thesweetscience Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Been in a rut lately and haven't gotten around to doing anything around here. Janie you have a wonderful touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 QUOTE (thesweetscience @ Jan 15 2010, 04:29 PM)Been in a rut lately and haven't gotten around to doing anything around here. Janie you have a wonderful touch. Thanks! I LOVE refurbishing these old, nice pieces of furniture I'm getting off craigslist. It's a lot of fun, except when you have issues... like what happened here: PROJECT 3 Before: http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY5-1.jpg http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY6-1.jpg I thought this piece was pretty cool with that added feature of a desk in it. It was missing one caster and the two bottom knobs. The bottom drawer also didn't open. But I fixed all that. After: http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY7-1.jpg As you can see, the handles in the top two drawers aren't aligned correctly. I thought I had remembered the measurements I was using to drill in the new holes for these drawer pulls. To put it mildly, it was a bitch drilling holes into this piece. I have no idea what kind of wood was used but the drill bits could barely get through it!! It took me forever to get all the holes in for these pulls. I'm in no mood right now to try and fix those top drawers. Also, I had to saw off some of the wood knobs because they had been built into the drawer itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pags Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 QUOTE (Janie @ Jan 16 2010, 11:45 AM) QUOTE (thesweetscience @ Jan 15 2010, 04:29 PM)Been in a rut lately and haven't gotten around to doing anything around here. Janie you have a wonderful touch. Thanks! I LOVE refurbishing these old, nice pieces of furniture I'm getting off craigslist. It's a lot of fun, except when you have issues... like what happened here: PROJECT 3 Before: http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY5-1.jpg http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY6-1.jpg I thought this piece was pretty cool with that added feature of a desk in it. It was missing one caster and the two bottom knobs. The bottom drawer also didn't open. But I fixed all that. After: http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY7-1.jpg As you can see, the handles in the top two drawers aren't aligned correctly. I thought I had remembered the measurements I was using to drill in the new holes for these drawer pulls. To put it mildly, it was a bitch drilling holes into this piece. I have no idea what kind of wood was used but the drill bits could barely get through it!! It took me forever to get all the holes in for these pulls. I'm in no mood right now to try and fix those top drawers. Also, I had to saw off some of the wood knobs because they had been built into the drawer itself. Who cares about the handle - this looks awesome. You do extraordinary work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 QUOTE (Pags @ Jan 16 2010, 10:18 AM) Who cares about the handle - this looks awesome. You do extraordinary work. Wow! Thank you so much Pags! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 QUOTE (Pags @ Jan 16 2010, 01:18 PM) QUOTE (Janie @ Jan 16 2010, 11:45 AM) QUOTE (thesweetscience @ Jan 15 2010, 04:29 PM)Been in a rut lately and haven't gotten around to doing anything around here. Janie you have a wonderful touch. Thanks! I LOVE refurbishing these old, nice pieces of furniture I'm getting off craigslist. It's a lot of fun, except when you have issues... like what happened here: PROJECT 3 Before: http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY5-1.jpg http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY6-1.jpg I thought this piece was pretty cool with that added feature of a desk in it. It was missing one caster and the two bottom knobs. The bottom drawer also didn't open. But I fixed all that. After: http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY7-1.jpg As you can see, the handles in the top two drawers aren't aligned correctly. I thought I had remembered the measurements I was using to drill in the new holes for these drawer pulls. To put it mildly, it was a bitch drilling holes into this piece. I have no idea what kind of wood was used but the drill bits could barely get through it!! It took me forever to get all the holes in for these pulls. I'm in no mood right now to try and fix those top drawers. Also, I had to saw off some of the wood knobs because they had been built into the drawer itself. Who cares about the handle - this looks awesome. You do extraordinary work. That does look amazing! Do you ever re-stain old pieces you work on? Any tips on this? Because I've done it a couple of times, and it is so unbelievably tedious. All that sanding, and sanding. . .and if your urethane coat bubbles (thankfully I haven't had this problem), you're back to square one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fridge Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 17 2010, 02:29 PM) Do you ever re-stain old pieces you work on? Any tips on this? Because I've done it a couple of times, and it is so unbelievably tedious. All that sanding, and sanding. . .and if your urethane coat bubbles (thankfully I haven't had this problem), you're back to square one. Instead of a varnish like stain, have you considered wax instead? I've used it with a lot of success, and you don't have the issues of bubbling you mention. it's a bit tedious as you have to buff on several layeers and work it in, but it is much more authentic IMO than using varnish... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesweetscience Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 QUOTE (Janie @ Jan 16 2010, 12:45 PM) QUOTE (thesweetscience @ Jan 15 2010, 04:29 PM)Been in a rut lately and haven't gotten around to doing anything around here. Janie you have a wonderful touch. Thanks! I LOVE refurbishing these old, nice pieces of furniture I'm getting off craigslist. It's a lot of fun, except when you have issues... like what happened here: PROJECT 3 Before: http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY5-1.jpg http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY6-1.jpg I thought this piece was pretty cool with that added feature of a desk in it. It was missing one caster and the two bottom knobs. The bottom drawer also didn't open. But I fixed all that. After: http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/MissElainius/DIY7-1.jpg As you can see, the handles in the top two drawers aren't aligned correctly. I thought I had remembered the measurements I was using to drill in the new holes for these drawer pulls. To put it mildly, it was a bitch drilling holes into this piece. I have no idea what kind of wood was used but the drill bits could barely get through it!! It took me forever to get all the holes in for these pulls. I'm in no mood right now to try and fix those top drawers. Also, I had to saw off some of the wood knobs because they had been built into the drawer itself. You can't really tell they are crooked. Do you resell these when your done or do you have the biggest house in the world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 QUOTE (Fridge @ Jan 17 2010, 10:57 AM) QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 17 2010, 02:29 PM) Do you ever re-stain old pieces you work on? Any tips on this? Because I've done it a couple of times, and it is so unbelievably tedious. All that sanding, and sanding. . .and if your urethane coat bubbles (thankfully I haven't had this problem), you're back to square one. Instead of a varnish like stain, have you considered wax instead? I've used it with a lot of success, and you don't have the issues of bubbling you mention. it's a bit tedious as you have to buff on several layeers and work it in, but it is much more authentic IMO than using varnish... Never have tried, but that does sound intriguing. I don't currently have anything in the pipeline, but I'll definitely have to give that a try. Varnish/stain always worries me! It's so easy to mess up in just a couple of strokes, or get it too dark. Then with the urethane you have to turn off anything that might create an air current and cause bubbles, and go very slowly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the masked drummer Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 i'm making brackets to hang my 42" HDTV from the wall. I'll check back later... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 17 2010, 07:29 AM) That does look amazing! Do you ever re-stain old pieces you work on? Any tips on this? Because I've done it a couple of times, and it is so unbelievably tedious. All that sanding, and sanding. . .and if your urethane coat bubbles (thankfully I haven't had this problem), you're back to square one. Thank you Mara! I much prefer to paint pieces but the very first piece I refurbished (when I was about 20) was my grandmothers vanity that was extremely nice but in need of TLC. I sanded it which was hard because some pieces were intricate and there was some wood inlaid work that I needed to be very careful of. I stained it and put a protective coating on it... it was, as you found, tedious. The piece looked nice in the end but I don't think I'll ever go through all that work again! I would go with Fridge's advice when wanting to keep pieces looking natural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 QUOTE (thesweetscience @ Jan 17 2010, 08:02 AM) Do you resell these when your done or do you have the biggest house in the world? HA! Well, it's a decent size. I actually need all these pieces that I'm acquiring from craigslist. Our house has literally no storage. The pink dresser I'm using as my own and it's placed in the reading room (adjacent to our bedroom). The brown dresser with silver drawer pulls is in our bedroom and I'm using it to store linens. The black dresser with silver drawer pulls is in the media room which doubles as a guest bedroom so we needed something in there for people to put their clothes. In the meantime, I'm using it to store art supplies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostGirl Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Finally got around to some DIY stuff... Yesterday I installed a new Fluidmaster and flapper in the hall bathroom toilet. I know you're all going to be disappointed, but I don't have pictures. It works great though - no leaks and flushes like a dream. My hubby also installed a new faucet in the same bathroom - the old one was starting to leak, and it was one of those "hotel" types with the one handle you had to twist to one side or the other for hot or cold. I don't like those. So now we have a nice, brushed nickel finish faucet in there, which matches the various other pieces of hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladirushfan80 Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 (edited) QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 17 2010, 11:03 AM) QUOTE (Fridge @ Jan 17 2010, 10:57 AM) QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 17 2010, 02:29 PM) Do you ever re-stain old pieces you work on? Any tips on this? Because I've done it a couple of times, and it is so unbelievably tedious. All that sanding, and sanding. . .and if your urethane coat bubbles (thankfully I haven't had this problem), you're back to square one. Instead of a varnish like stain, have you considered wax instead? I've used it with a lot of success, and you don't have the issues of bubbling you mention. it's a bit tedious as you have to buff on several layeers and work it in, but it is much more authentic IMO than using varnish... Never have tried, but that does sound intriguing. I don't currently have anything in the pipeline, but I'll definitely have to give that a try. Varnish/stain always worries me! It's so easy to mess up in just a couple of strokes, or get it too dark. Then with the urethane you have to turn off anything that might create an air current and cause bubbles, and go very slowly. With the poly, the bubbles in the finish are a direct result of the conditions surrounding the piece you are finishing. Does the item being finished sit near a vent of some sort, or a breeze coming by from a window? this is usually what causes the bubbles in the finish. Couple different things you can do. Try a different applicator if using poly from a can. One of those sheepskin type applicators help to provide a more even coat than a brush. Also, consider using spray poly. Depending in the size of the piece you're using it on, it can be a dream to work with! The coats go on much thinner and more uniform thus providing less chance of the bubbling. You may have to coat it more than once depending on (again) the kind of piece your using it on. Some woods are more porous than others and soak up the finish. The age of the wood plays a part in it as well. Worst case if your still experiencing bubbles in the finish, lightly sanding them off will get rid of them! just my $.02 worth! Edited January 17, 2010 by ladirushfan80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 QUOTE (ladirushfan80 @ Jan 17 2010, 04:29 PM) QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 17 2010, 11:03 AM) QUOTE (Fridge @ Jan 17 2010, 10:57 AM) QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 17 2010, 02:29 PM) Do you ever re-stain old pieces you work on? Any tips on this? Because I've done it a couple of times, and it is so unbelievably tedious. All that sanding, and sanding. . .and if your urethane coat bubbles (thankfully I haven't had this problem), you're back to square one. Instead of a varnish like stain, have you considered wax instead? I've used it with a lot of success, and you don't have the issues of bubbling you mention. it's a bit tedious as you have to buff on several layeers and work it in, but it is much more authentic IMO than using varnish... Never have tried, but that does sound intriguing. I don't currently have anything in the pipeline, but I'll definitely have to give that a try. Varnish/stain always worries me! It's so easy to mess up in just a couple of strokes, or get it too dark. Then with the urethane you have to turn off anything that might create an air current and cause bubbles, and go very slowly. With the poly, the bubbles in the finish are a direct result of the conditions surrounding the piece you are finishing. Does the item being finished sit near a vent of some sort, or a breeze coming by from a window? this is usually what causes the bubbles in the finish. Couple different things you can do. Try a different applicator if using poly from a can. One of those sheepskin type applicators help to provide a more even coat than a brush. Also, consider using spray poly. Depending in the size of the piece you're using it on, it can be a dream to work with! The coats go on much thinner and more uniform thus providing less chance of the bubbling. You may have to coat it more than once depending on (again) the kind of piece your using it on. Some woods are more porous than others and soak up the finish. The age of the wood plays a part in it as well. Worst case if your still experiencing bubbles in the finish, lightly sanding them off will get rid of them! just my $.02 worth! Hello Amy... I'm terrible at DIY... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 QUOTE (GhostGirl @ Jan 17 2010, 11:48 AM) Finally got around to some DIY stuff... Yesterday I installed a new Fluidmaster and flapper in the hall bathroom toilet. I know you're all going to be disappointed, but I don't have pictures. It works great though - no leaks and flushes like a dream. My hubby also installed a new faucet in the same bathroom - the old one was starting to leak, and it was one of those "hotel" types with the one handle you had to twist to one side or the other for hot or cold. I don't like those. So now we have a nice, brushed nickel finish faucet in there, which matches the various other pieces of hardware. Glad to hear the can is working well now! Hey, one should be proud of all repair work! I finally repaired the kitchen faucet which dripped. I'm embarrassed at how easy of a fix it was. I didn't do anything about it for a long time because I thought it would be complicated. As for sink handles... I'm with you on this one. I like having one handle for hot, one for cold. In the upstairs bathroom, both sinks have that one giant knob you twist one way for hot, one way for cold. One time a friends kid turned the water on and the person before him had it on hot so when he turned it on, hot water came out right away and it was too hot for his little hands. I felt so bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvgeddy05 Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I never finished that chair; just didn't have the time and now it's sitting in my closet taking up space. Right now my DIY projects include building and designing our log home. And wedding planning. Maybe someday I can go around and take free furniture off people's hands and do snazzy stuff but at the moment, other things need my attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I have a number of projects that I'm currently working on and don't have any finished pictures right now but I was wondering... Does anyone have experience/advice/suggestions for: 1) Ripping up carpet to lay down tile (I'd really like to do this project myself from start to finish) and 2) Installing a wood fence. I know I could save a ton of money by doing this myself and nothing about this seems daunting EXCEPT our sprinkler system exists right where I need to install the fence so would have to move the system over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Nobody? Bueller? I'm hoping to finish up a project tonight. I'm dying to get started on my next one. Pictures soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khan Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 ripping up carpet is pretty easy..if it's gonna be junk just get a corner up and start pulling! If you can't get a corner, make a cut with a box knife. Roll it up and trash it. Pull up the tack strips with the claw end of a hammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushlady23 Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 QUOTE (Janie @ Feb 23 2010, 02:02 PM) I have a number of projects that I'm currently working on and don't have any finished pictures right now but I was wondering... Does anyone have experience/advice/suggestions for: 1) Ripping up carpet to lay down tile (I'd really like to do this project myself from start to finish) and 2) Installing a wood fence. I know I could save a ton of money by doing this myself and nothing about this seems daunting EXCEPT our sprinkler system exists right where I need to install the fence so would have to move the system over. Tearing up the carpet is the easy part. Getting the tack strip up is another story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 QUOTE (RushNut @ Feb 25 2010, 05:41 PM) ripping up carpet is pretty easy..if it's gonna be junk just get a corner up and start pulling! If you can't get a corner, make a cut with a box knife. Roll it up and trash it. Pull up the tack strips with the claw end of a hammer. I'm not so worried about the carpet part of the project. It's the tiling I'm more concerned with. I'm wondering if this is one of those projects where you're better off having a professional do it or it is a challenge but something one can do themselves if they're patient and do it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missionman Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 QUOTE (rushlady23 @ Feb 25 2010, 06:41 PM) QUOTE (Janie @ Feb 23 2010, 02:02 PM) I have a number of projects that I'm currently working on and don't have any finished pictures right now but I was wondering... Does anyone have experience/advice/suggestions for: 1) Ripping up carpet to lay down tile (I'd really like to do this project myself from start to finish) and 2) Installing a wood fence. I know I could save a ton of money by doing this myself and nothing about this seems daunting EXCEPT our sprinkler system exists right where I need to install the fence so would have to move the system over. Tearing up the carpet is the easy part. Getting the tack strip up is another story Not if ya know how to do it! Use a rock bar.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khan Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 QUOTE (Janie @ Feb 25 2010, 07:56 PM) QUOTE (RushNut @ Feb 25 2010, 05:41 PM) ripping up carpet is pretty easy..if it's gonna be junk just get a corner up and start pulling! If you can't get a corner, make a cut with a box knife. Roll it up and trash it. Pull up the tack strips with the claw end of a hammer. I'm not so worried about the carpet part of the project. It's the tiling I'm more concerned with. I'm wondering if this is one of those projects where you're better off having a professional do it or it is a challenge but something one can do themselves if they're patient and do it right. Tiling is easy. It just takes some preparation, time and a little patience. Make sure you have everything you need before hand, including the saw! There are several good YouTube videos about how to lay a tile floor that will really help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 QUOTE (RushNut @ Feb 26 2010, 07:11 AM) QUOTE (Janie @ Feb 25 2010, 07:56 PM) QUOTE (RushNut @ Feb 25 2010, 05:41 PM) ripping up carpet is pretty easy..if it's gonna be junk just get a corner up and start pulling! If you can't get a corner, make a cut with a box knife. Roll it up and trash it. Pull up the tack strips with the claw end of a hammer. I'm not so worried about the carpet part of the project. It's the tiling I'm more concerned with. I'm wondering if this is one of those projects where you're better off having a professional do it or it is a challenge but something one can do themselves if they're patient and do it right. Tiling is easy. It just takes some preparation, time and a little patience. Make sure you have everything you need before hand, including the saw! There are several good YouTube videos about how to lay a tile floor that will really help. Thanks! I really want to tackle this project myself because I think it will be a challenge and a lot of hard work which will make it more rewarding in the end. As long as I don't come into any problems with mold or something or water damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 QUOTE (Janie @ Feb 23 2010, 03:02 PM) I have a number of projects that I'm currently working on and don't have any finished pictures right now but I was wondering... Does anyone have experience/advice/suggestions for: 1) Ripping up carpet to lay down tile (I'd really like to do this project myself from start to finish) and 2) Installing a wood fence. I know I could save a ton of money by doing this myself and nothing about this seems daunting EXCEPT our sprinkler system exists right where I need to install the fence so would have to move the system over. Tile's not hard but you do need to get comfortable with the wet saw. Also important to make sure your floor is level. I really want to redo the tile in my bathroom, but it's the cutouts around the toilet that make me not so sure. Home Depot has free workshops on laying tile. As to the wood fence - rent a post hole digger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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