Up Cycle Tired Furniture with Paint & Colour-Don of all Trades

Photos courtesy of Don of all Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services

Painting furniture is a great approach to make it more personal. If you are thinking about up-cycling your furniture,  this article from our latest DIY Weekend Projects with Don of all Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services will help explain how.

With regards to giving your home a face lift, the difference is all in the details. Painting tired furniture is one of the quickest and most cost effective  approaches to revive a room’s stylistic theme.

Photos courtesy Don of all Trade Professional Home Maintenance Services

This bedroom needed some TLC and we wanted to give it a new fresh cleaner look.  We had to first start by  decluttering, organizing  cleaning, prepping the walls and then painting the room.

Outdated window treatments were replaced along with the original large pine wood bed with with a newer sleeker basic iron headboard. New mattress and box spring were purchased as well.  The only original bedroom furniture left in this room was the was the dresser.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with this dresser except cosmetically,  it didn’t fit in with the planned updated decor and style  we wanted to achieve in this room.

We decided to up-cycle this dresser and give it a face-lift with some chalk paint. And let me tell you….ARE WE EVER GLAD WE DID!

Below are some before and after photos of this dresser up cycling project including steps, tips and our experiences completing it. We hope that this article  inspires you to create something new  and unique as a DIY project for your home.

Step 1-Surface Preparation-Before You Paint

Photos courtesy of Don of all Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services

• Remove any removable elements like hardware, shelves, drawers.
• Run your hand across the piece to find any rough patches that might need sanding (but you do NOT need to sand the entire piece when using Chalk Paint–even if it’s varnished!).
• Fill any holes with wood glue.
• Even if your furniture piece appears to be clean, it will still be covered in oils from hands.  So, make sure to give it a once over with some warm soapy water.  we just used a mild dish-soap, followed up with a final pass of clear water, so we didn’t leave behind any soapy residue.  Then, just allow ample dry time before applying your first coat of paint.
• Edge off any sections that won’t be painted using painter’s tape (like the inside of drawers).

Up Cycle Tired Furniture with Paint & Colour-Don of all Trades

Photos courtesy http://www.donofalltrades.ca

Step 2-Choosing Your Brand of  Decorative Chalk Paint

Photos courtesy of http://www.donofalltrades.ca

Photos courtesy of http://www.donofalltrades.ca

Photos courtesy of http://www.donofalltrades.ca

For this particular project, we purchased the Rust-Oleum Brand-Chalked Ultra Matt in Linen White. Ultra Matte Paint creates a matte finish that dries to a velvety smooth finish. It transforms and rejuvenates furniture and home décor, creating a unique one of a kind look.

Product Overview

• Easy to use – No prepping or priming required
• Use on wood, metal, ceramic, canvas and more
• Water based for easy clean up

Step 3-  Our Brush of Choice-The Nour Craft 1 ½ inch Premium Oval Brush

The 1.5 inch (37mm) Premium Oval Brush is a professional polyester brush for use with all paints and wax. This brush is ideal for spreading wax because of the density and firmness of the filaments and is best suited for application on medium-sized objects. In addition, the oval shape provides greater coverage.

 

Product Overview

• Dyed, tipped and flagged polyester filaments
• High density of filaments (increased paint pick-up & release)
• Fine tips for smooth finish
• Firm stiffness (excellent for wax application)
• Oval Handle
• Oval Brush

Good To Know Tip-How To Apply a Chalk Finish Paint

Practice painting a scrap board before tackling a project. When layering different paint colors for a distressed finish, apply a heavier base coat than top coat. Work quickly — chalk-finish paint dries fast  and immediately remove any particles in the wet paint.

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Good To Know Tip-When Chalk Paint Becomes Too Thick…

When applying the chalk paint, we found after time the paint got thick and we ran into problems with unevenness on how the paint laid down on the wood. This was a concern because this dresser got very streaked with brush lines and we were disappointed on how this project was turning out so far.

In this case we corrected this issue by using a damp sponge and carefully smoothed out the imperfections after a few hours.

We recommend separating a portion of the paint to be used and thinning the paint by simply adding a little water to it.

Note: When painting make sure room temperature is not to cold because it enhanced the streaking problem.

We then realized that it would most likely  take two to three coats of chalk paint to finish this job.

It’s a really good product if you know what to expect……like all good things in life it takes a little time and effort but in the end you will have a beautiful piece of

furniture.

Step 5-Adding a Protective Top Coat

Since this piece was still being used as a dresser, we chose the Rust-oleum Brand Chalked Protective Top Coat  to add an extra protection against any possible spills or accidents.

Rust-Oleum Chalked Protective Topcoat

Product Overview:

• Adds a protective, sealed clear topcoat to any chalked surface
• Ultra-matte, smooth finish enhances color and durability
• Goes on in 1 to 2 coats with no need to reapply

We found that this product worked like it said it would. This is a good sealer for the chalked paint. We also wanted to mention that this product  does darken the colors a bit.  

Absolutely Love the new look this older dresser now gives in this bedroom!

Well this DIY up-cycling dresser project was a lot of fun and and a great learning experience to complete. Ok, so it 4 coats of chalk paint and a little bit of patience to achieve the look we wanted but we are so happy  we made the effort.  We absolutely love the results and the new fresh clean look it adds to this bedroom. Best of all-it was an affordable alternative!

Three More Reasons Why You Should Consider Up Cycling 

Number 1-Saves You Money

The number 1 reason for choosing  to upcycle furniture is clearly that it saves you money. We live in a throw- away generation whereby individuals rush to simply throw away undesirable things; the perfect opportunity to get your hands on something to give a makeover!

Number 2-Customize

Why purchase new when you can make something totally customized for your home? No one else will have the same and you can give your creative  imagination and energy a chance to run wild.

Number 3-Good for the Environment

It’s good for the environment –Instead of trashing unwanted pieces consider recycling them as something else and turning them into something you love is the way to go. Landfills are  wrecking havoc with our environment so next time you make a trip to dump, think “can I re-purpose this?”

Have A Question About Your Home Improvement Project?

Get In-Touch With Us. We’d Love To Hear From You!

We offer a wide range of home improvement services for your home including FREE ESTIMATES in Durham Region. Call 905-259-5249 or email infodonofalltrades@gmail.com. Visit our website at http://www.donofalltrades.ca to find out more!

 

About Don D’Orazio

Founder of Don of all Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services.

Donato has over 20 plus years of experience. His company has completed various projects for many clients. Donato’s philosophy is to always treat “YOUR HOME AS IF IT WERE HIS OWN”. His goal is to provide quality service at affordable prices without compromising the finished product.

Donato always ensures all his projects are completed with the highest standard of quality and craftsman ship. He also takes pride in knowing that he can take your ideas and turn them into reality….. Giving you the home you’ve always dreamed of having.
Donato D’Orazio, owner and founder of Don of All Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services, classifies his vision for home renovation projects with three important goals.

1. To come in on budget
2. To complete the project on-time.
3. To make the customer’s experience as stress-free as possible

It is these three goals that form the foundation for the Don of All Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services business model, which is unique from the way that other home improvement companies operate. Our clients have told us the benefits they’ve seen from our business model.

Don’s Motto

“Start living better and get peace of mind and the freedom in life to get back to the important things that matters most to you.”

 

Don Continues to Find Compassion Within Himself to Stay Attached to Values That are Linked to the Common Good

In 2013 Don and and his team created the Helping Hands Building Trees of Hope Program benefiting worthwhile causes and creating partnerships within our communities in Durham Region. The Tree of Hope is a symbol of commitment, inspiration and community. Every year Don’s goal is to add new Helping Hands to the Tree of Hope and have it completed by December 31st from generous donations collected from clients, friends, family and local businesses in the community from our Donation Wish-List. Don believes it’s important to give back and not only volunteers his time, he also funds and hosts a number events throughout the year to help Do Good and Give Back.

Here’s an important life lesson: no matter how tough you think your life is there’s always someone who has to face challenges that are tougher than yours.

Our Memories of Giving Back in 2017

 

 

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New Year’s Resolution- Getting Your Basement Organized

Photos provided by Don of all Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services

Utilizing your basement as a storage area can be difficult as the space can quickly become cluttered and unorganized. You can make storage more efficient by creating an organized system for your items. While plastic storage bins are great for holding your stuff, when they pile up, it becomes difficult to get to the bottom bin without moving the rest in the stack. To solve this problem, create a storage organizer that will give easy access to all of them.

If your basement is on your list of New Years Resolutions here’s a recent project Don of all Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services completed to help tackle these home owners issues by creating more storage space.

Photos provided by Don of all Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services

These homeowners had a bit of a challenge searching for a shelving unit that would fit their older home’s basement low ceilings. After doing some research on-line they found an Ikea–Hejne 4 section shelving unit that was a perfect solution to their needs and within their budget. Modifications were made with the shelving in order to house larger items that did not fit with the original design. The next issue was how to come up with a solution to enclose this piece so that our clients wouldn’t actually see what was inside and to give it more character. Shower Curtains, Venetian Blinds and Curtain Panels with Grommets were just some of the idea options our clients offered.

Photos provided by Don of all Trades Professional Home Maintenance Services

Our team asked if they would consider closing this shelving off with doors. They loved the idea and we moved forward with the project. We came up with a plan to design doors made from finished grade plywood and completing the look by adding cabinet door hinges and contemporary metal handle hardware. The results were fantastic!

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By adding custom-built doors, we have now created the perfect storage organizer unit by closing off these open shelves so that these home owners don’t have to live with the cluttered look.

Have a question about your home improvement project? Get in touch with us. We’d love to hear from you! Call to book your complimentary in-home estimate at: 905-259-5249 or visit our newly renovated website at www.donofalltrades.ca today!

We offer a wide range of home improvement services for your home including FREE ESTIMATES in Durham Region. Call 905-259-5249 or visit our website at:  www.donofalltrades.ca to find out more!

Don Of All Trades is Giving Back to the Community

Please donate to our Helping Hands Building Trees of Hope Project!

Every gift is a gift of hope. Your donations make a difference in the lives of women and children who are survivors of violence and abuse that are provided with a place of safety, support and hope at Herizon House women’s shelter.

You can help improve the lives of abused women and children in the  community. Please visit www.donofalltrades.ca community page to find out how you can make a difference.

Cleaning Porcelain Tile & Grout Lines With Steam-Don of all Trades

After years of neglect, getting this basement decluttered and organized was a top priority. We’ve talked about this many times before, but organizing always starts with a ruthless decluttering. Get rid of everything that you do not need, use,  or want, or relocate those items that belong elsewhere. This helps clear the way for a good deep cleaning. A messy space is always harder to clean than an organized space but once this space was finally emptied out it gave room to move forward by giving the porcelain tile flooring good cleaning.

Cleaning  Choice For These Floors?

Steam Cleaning and Here’s Why

Apart from the fact that a steam sanitizer can kill bacteria and dust mites, it also ensures a chemical free clean, removing any concerns about potential health problems which could be caused by chemical gases and residues in traditional cleaning products. Steam cleaning requires no detergents or chemicals for the ultimate in safety for all the family including your pets. Steam cleaners are fantastic to clean porous tiles, smooth tiles and the are the best way to clean grout lines. These surfaces are usually hard to clean because of their crevices and pores, but hot steam flows deep into every nook and cranny to effectively loosen dirt, grime and grease.

After doing some research on line, we found the US Steam Falcon Commercial Steam Cleaner at  our local Home Depot Store and rented it out for the day to complete this project.

US Steam Falcon Commercial Steam Cleaner

Product Overview

• Heavy duty commercial cleaning
• Stainless Steel shell and boiler
• 2L tank = 2 hours of continuous use
• 25 ft. working area
• Operating Pressure: 65 psi
• Made in Italy

Features

Portable, Sanitizes, Variable Steam Options

• High heat steam cleaner for residential and industrial applications
• 100% natural cleaning, no chemicals needed
• Ideal for tile and grout, hard floors, machine shops, play areas in daycare centers, etc

Safe For Use On

• Auto Interior
• Bare Floor
• Ceramic Tile
• Concrete
• Glass
• Granite
• Marble
• Metal
• Quartz

Included Accessories

• Owner’s  Manual
• 12 Ft Hose
• Filler Bottle
• Funnel
• 2 – 16 ¾ Inch Extension Wands
• Window Cleaner
• Single Hole Nozzle
• 3- Hole Nozzle
• Large Triangle Brush W/Clips
• 1- 3 Inch Adjustable Round Nylon Brush
• 1-3 Inch Adjustable Triangle Brush
• Large Floor Brush W/Clips
• 3 – 1 Inch Nylon Brushes
• 3 – 1 Inch Brass Brushes
• 3 Towels
• Accessory Bag

Cleaning the gout lines

dirty and grimy residue left behind from the steaming process

dirty residue from grout lines and tile

After

Results

Before we started with the cleaning process, we gave basement floor a good vacuuming.

Following the user manual provided, we connected the hose to the steam cleaner. Opened the safety cap and filled the talk with water using the bottle and funnel provided then replaced the fill cap. We then plugged in the steam cleaner and pressed both the Power and Steam Release Buttons on the “On” position. The  Green Steam Ready  Light started flashing while the unit was warming up. After about 15 minutes the green light went solid letting us know the steamer was ready for use.

We bled the hose of water by squeezing the RED trigger to
shoot excess water from the hose into a towel for about 10-15 seconds. Waited  until green light came on again before starting to clean.  This unit was great because it had a STEAM CONTROL DIAL  to control the amount of steam released. By turning the dial counterclockwise, the steam would increase. To reduce amount of steam used we just had to turn dial clockwise.

We selected and attached the 1 Inch Brass Brush to clean the grout lines and the  3-Inch Round Nylon Brush clean the top of the tile.

GOOD TO KNOW: Keep away from steam cleaning too close to baseboards as they can get damaged in the process. 

It was surprising to see how much dirt and grime (the kind you don’t see) that was coming off the tiles and out of the grout as shown in the “before and after” photos provided. We filled many buckets over the cleaning process with clean warm water and mopped up the dirty and grimy residue left behind from the steaming process. We also  used it in cleaning around the toilet.

The US Steam Falcon Commercial Steam Cleaner is a great machine and uses no chemicals with it. It kills bacteria, eliminates odors and is Eco-friendly and  did a great  job on for this porcelain tile floor cleaning application.  We will definitely be using it again in the future and recommend this product as a “chemical free” alternative to our friends, family and clients.

Porcelain Tile Floors-Before

Porcelain Tile Floors-After