Keep upbeat with upcycling while isolating at home

Amidst all the distress and uncertainty we are facing with the Coronavirus pandemic, we are taking a pro-active approach to self-isolation and wanted to share some top tips for upcycling projects you can do at home.

Preparation

• First clean the item of furniture using a damp cloth and use a waterproof tarp (if you have one) to protect your floors from becoming stained.
• Remove any hardware that will come off, like knobs, cushions, or wheels. 

Sanding 

• Sanding the item with coarse sandpaper is an extremely important part of the process. It increases your chances of creating a longer lasting finish, as it strips all of the existing finishes and roughens up the surface allowing the product to adhere to the surface with a greater bond.
•  After those initial stages, use a medium then fine sandpaper to get the super smooth finish.    

Painting 

• Pour some of the paint into a paint kettle or tray. For the best results from brushing, don’t dip directly from the can.
• Apply the paint in light, even coats in the direction of the grain. Don’t worry about getting the paint completely opaque on the first pass. You’ll get a much better result if you use 2-3 light coats of paint rather than trying to brush it all on in one coat.
• Use light, smooth strokes with a brush, and try to use as few strokes as possible to avoid leaving brush marks in the paint.

The saying a ‘bad workman always blames his tools’ does not apply when it comes to upcycling! The key to a good paint job is to use high-quality paint and good paintbrush. Buy the best brush you can afford and make sure it’s the right kind for the type of paint you’re using. Latex brushes don’t work well with oil paints, nor do oil brushes work with water-based paints. Once you have the right brush, you can focus on technique!

Most paints are touch dry after 3-4 hours, so leave in a well-ventilated area and then take some pictures and don’t forget to send them to us!!  We would love to see some of your transformations!

Do something good for the planet, the community and someone’s life.