mess. A couple of thoroughly selected ornamental items will be better than a room filled with them. Pack them up and you can regularly change the ornamental items you have on display. Pick colour or other themes to instantly refresh your design!

Illusion of Mirrors

Mirrors are among the very best tools you can use to modernise and expand because if used properly, mirrors can offer the impression of more space. To get the most from your mirrors, hang them opposite windows to show natural light, location in alcoves to open up small areas around a fireplace, create a mirror wall the length of your galley kitchen area to make it feel twice as big, or set up floor-to-ceiling choices in a drab hallway.

Streamline Your Storage

Having enough storage is a continuous fight for many of us, however selecting the wrong kind of storage can make your house feel smaller. To modernise and open up your home, try to pick storage that makes use of vertical area, rather than using up limited flooring area. It is essential that you are using every scrap of space offered. Narrow halls can be lined with slim shoe shops, hangers for coats and book shelves. Do not disregard small nooks like under the stairs – turn your stairs into concealed cabinets and drawers. In your bed room, turn your alcoves into built-in closets and make sure under bed space is used by buying stacking boxes with wheels which easily slide under the bed. If you have a large area of basic shelving it can look untidy, which in turn, makes a space feel smaller. Think about adding a sleek door or material covering to conceal the mess and make the room appear lighter and cleaner. Matching the covering/door colour to the walls will maximise the feeling of space.

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