CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Freeze 'Em

CasaSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:00:23 -0700

When you're painting your interiors, and the task takes more than one day, it's a pain in the butt to have to wash all of your brushes and supplies whenever you take a break. So instead of washing all of the paint off my brushes, I just pop them in the freezer in a plastic bag and defrost them when I need to get back to my paintstaking project. If you've got room to spare in your freezer, you might as well keep your brushes frozen even after your project is done. That way, if you ever need to do touchups, your brush will be ice cold and ready to go!

How-To: Remove Contact Paper Adhesive

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:12 -0800

Remember how I covered my hideous linoleum floors with woodgrain contact paper? Well, while they looked fabulous, it came time to take them off. The contact paper itself was easy to remove, but as expected, a very tough adhesive residue was left. I tried literally everything to get rid of the sticky mess - WD40, Goo Gone, vinegar, Oops!, you name it - and searched far and wide on the Internet for tips to no avail. In the end, thanks to a tip from a friend, I was able to remove the residue. Want to know what the magic potion was?

12 Works of Art Made From Books

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

You needn't spend top dollar on oil paints and horsehair brushes to prove your artistic skill. These days, plenty of artists are creating magnificent works of art from things as simple as books and X-acto knives. Some of you may think that books are sacrilegious, and that they should remain as they were printed, from cover to cover. But don't forget that books are printed en masse - and these days, available for download - and one-of-a-kind artwork made from books can be much, much more than the sum of their parts. Let me show you!

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Casa Quickie: Dual-Purpose Paint Brush

CasaSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:30:38 -0800

If you have dust and dirt in hard-to-reach crevices in your home, try using a paint brush to remove it. The fine bristles will successfully flush out dirt from even its most stubborn hiding places, and will do a more thorough job than a household broom.

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How-To: Paint Your Home's Exterior

CasaSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:00:38 -0700

I recently showed you how to prep your home's exterior for painting. Now it's time to bring out the brushes and the paint! Don't be daunted; it doesn't take much more skill than that required to paint a room in your home, just more time. First step, use a six-pack of cold beer to solicit some friends or family members to help you out! To learn the steps, read more.

First off, stir your paint well and continue to do so throughout the day to keep it mixed.
Begin by painting the gables (the portion of walls between the lines of sloping roofs), then move on to the main siding, always painting from top down.
Dip your bristle brush into the can of paint no more than half the length of the brush. Then wipe any drips from the underside off onto the rip of the can.
Before beginning to paint the whole surface of the siding, paint a two or three inch border next to the trim, as well as under the edge of the clapboards.
Now, paint the main surface of the siding. Remember to always paint in the direction of the woodgrain.
When you begin to paint an unpainted area, use a full brush and paint toward the painted areas.
Once the siding is dry, paint the windows, siding trim, and doors, in that order.
Painting the exterior of your home will take a few days, but clean your brushes (soap and water for latex, paint thinner for oil-based) at the end of each day, or freeze 'em.
Keep at it 'til you've finished and then reward yourself when you have!

How-To: Paint Your Exterior Trim

CasaSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:00:07 -0700

Hello painters! So far, I've told you how to prep your home's exterior for painting and how to paint your home's exterior. When it comes to painting the exterior trim, you'll need to devote a little extra attention, using more delicate brush strokes with less paint on your brush. To learn the steps to paint your home's siding trim, doors, and windows, read more.

For the siding trim, paint from the top down with the widest brush that will fit the trim. Make sure not to leave drips of paint in the crevices of the door.
For the doors, paint the raised inset panels, if there are any. Then, paint the main surface of the door around those panels.
For the windows, you'll need to mask off the glass first. Then, paint the dividing trim, top to bottom, with a small brush. If they are removable, remove them to paint and let dry, then reinstall. Then, paint the area surrounding the window, and then the trim surrounding the glass with an angled brush.

Before and After: Charming House Shelves

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:00:40 -0700

Writer and crafter Mary Helen recently stumbled across these cute unfinished house shelves at the Salvation Army. Seeing crafty potential in these plain Jane shelves, she decided to take them home and turn them into something fabulous.

Want to see how she transformed these shelves? Then read more.

Using white craft paint and Amy Butler craft paper, Mary Helen took these shelves from boring to vibrant. She explains,

Using newsprint to create templates for the shelf cavities, I carefully traced the shape of each shelf onto my decorative paper. I cut each pieces out and trimmed it as needed so that it would lay perfectly flat inside the shelf. Then, I used a foam brush to apply a very thin coat of Elmer’s Glue (you can also use Mod Podge) to the back of each piece of paper. After gluing, I placed the paper on the wall of the shelf, and smoothed it out with a dry foam brush.

I love this smart project, which is an excellent example of upcycling. And I can't wait to see what cute little objects Mary Helen will place in her shelves, once they're hung. Check out Mary Helen's post for all of her advice and directions.

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How-To: Paint Your Cast-Iron Radiator

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Now that it's Summer, and you're not likely to be heating your home much, it's a good time to make sure your radiator is looking sharp. If you have a cast-iron radiator in an older home, it may be plagued with chipping paint, or maybe you'd like to freshen it up or make it blend into your walls with some color. In any case, it'll take you just a few hours and some elbow grease to give it a paint job that's worthy of your stylish crib. To learn how, read more.

Some of you may have an unpainted radiator or a finish that's in good shape, but if the paint is chipping, you'll need to remove it all before you give it a new finish. Unless you're prepared to remove your hefty radiator to sandblast it (or have it sandblasted professionally), you'll need to sand and scrape it the old-fashioned way: with a piece of sandpaper, a lot of elbow grease, and maybe even a putty knife. If you have an old radiator, the paint may contain lead, in which case, you do not want to sand because this would release lead into the air. Instead, use an eco-friendly paint stripper like SoyGel, 100 percent biodegradable and made from soybeans, which will encapsulate the lead in the gel, preventing airborne lead particles and allowing for safe and easy disposal.
The next step (or first, if you didn't need to sand) is just to clean all of the dust and dirt off of the radiator with a damp cotton rag.
Then, sand the radiator to create a rough surface for the paint to hold onto.
Open your windows and doors and make sure the area is well-ventilated.
Saturate a rag in Wil-Bond Deglosser and wipe down your radiator. This removes oils and cuts gloss so that the new finish will go on smoothly, bond tightly, and last longer.
Now, it's prime time! If your radiator has never been painted, prepare it for painting with a bare metal primer. If not, use an ordinary oil-based primer.
Here comes the fun part. Lay down some newspaper to protect your floors. Paint on your finish top coat, using any oil-based interior paint and a brush meant for oil-based paint. This paint will be heat-resistant and durable. If you choose to, you can also use spray paint, but you'll want a high-temperature aerosol paint and you'll need to mask off the surrounding area to protect your floors and walls.
Let it dry, and if it seems to need a second coat, go ahead. Fini!

Go here to see some creatively painted radiators!
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DIY: Ashley's Girly Glam Vanity

CasaSugar — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:00:44 -0700

Ashley, whose very Carrie bedroom makeover impressed lots of you, DIYed her bedroom vanity, seen here. Ashley notes that "I wanted a mirrored vanity so badly, but they are pricey and I am a single mom who just started my career. My solution - I took a Craiglist wooden antique vanity and refinished it myself for a metallic look."

Want to see how she did it? Then read more.

"I wish I could have found and have afforded an actual mirrored vanity, but after the Sex and the City movie everyone wanted one, I think. So I took an old antique vanity from Craigslist and primed and painted it with spray paint. The first time I used a plain metallic silver but I wasn't sold on the results, so I went back and got the chrome-looking version of spray paint. Of course, it did not come out chrome on wood, but it had more of a silver metallic look when dry. I used two coats of the chrome and let it dry overnight. Then I used a polycrylic applied with a brush for stains and finishes, I put about three coats of this on the vanity so it would give off a glossy finish, The spray paint alone needed this final step. The polycrylic also protects the paint job."

I love the effect. Have you ever painted wood furniture to give it a metallic look?

Ask an Expert: Cheap and Easy Home Improvement Projects

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:00:38 -0800

In October, I asked Lou Manfredini (better known as "Ace Hardware’s Helpful Hardware Man") to give CasaSugar tips on keeping your homes cozy and efficient during the Winter months. Lou had such great advice that I asked him if he could answer some other reader-inspired questions about home fixes and improvements. Check out his answers!

CasaSugar: What are some easy home projects that tool-shy readers should attempt to fix or upgrade their homes?

Lou: Simple things that can really make a difference are projects like changing and upgrading your furnace filters. Clogged filters will force your furnace to run longer which means more money spent on energy costs. And by upgrading to Ace pleated furnace filters you can trap 10 times more of the airborne particulate that flows through your unit than the standard blue fiberglass filters. Also at around $5-$6 a filter it’s over 50 percent less per filter than leading consumer brands. Another project is to change six of the most used light bulbs in your home to compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs), which will save you over $60 a year on electrical energy costs. You can also put a face lift on your kitchen cabinets with a small bottle of Howard’s-Restore-A-Finish and #0000 steel wool. This “face peel” for your cabinets will bring the life back into the wood. Finally, refresh your hardwood floors with Bona X Hardwood floor refresher. After you clean the floor you apply the urethane coating and spread it out with a synthetic sheepskin pad. Leave the home for about two hours and the shine will look brand new - no sanding, low odor, and it’s a waterborne product.

For the rest of Lou's answers, read more.

CasaSugar: What is the number one cheap and effective way that readers can change their homes, using Ace Hardware?

Lou: Paint, For about $25.00 a good gallon of Ace paint and a few tools can be purchased which will change the look of a bedroom or even a small kitchen or dinning room. Adding some color will creating a whole new look in the matter of a day or so. Another way that consumers can be more “green” is by shopping locally. We like to say that most of America is within 5 miles of an Ace hardware store, which are all locally owned and operated and help their community by giving back every step of the way. Not only are we competitively priced against the big boxes but I can say with 100 percent assurance that we are the most helpful place on the planet when it comes to your home improvement needs.

CasaSugar: Are there any painting tools that you recommend that would help make readers’ painting projects easier?

Lou: One thing to keep in mind when it comes to painting is that the quality of the tools you use as well as the quality of the paint is critical. If you have made the decision to paint yourself you will be saving hundreds if not thousands of dollars depending on the size of the project. With that in mind, buy higher quality brushes, roller frames and covers, ladders and so on. In this category you get what you pay for, and using cheaper tools will make the job harder and not give you the look you are trying for.

Check back tomorrow for the rest of Lou's tips!

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