Well, I've been dreading it for months, but it's finally 90% done: the vanity installation. I had to make a trip for supplies (apparently I'm out of copper elbows) but I got it almost all done. I have just the toe-kick left to scribe, trim, and install.
I also finished the ceiling t-g repair in the living room. I didn't think that would be done (or the office ceiling) for about another year, but I'm really happy to have the holes finally patched.
Once the vanity is all installed, I'll be putting my efforts into the "L Room", finishing the last 3 pieces of baseboard, and caulking/painting the rest of the trim, including the windows.
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Tuesday, December 04, 2012
Office Ceiling Fixed!
I decided to finally go ahead and fix the original ceilings in the main parts of the house. I didn't want to completely demolish the kitchen cabinet just yet (since I'm reusing the wood from it to fix the ceiling), but I noticed that the door was quite long (at 6 feet), and I was able to remove it, save the hardware, and do most of the repairs with it.
Last night I completed the ceiling repair in the office. I was able to keep the boards from the door (for the patch) "together" just with the thick layers of paint. This is pretty amazing, considering that I also had to use a pry bar on the back to remove the wooden cleats.
The door and cabinet I'm talking about are seen here from this old photo. The cabinet is actually a support "stand" to hold the weight of the entire chimney. Above the door is the flue opening for a wood stove (I'm assuming that the original kitchen stove was an old wood or gas stove). The chimney seems to have served no other purpose, since there is only one original opening in it.
You can see the opening (jammed with decades of dead leaves) and the back cleats from the door in this photo:
To jog everyone's memory, this is how the ceiling looked when I got the house. Basically they had ripped out a few boards to run the new wire, and then slapped-on some new wood and painted it. It looked pretty bad.
For the past year, I've been living with this big hole. I removed the damaged boards, and redid the electrical box area, and I added the metal plates. This was done when I installed the antique lights.
The huge advantage of reusing this old wood is that it's a perfect match to the old ceiling, including dozens of coats of paint.
Here is the new patch, fitted, and installed. You can see the screw holes. I decided touse thin #6 screws on the ends, and 2 nails in the centre, to hold this patch. I didn't want to mess around with nails, in case they cracked the paint, or in case I would hit the electrical wire (which I was very careful to avoid, even though I also had metal plates over it).
Holes patches, and a bit of silicone added in the larger cracks:
Then this morning I sanded all the putty/filler, and slapped-on a coat of high-end primer. Looks pretty good except the end near the electrical box. I will probably try to sand this a bit, and add a bit of putty to get a better transition, but for now, it looks great. Can you tell which 3 boards are "new" (old replacements)?
Today I hope to do the living room ones the same.
***
Lastly, two random photos. One shows the refinished/repaired gramophone cabinet in it's new spot (dining room) PLEASE IGNORE ALL THE JUNK AND CRAP, and the second is an artsy shot of my longcase clock test stand, and a miniature ebonized Vienna clock.
The clocks (on the test stand) are all "works in progress" from a few years ago (before buying the house). The beautiful longcase clock movement on the left is eventually going to be cased in a handmade case in the style of a 1690s-1750 English longcase clock. The dial (rings) need to be silvered, the small seconds dial also needs to have the numbers etched, and the hands on it are cardboard templates, but will be hand-cut from steel (eventually). I actually made the entire dial from scratch except for the large chapter ring, which is a hand-engraved antique. The one next to it in the middle also needs work (and a similar dial/hands), but it is a great old movement that I picked up very inexpensively. I remade several parts for it, with a few left to go. Lastly, the one on the right is for a reproduction I'll be making, of a rare American clock. This movement is one that I made from a kit. It was literally in 100s of pieces, and each wheel had to be assembled (very accurately and carefully), and each piece had to be hand polished. I added the bell-strike feature, and made the parts for it (like the hammer and bell stand).
Last night I completed the ceiling repair in the office. I was able to keep the boards from the door (for the patch) "together" just with the thick layers of paint. This is pretty amazing, considering that I also had to use a pry bar on the back to remove the wooden cleats.
The door and cabinet I'm talking about are seen here from this old photo. The cabinet is actually a support "stand" to hold the weight of the entire chimney. Above the door is the flue opening for a wood stove (I'm assuming that the original kitchen stove was an old wood or gas stove). The chimney seems to have served no other purpose, since there is only one original opening in it.
You can see the opening (jammed with decades of dead leaves) and the back cleats from the door in this photo:
To jog everyone's memory, this is how the ceiling looked when I got the house. Basically they had ripped out a few boards to run the new wire, and then slapped-on some new wood and painted it. It looked pretty bad.
For the past year, I've been living with this big hole. I removed the damaged boards, and redid the electrical box area, and I added the metal plates. This was done when I installed the antique lights.
The huge advantage of reusing this old wood is that it's a perfect match to the old ceiling, including dozens of coats of paint.
Here is the new patch, fitted, and installed. You can see the screw holes. I decided touse thin #6 screws on the ends, and 2 nails in the centre, to hold this patch. I didn't want to mess around with nails, in case they cracked the paint, or in case I would hit the electrical wire (which I was very careful to avoid, even though I also had metal plates over it).
Holes patches, and a bit of silicone added in the larger cracks:
Then this morning I sanded all the putty/filler, and slapped-on a coat of high-end primer. Looks pretty good except the end near the electrical box. I will probably try to sand this a bit, and add a bit of putty to get a better transition, but for now, it looks great. Can you tell which 3 boards are "new" (old replacements)?
Today I hope to do the living room ones the same.
***
Lastly, two random photos. One shows the refinished/repaired gramophone cabinet in it's new spot (dining room) PLEASE IGNORE ALL THE JUNK AND CRAP, and the second is an artsy shot of my longcase clock test stand, and a miniature ebonized Vienna clock.
The clocks (on the test stand) are all "works in progress" from a few years ago (before buying the house). The beautiful longcase clock movement on the left is eventually going to be cased in a handmade case in the style of a 1690s-1750 English longcase clock. The dial (rings) need to be silvered, the small seconds dial also needs to have the numbers etched, and the hands on it are cardboard templates, but will be hand-cut from steel (eventually). I actually made the entire dial from scratch except for the large chapter ring, which is a hand-engraved antique. The one next to it in the middle also needs work (and a similar dial/hands), but it is a great old movement that I picked up very inexpensively. I remade several parts for it, with a few left to go. Lastly, the one on the right is for a reproduction I'll be making, of a rare American clock. This movement is one that I made from a kit. It was literally in 100s of pieces, and each wheel had to be assembled (very accurately and carefully), and each piece had to be hand polished. I added the bell-strike feature, and made the parts for it (like the hammer and bell stand).
Friday, November 30, 2012
Spice Jars!
It seems like, for the first time in months, the house is not a total disaster. I mean, it's FAR from clean or organized, but since I finished the Gramophone cabinet, put it back together, and moved a few other things, I have so much extra space in the dining room and kitchen.
I badly need to sweep upstairs, since I did drywall a few weeks ago, the entire floor is coated in fine dust. The fact that I have glossy wood floors doesn't help. I ALSO need to clean the bath/shower. It's getting gross.
Otherwise, I have been a little bit productive around the house. I spent the last 2 days completely reorganizing my spices. Since I moved in, my spices have been disorganized and in 2-3 places. The main ones were literally all tossed in a cardboard box on the floor in the kitchen (I don't have any cabinet space to store them anywhere - YET), and most of the others were in my wooden spice cabinet. A few others were on a shelf next to the sink.
Yesterday I went to the Dollarama to see if they had any kind of decent spice jars (I wanted something fairly specific), and I came across the PERFECT ONES for my needs. They are a pretty decent size, and they can fit an entire "spice packet" of 150g (standard No Name and Wal-Mart type packets) and have easy to use screw-top lids in several colours, and the jar openings are large enough to fit a big soup spoon. I bought 20 of them, but I might want another 4 or 5. These would be a perfect fit in a cabinet drawer, and I will label the jar lids for easy and quick reference.
This is something that I've been wanting to do for YEARS after my aunt did something very similar (she always has such great ideas).
I went through ALL my stuff, and I combined several stray/forgotten duplicate bags, emptied dozens, and finally got rid of all the cheap, mismatched plastic spice jars. Now, the bulk of my most used spices are in the new glass jars, and all the others and refill packets are in the spice cabinet.
The only issue right now, is that I have no space for the new jars yet. I'll figure something out. I also need to make labels, but for now, the spices have loose tags inside, although I can tell what 99% of them are simply by looks or smell.
I badly need to sweep upstairs, since I did drywall a few weeks ago, the entire floor is coated in fine dust. The fact that I have glossy wood floors doesn't help. I ALSO need to clean the bath/shower. It's getting gross.
Otherwise, I have been a little bit productive around the house. I spent the last 2 days completely reorganizing my spices. Since I moved in, my spices have been disorganized and in 2-3 places. The main ones were literally all tossed in a cardboard box on the floor in the kitchen (I don't have any cabinet space to store them anywhere - YET), and most of the others were in my wooden spice cabinet. A few others were on a shelf next to the sink.
Yesterday I went to the Dollarama to see if they had any kind of decent spice jars (I wanted something fairly specific), and I came across the PERFECT ONES for my needs. They are a pretty decent size, and they can fit an entire "spice packet" of 150g (standard No Name and Wal-Mart type packets) and have easy to use screw-top lids in several colours, and the jar openings are large enough to fit a big soup spoon. I bought 20 of them, but I might want another 4 or 5. These would be a perfect fit in a cabinet drawer, and I will label the jar lids for easy and quick reference.
This is something that I've been wanting to do for YEARS after my aunt did something very similar (she always has such great ideas).
I went through ALL my stuff, and I combined several stray/forgotten duplicate bags, emptied dozens, and finally got rid of all the cheap, mismatched plastic spice jars. Now, the bulk of my most used spices are in the new glass jars, and all the others and refill packets are in the spice cabinet.
The only issue right now, is that I have no space for the new jars yet. I'll figure something out. I also need to make labels, but for now, the spices have loose tags inside, although I can tell what 99% of them are simply by looks or smell.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
House-Relate Pet Peeve
I just ran across a photo that urged me to write this post.
There are a lot of things people do in their homes, or TO their homes that annoy me, but I try not to judge, since the homeowner can do whatever he/she wants.
However, one trend that I absolutely hate is the really popular idea of hanging a flat screen TV over a fireplace.
In RARE cases it looks good, but I find that it almost always looks extremely tacky.
It just seems really ridiculous to me. The fireplace is meant to be a focal point in the room, and it's like putting a big neon sign over it. Not to mention that if the fireplace is working while you're trying to watch TV, it's incredibly visually distracting. It seems like a really trashy way to put something really modern over something old and traditional. I also find that the TV ends up being much too high on the wall. Why wouldn't you want it at a comfortable eye level when you're seated on the sofa?
I don't really know if there's one specific reason why I hate it so much, but I just really do. I guess I see the fireplace as more of a special area over which to hang a fine piece of art, a beautiful mirror, or some other treasured object. NOT FOR A TV.
:S
There are a lot of things people do in their homes, or TO their homes that annoy me, but I try not to judge, since the homeowner can do whatever he/she wants.
However, one trend that I absolutely hate is the really popular idea of hanging a flat screen TV over a fireplace.
In RARE cases it looks good, but I find that it almost always looks extremely tacky.
It just seems really ridiculous to me. The fireplace is meant to be a focal point in the room, and it's like putting a big neon sign over it. Not to mention that if the fireplace is working while you're trying to watch TV, it's incredibly visually distracting. It seems like a really trashy way to put something really modern over something old and traditional. I also find that the TV ends up being much too high on the wall. Why wouldn't you want it at a comfortable eye level when you're seated on the sofa?
I don't really know if there's one specific reason why I hate it so much, but I just really do. I guess I see the fireplace as more of a special area over which to hang a fine piece of art, a beautiful mirror, or some other treasured object. NOT FOR A TV.
:S
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
A Rescue
I decided to take a quick walk around the block last night (garbage night), and I actually found a few awesome items, including this great Art Deco night stand:
It's in near perfect shape except that one of the drawer runners had come loose (easy fix), and the finish on it needs help (also an easy fix since it's the original shellac finish still on it). Check out that awesome original handle, too! I estimate just an hour or two on this and it will look awesome. The hardest part will be to remove the Mactac shelf liner, since it seems glued-on pretty well. It's not really my style, so I might end up selling it, but it was FREE.
Also not pictured, were two large window sashes (about 30" x 30", which I might only keep for the antique glass), and the three pieces of trim that went with them (not the casings, just the thin moulding with an ogee detail). Usually I wouldn't have bothered with the small trim, but it was in perfect shape and not butchered.
It's in near perfect shape except that one of the drawer runners had come loose (easy fix), and the finish on it needs help (also an easy fix since it's the original shellac finish still on it). Check out that awesome original handle, too! I estimate just an hour or two on this and it will look awesome. The hardest part will be to remove the Mactac shelf liner, since it seems glued-on pretty well. It's not really my style, so I might end up selling it, but it was FREE.
Also not pictured, were two large window sashes (about 30" x 30", which I might only keep for the antique glass), and the three pieces of trim that went with them (not the casings, just the thin moulding with an ogee detail). Usually I wouldn't have bothered with the small trim, but it was in perfect shape and not butchered.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Gramophone Cabinet - Complete!
I'm very happy to report that this project is finally finished. I'll be leaving the doors open on it for a few days so that it can keep curing/drying out, but it's finished.
I think this is a wonderful piece of furniture. It was free, and I only spent about 25$ to refinish it, and replace the knobs. The knobs that were on it were mismatched and one (possibly both) was not original. I settled for two antique brass knobs from my stock of old hardware.
The cabinet will live in the corner of the dining room, since this seems like the best place in the house for it, but I might change my mind later on, depending what kind of dining room furniture I end up with. I kind of want an antique table, chairs, and either a sideboard or hutch. These can sometimes be had for very cheap at auctions.
You can BARELY even see my two repairs on the drop-down door. They're practically invisible, which makes me very happy.
Compare with the before photos:
BTW: Can you believe my father was just going to put this at the road? It wasn't in great shape, but it's such a wonderful cabinet! I'm so glad he asked me first. I would have been extremely upset with him.
I think this is a wonderful piece of furniture. It was free, and I only spent about 25$ to refinish it, and replace the knobs. The knobs that were on it were mismatched and one (possibly both) was not original. I settled for two antique brass knobs from my stock of old hardware.
The cabinet will live in the corner of the dining room, since this seems like the best place in the house for it, but I might change my mind later on, depending what kind of dining room furniture I end up with. I kind of want an antique table, chairs, and either a sideboard or hutch. These can sometimes be had for very cheap at auctions.
You can BARELY even see my two repairs on the drop-down door. They're practically invisible, which makes me very happy.
Compare with the before photos:
BTW: Can you believe my father was just going to put this at the road? It wasn't in great shape, but it's such a wonderful cabinet! I'm so glad he asked me first. I would have been extremely upset with him.
Update
Not too much to brag about, but I had a few miscellaneous photos I thought I would hare.
I'm currently finishing-up the gramophone cabinet project. I'm not happy with how the finish on it turned out, but it's "ok". It looks fine, really, but it didn't turn out like some of the other pieces I've done using the same varnish. I didn't thin the first coat, and it didn't go on as smoothly. Bleh. (What can I say, I'm my own worst critic, and I'm a perfectionist).
No photos of that until it's all put back together.
I started to put up a few festive decorations. I had bought some large foam snowflakes a year ago, and I didn't use them yet since I needed some suction-cups to attach them.
The porch definitely needs a splash of red, so I'll probably be adding a large red bow to the wreath on the front door. I might also add a second wreath to the exterior door, but I haven't decided yet. I also want to put up some lights. Possibly ones I already have on hand, or maybe some new ones. What do you think: multicoloured, or just clear/white ones? Side note: You can see the new mail box here for the first time.
It annoys me that the porch always looks crooked or lopsided because of the deteriorating lattice/frame. I'll be so happy once that's replaced.
Next up is a bit of a super short "Cornwall Homes" post. Super short, because I noticed that the other half of the building posted here:
Cornwall Houses, Woodworking Projects, & Misc. (October 08, 2012)
is now up for rent. I snuck-up onto the porch and took a few photos. This side is in as good condition as the right side. The only difference I see is that the back door has been painted white, and the finish on the grates is in much better shape. I never noticed the cool stripes! I haven't seen any other registers finished this way. Totally cool.
I'm jealous of their beautiful unpainted wood trim.
Lastly is a small restoration project I did out of sheer boredom.
I picked up this beautiful Victorian plaster frame at a yard sale a few blocks away last summer. I love these frames, but they are usually in TERRIBLE shape. They tend to be very fragile, and, let's face it: people aren't careful with things. But this one was in near perfect shape, with the exception of just one corner.
So I worked my magic on it, built-up a repair, and painted it to match. It's not a perfect repair (which would have involved making a mould, and casting a section to replace the missing one), but it's a good enough repair that no one would really notice it, unless they were really looking for it.
I'm really not sure what to put in this frame yet, but I'd love to have it hanging somewhere on the main floor. I have a few other beautiful frames, but they're packed away at the moment.
I'm currently finishing-up the gramophone cabinet project. I'm not happy with how the finish on it turned out, but it's "ok". It looks fine, really, but it didn't turn out like some of the other pieces I've done using the same varnish. I didn't thin the first coat, and it didn't go on as smoothly. Bleh. (What can I say, I'm my own worst critic, and I'm a perfectionist).
No photos of that until it's all put back together.
I started to put up a few festive decorations. I had bought some large foam snowflakes a year ago, and I didn't use them yet since I needed some suction-cups to attach them.
The porch definitely needs a splash of red, so I'll probably be adding a large red bow to the wreath on the front door. I might also add a second wreath to the exterior door, but I haven't decided yet. I also want to put up some lights. Possibly ones I already have on hand, or maybe some new ones. What do you think: multicoloured, or just clear/white ones? Side note: You can see the new mail box here for the first time.
It annoys me that the porch always looks crooked or lopsided because of the deteriorating lattice/frame. I'll be so happy once that's replaced.
Next up is a bit of a super short "Cornwall Homes" post. Super short, because I noticed that the other half of the building posted here:
Cornwall Houses, Woodworking Projects, & Misc. (October 08, 2012)
is now up for rent. I snuck-up onto the porch and took a few photos. This side is in as good condition as the right side. The only difference I see is that the back door has been painted white, and the finish on the grates is in much better shape. I never noticed the cool stripes! I haven't seen any other registers finished this way. Totally cool.
I'm jealous of their beautiful unpainted wood trim.
Lastly is a small restoration project I did out of sheer boredom.
I picked up this beautiful Victorian plaster frame at a yard sale a few blocks away last summer. I love these frames, but they are usually in TERRIBLE shape. They tend to be very fragile, and, let's face it: people aren't careful with things. But this one was in near perfect shape, with the exception of just one corner.
So I worked my magic on it, built-up a repair, and painted it to match. It's not a perfect repair (which would have involved making a mould, and casting a section to replace the missing one), but it's a good enough repair that no one would really notice it, unless they were really looking for it.
I'm really not sure what to put in this frame yet, but I'd love to have it hanging somewhere on the main floor. I have a few other beautiful frames, but they're packed away at the moment.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Brushes Found!
Home Hardware had a pretty decent selection (half and half pure bristle, and polyester bristle in a range of prices). I ended up getting an "economy 10 piece combo pack" and one "good" expensive angle brush for varnishing (ie: this current project).
So now I have the first coat on the backs & bottoms done (once that's dry enough, I can flip everything and do the rest).
So now I have the first coat on the backs & bottoms done (once that's dry enough, I can flip everything and do the rest).
Friday, November 23, 2012
Annoyed (A Rant About Brushes)
WARNING: This post is a rant. If you're not in the mood, skip it.
So I was hoping to get the first coat of varnish done on the cabinet today, but it's not looking as though that's going to happen. It still might, but probably not.
Why?
Well, I was a bit lazy and I didn't leave the house early enough to get what I needed to do it. I wasted most of the afternoon on the web, and then I left after supper. I needed only TWO things. 1: Varathane satin spray (varnish), and 2: a 1 1/2" natural bristle brush.
Since Wal-Mart is nearby, I thought I could find the Varathane there, but unfortunately they only had the Minwax (no thanks). They also didn't have anything decent as far as brushes. While I was there, I looked around to see if there were any deals on DVDs, etc. By the time I left, it must have been nearly 8:00.
I then walked over to Home Depot (which isn't too far, but it's at least another 15 minutes). I found the varnish there, but here's where I got really annoyed (pissed off, really):
They have probably a selection of about 50 or more different paintbrushes available. At least 4-5 different sizes, some for specialty jobs, and some with angled bristles, and even cheap "throw away" and foam brushes.
But out of ALL THOSE DAMNED BRUSHES only TWO were natural bristle. Two (excluding the super cheap throw-away ones). They were in only one brand, and they had only a size 3", and 2", which were both too big for what I need. I really need a 1 1/2" max. I was pissed. I looked through every damned box, and every single rack on the wall, and that's all they have.
All their brushes are now made with "polyester fiber" or "mixed polyester" bristles, which I absolutely can't stand. I hate the way they feel, I hate how they spread paint, I don't like how rigid they are (natural fibers are much more flexible), I just plain hate them. And it's not that I haven't tried them. I have. I just think that they're garbage. I avoid them like the plague. I know people seem to have a very strong preference when it comes to brushes, and that's fine, but synthetic fiber brushes just don't float my boat. I remember hearing rave reviews about Purdy brand brushes being "the best of the best", and I saw them at Home Depot, and I was not impressed with them. First, they were synthetic (yuck), and second they were very pricey. Now I don't mind paying good money for a quality brush, but I wasn't willing to pay a butt-load of cash for a brush I was very likely not going to like.
So now I'm kind of screwed until tomorrow. The only other natural bristle brushes I have are either too big or too small, and then I have my two good ones that I'm keeping specifically for painting the house trim/floors (brush 5 & 6 below).
Basically, I've used only two brushes to paint everything in the entire house. This includes casings, baseboards, all the coloured walls (cutting in corners), the porch, and even the upstairs floors in oil paint. One is a "30mm" (roughly 1 1/4") for detailed work and touch-ups, and the other is an angled bristle 2 1/2". I've cleaned them well, and I've never had to replace them. They also haven't shed too many bristles, and now that they're "worn-in" they haven't lost any more. Similarly, my Dad has brushes that he's used many times over the years (he's probably had them longer than I've been alive), and as long as you clean them well, they basically last forever.
Since this post got so long, I thought I would add a photo. Here's the bulk of my paint brush collection (NOT counting my 100's of artist's brushes). Not shown are 2 other black-bristle (natural bristle) brushes. One is a 1", and the other, I think, is a 2 1/2" or 3". Both of those are in another box and are used only for paint stripping.
1. This is a very large quality brush that was found at a second hand shop along with brush number 3. I haven't cleaned it up yet, but it's in pretty good shape. I believe I paid less than 1$ for both brushes.
2. 2" angled bristle brush. I had forgotten I had this one, and it would be pretty adequate for my current needs, BUT, it had powdery white residue in it, from some sort of white paint or primer. I could probably clean it, but I'd rather not risk getting white flecks in my clear varnish. :(
3. This brush is probably antique. It looks like it's never been used (but it has), and it's had the owner's name "Alexander" scratched into the ferrule.
4. This is a "Shur-Line" brush that I picked up either at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, or Canadian Tire, and it's a Polyester bristle (crap). If you want it, I'll mail it to you.
5. This is my workhorse. The paint brush that has touched nearly every surface in my house so far. I don't remember where I bought it, but for some reason, I think it was from Canadian Tire.
6. This is my second most-used brush (for house painting), and I used it when I did the built-in doors.
So yeah, I guess I'll be heading out again tomorrow, probably earlier, to look for a decent brush.
And since I haven't mentioned it or explained it yet, I want the spray varnish simply to do the door (which would be a headache to do without getting runs and drips everywhere because of the intricate pattern), and to quickly do the door and shelf edges (which are also a pain). Pretty much everything else will be done by brush.
So I was hoping to get the first coat of varnish done on the cabinet today, but it's not looking as though that's going to happen. It still might, but probably not.
Why?
Well, I was a bit lazy and I didn't leave the house early enough to get what I needed to do it. I wasted most of the afternoon on the web, and then I left after supper. I needed only TWO things. 1: Varathane satin spray (varnish), and 2: a 1 1/2" natural bristle brush.
Since Wal-Mart is nearby, I thought I could find the Varathane there, but unfortunately they only had the Minwax (no thanks). They also didn't have anything decent as far as brushes. While I was there, I looked around to see if there were any deals on DVDs, etc. By the time I left, it must have been nearly 8:00.
I then walked over to Home Depot (which isn't too far, but it's at least another 15 minutes). I found the varnish there, but here's where I got really annoyed (pissed off, really):
They have probably a selection of about 50 or more different paintbrushes available. At least 4-5 different sizes, some for specialty jobs, and some with angled bristles, and even cheap "throw away" and foam brushes.
But out of ALL THOSE DAMNED BRUSHES only TWO were natural bristle. Two (excluding the super cheap throw-away ones). They were in only one brand, and they had only a size 3", and 2", which were both too big for what I need. I really need a 1 1/2" max. I was pissed. I looked through every damned box, and every single rack on the wall, and that's all they have.
All their brushes are now made with "polyester fiber" or "mixed polyester" bristles, which I absolutely can't stand. I hate the way they feel, I hate how they spread paint, I don't like how rigid they are (natural fibers are much more flexible), I just plain hate them. And it's not that I haven't tried them. I have. I just think that they're garbage. I avoid them like the plague. I know people seem to have a very strong preference when it comes to brushes, and that's fine, but synthetic fiber brushes just don't float my boat. I remember hearing rave reviews about Purdy brand brushes being "the best of the best", and I saw them at Home Depot, and I was not impressed with them. First, they were synthetic (yuck), and second they were very pricey. Now I don't mind paying good money for a quality brush, but I wasn't willing to pay a butt-load of cash for a brush I was very likely not going to like.
So now I'm kind of screwed until tomorrow. The only other natural bristle brushes I have are either too big or too small, and then I have my two good ones that I'm keeping specifically for painting the house trim/floors (brush 5 & 6 below).
Basically, I've used only two brushes to paint everything in the entire house. This includes casings, baseboards, all the coloured walls (cutting in corners), the porch, and even the upstairs floors in oil paint. One is a "30mm" (roughly 1 1/4") for detailed work and touch-ups, and the other is an angled bristle 2 1/2". I've cleaned them well, and I've never had to replace them. They also haven't shed too many bristles, and now that they're "worn-in" they haven't lost any more. Similarly, my Dad has brushes that he's used many times over the years (he's probably had them longer than I've been alive), and as long as you clean them well, they basically last forever.
Since this post got so long, I thought I would add a photo. Here's the bulk of my paint brush collection (NOT counting my 100's of artist's brushes). Not shown are 2 other black-bristle (natural bristle) brushes. One is a 1", and the other, I think, is a 2 1/2" or 3". Both of those are in another box and are used only for paint stripping.
1. This is a very large quality brush that was found at a second hand shop along with brush number 3. I haven't cleaned it up yet, but it's in pretty good shape. I believe I paid less than 1$ for both brushes.
2. 2" angled bristle brush. I had forgotten I had this one, and it would be pretty adequate for my current needs, BUT, it had powdery white residue in it, from some sort of white paint or primer. I could probably clean it, but I'd rather not risk getting white flecks in my clear varnish. :(
3. This brush is probably antique. It looks like it's never been used (but it has), and it's had the owner's name "Alexander" scratched into the ferrule.
4. This is a "Shur-Line" brush that I picked up either at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, or Canadian Tire, and it's a Polyester bristle (crap). If you want it, I'll mail it to you.
5. This is my workhorse. The paint brush that has touched nearly every surface in my house so far. I don't remember where I bought it, but for some reason, I think it was from Canadian Tire.
6. This is my second most-used brush (for house painting), and I used it when I did the built-in doors.
So yeah, I guess I'll be heading out again tomorrow, probably earlier, to look for a decent brush.
And since I haven't mentioned it or explained it yet, I want the spray varnish simply to do the door (which would be a headache to do without getting runs and drips everywhere because of the intricate pattern), and to quickly do the door and shelf edges (which are also a pain). Pretty much everything else will be done by brush.
2:00 AM
I realize it's very late, and I *am* headed to bed in a few minutes, but I thought I'd share my next project.
Earlier this afternoon, I worked some more on the office curtains, and I'm not at all happy with the results, so I am sorta abandoning that for now (until I decide how I want to fix it).
Instead, since I have the kitchen table all laid out for painting (ie: clean, with nothing on it), I've chosen to finally cross another long-awaited project that's been sitting around since summer 2011 off my to-do list.
CAN YOU GUESS WHICH ONE?
Yes? No? Maybe?
Here's a hint: It's a cabinet that's currently in pieces in the dining room.
Still not sure? It's the gramophone/radio cabinet that my Dad gave me. Remember this thing? Last time you guys saw it, it was literally "ready to varnish" and it's been that way since summer 2011. The only reason it never got done is because I hate this part of any cabinetmaking project - the finishing. Especially since I have to do it all entirely by hand. Like... with a paint brush. Yeah...
Well, since it's been sitting around SO FREAKIN' LONG, I've moved it around, it's COVERED in dust, and I set down a dirty paint brush on it while I was working on the crown. OOPS!
To remove the white paint out of the wood, I used my knowledge of chemistry (as far as household chemicals go - since I have a ton of them) to remove the latex paint. Generally, getting paint off of wood is not easy. The strongest chemical would be lacquer thinner (which will actually strip paint and varnish if you're not careful), but I didn't want to remove the layer of stain on the cabinet either. The second strongest choice would be acetone, but it, too, might screw up the stain. What I ended up choosing is simple alcohol. Here in Canada it's Methyl Hydrate (methyl alcohol - or ethanol extracted from wood), and in the USA, you would find it as "Denatured Alcohol".
Alcohol will easily melt latex paint (even fully cured paint that's been on your walls and fully dry for over 5 years - ASK ME HOW I KNOW). But it's gentle enough, and not quite compatible with the oil based stain, so it was the best choice.
Well that was overly lengthy for nothing. Now it's already 2:16...
Here's the paint splatter half removed (you can just barely see the dull outline of the "wet spot".
With the stain fully removed - even from deep in the wood grain, using a wire brush, I then put a very light coat of the same stain to blend it.
While I was at it (staining), I also had to stain the new back board for the cabinet. The old one was ok, but my Dad had made huge holes in it for wires when he was using it for stereo stuff, so I opted to replace it altogether.
Here are the parts being cleaned and readied for varnishing (new back under the fancy door):
And the new back stained (so that it can dry overnight). It's a hair lighter, but it won't be noticeable:
More soon!
Earlier this afternoon, I worked some more on the office curtains, and I'm not at all happy with the results, so I am sorta abandoning that for now (until I decide how I want to fix it).
Instead, since I have the kitchen table all laid out for painting (ie: clean, with nothing on it), I've chosen to finally cross another long-awaited project that's been sitting around since summer 2011 off my to-do list.
CAN YOU GUESS WHICH ONE?
Yes? No? Maybe?
Here's a hint: It's a cabinet that's currently in pieces in the dining room.
Still not sure? It's the gramophone/radio cabinet that my Dad gave me. Remember this thing? Last time you guys saw it, it was literally "ready to varnish" and it's been that way since summer 2011. The only reason it never got done is because I hate this part of any cabinetmaking project - the finishing. Especially since I have to do it all entirely by hand. Like... with a paint brush. Yeah...
Well, since it's been sitting around SO FREAKIN' LONG, I've moved it around, it's COVERED in dust, and I set down a dirty paint brush on it while I was working on the crown. OOPS!
To remove the white paint out of the wood, I used my knowledge of chemistry (as far as household chemicals go - since I have a ton of them) to remove the latex paint. Generally, getting paint off of wood is not easy. The strongest chemical would be lacquer thinner (which will actually strip paint and varnish if you're not careful), but I didn't want to remove the layer of stain on the cabinet either. The second strongest choice would be acetone, but it, too, might screw up the stain. What I ended up choosing is simple alcohol. Here in Canada it's Methyl Hydrate (methyl alcohol - or ethanol extracted from wood), and in the USA, you would find it as "Denatured Alcohol".
Alcohol will easily melt latex paint (even fully cured paint that's been on your walls and fully dry for over 5 years - ASK ME HOW I KNOW). But it's gentle enough, and not quite compatible with the oil based stain, so it was the best choice.
Well that was overly lengthy for nothing. Now it's already 2:16...
Here's the paint splatter half removed (you can just barely see the dull outline of the "wet spot".
With the stain fully removed - even from deep in the wood grain, using a wire brush, I then put a very light coat of the same stain to blend it.
While I was at it (staining), I also had to stain the new back board for the cabinet. The old one was ok, but my Dad had made huge holes in it for wires when he was using it for stereo stuff, so I opted to replace it altogether.
Here are the parts being cleaned and readied for varnishing (new back under the fancy door):
And the new back stained (so that it can dry overnight). It's a hair lighter, but it won't be noticeable:
More soon!
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