How to Care for Cypress Wood Fences

In addition to making an attractive addition to your home’s landscape, a cypress fence is also a wise option. The timber naturally creates a preservative called cypressene, making its heartwood resistant to corrosion, decay and insects. After a few years of exposure to the components, your cypress fencing can turn an unattractive shade of dark gray or become covered with mould and moss. No matter the circumstance, properly caring for your cypress fence will reestablish its appearance and protect it from salt spray, rain and whatever else Mother Nature throws at it.

Attach a 25-degree tip to a power washer wand before hooking up the unit to your garden hose. Standing at least 18 inches away from the fence, move the energy washer wand up the duration of each plank to get rid of any dirt or debris. Avoid lingering on almost any place to reduce harm or gouging.

Wear rubber gloves to make a mixture of 1 cup household bleach and 1 gallon water in a plastic bucket. Dip a plastic scrub brush into the mix and use it to kill any mold or mould on the fence. Rinse the bleach solution away completely with a garden hose. Permit the fence to dry thoroughly before continuing.

Look carefully at the cypress fencing and fix any loose planks with stainless steel screws or cracks using wood adhesive. Permit the glue to dry for at least 24 hours prior to continuing.

Employ a water-repellent sealant to your cypress fence using a paintbrush or roller. Working in 3-foot segments, apply the product using back and forth motions. Shield the cypress even further using a product which also contains a moisture inhibitor and mildewcide.

Reapply the water-repellent sealant every one or two decades.

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How to Refinish Wood Spindles

Turned spindles are typical on antique chairs, cabinets, bed frames and staircases, and also an effective method of stripping and sanding them is required knowledge for any refinisher wanting to produce quality work. Conventional palm sanders do not reach into crevices, and if you overwork one, you’ll wind up changing the form of the attribute. Hand sanding is a less aggressive approach, but it is time consuming and does not always work, particularly when you’re attempting to get rid of a dark stain. A more prudent strategy uses chemicals to remove as much stain and finish as possible and keeps sanding to a minimum.

Apply paint stripper to the spindle, either having an old paintbrush or by spraying it from an aerosol can. Spraying the stripper will ensure it gets into all the crevices.

Let the stripper work for 10 to 20 minutes, and before it dries out, scrape it off with a wire brush. Work the brush into all the crevices, but do not push too hard or you’ll scrape the wood.

Apply another coat of stripper to crevices and features that nevertheless seem dim. Let it work, then rub it off with fine steel wool. Do not forget to wear rubber gloves as you do this to protect your palms.

Soak the steel wool into lacquer thinner and use it to completely moisturize the spindle down. It’ll remove flecks of complete that remain on the outside, and may get rid of some stain. If you used a solvent-based stripper, the lacquer thinner will neutralize it, but if you used a water-based stripper, wash off the spindle with water afterwards massaging with lacquer thinner.

Bleach out the stain if you plan to use a lighter stain than the one already on the timber, or you want to leave the timber unstained. There different types of bleach, and also the top one to use depends on the kind of stain you’re trying to remove.

Mix a saturated solution of sterile calcium hypochlorite, available from a swimming pool supplier, and water to remove dyed stains. Brush the remedy on, let it work overnight and wash it off with water. The active ingredient in this mix is chlorine, so wear gloves and a respirator when working with it.

Use oxalic acid to lighten any spots which are the result of natural wood discoloration, which are common on antiques. Mix the oxalic acid crystals with water in accordance with the instructions on the container, brush the solution on and let it work overnight before washing it off with water.

Sand deep crevices carefully with a rotary tool and a flapwheel or abrasive brush accessory. Work the tool into the crevice, but use mild pressure so that you don’t alter the form of the spindle.

Sand the entire spindle by hand with 150-grit sandpaper when you’re happy with its appearance and it’s completely dried. If you’re staining, wipe the stain on with a rag.

Spray sanding sealer on the spindle either having an air rifle or an aerosol can. Let it dry, then sand lightly with 220-grit sandpaper. Apply a few clear end coats by spraying, sanding every coating lightly with 220 or finer paper after it dries and before implementing the next. Do not sand the last coat.

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Sealing Old Exterior Concrete

The building material is not good at resisting marks and stains as it ages, although concrete is durable and long-lasting with no specific treatment. Adding a protective seal to coat your concrete-based projects can help prevent stains from engine oil dirt, mildew and other fluids.

All Sealed Up

Make any necessary repairs, like smoothing rough spots, filling cracks or repairing weathered segments before sealing the concrete surface. Before applying a new one, if the older concrete has been sealed, the sealant should be stripped. Whether it has been sealed it has to be cleaned thoroughly prior to sealing or dirt, any stains and dirt will be trapped beneath the sealant. You can force use trisodium phosphate and a clean brush to remove stains, or wash off the concrete. Rinse the surface well and allow it to dry before using the sealer. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for spraying or dispersing the sealant. The sealer in coats, allowing it to dry between each coat.

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Mounting Pictures to Wood With Mod Podge

Laser-printed photographs can become family heirlooms when you imprint them on timber with the help of Mod Podge decoupage glue and gel medium. The method actually makes the picture part of the timber, allowing you to peel off its paper backing after the Mod Podge dries. If you prefer just to use the picture into the timber, rather than transfer the picture to the timber, you do not require the gel medium.

Moving to Wood

Print digital photographs with a laser printer on plain white printer paper. When using a non-digital photograph, scan it and print. Photo transfers produce a mirror image, so flip the picture in image-processing software before printing in the event that you do not need mirroring.

Paint the surface of a block of bare wood with a thick coat of gel medium using a sponge brush.

Press the picture against the timber face-down for the transfer technique. Smooth the picture from the middle outward with your fingertips.

Burnish the picture to get rid of any air bubbles and wrinkles. If you do not have a burnishing roller, rub on the photograph in tiny circles from the center outward with the back of a metal spoon.

Allow the wood block to dry overnight.

Wet the dried paper with a generous quantity of water onto a sponge.

Rub the moist paper off with your fingertips to reveal the picture. Gently scrub any remaining deposits with the sponge.

Permit the block to dry.

Paint a thick layer of Mod Podge over the surface picture with a tidy foam brush. Permit the Mod Podge to dry, paint on another layer and then allow that layer to dry.

Regular Decoupaging

Paint the surface of a block of bare wood with a thick coat of Mod Podge using a sponge brush.

Set the picture right-side up on the timber. Smooth the picture from the middle outward with your fingertips.

Burnish the picture to get rid of any air bubbles and wrinkles. Allow to dry.

Cover with two more layers of Mod Podge, allowing each layer to dry before painting on the next.

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How do I Restore the Complete on Leather Furniture?

You can clean, soften and restore the finish of the leather furniture, as long as it is quality leather. Even if your leather furniture looks cracked and has dropped its color in some places, you usually can give it new life.

First Steps — Cleaning

Thoroughly clean out the leather’s surface. Use a vacuum with a hose attachment and crevice tool to remove any crumbs or dirt in the crevices in the furniture. Follow by wiping the surface of the leather furniture with a soft lint-free or microfiber cloth to remove dust and loose debris. Produce a mixture of equal parts of white vinegar, a couple squirts of light soap and warm water to clean and disinfect the surface. After cleaning, rinse with warm water to remove excess cleaner. Wipe dry with lint-free cloth.

Leather Prep

Apply a leather prep product to the surface of the leather using a lint-free cloth or abrasive pad, depending on the status of the leather. Don’t use an abrasive pad on leather that’s already badly damaged and cracked as you can make the problem worse. This measure removes any deposits left from a producer’s finish, silicone, waxes and coatings or conditioners. When you begin to observe a transfer of shade from the leather to the lint-free fabric, then you’re ready to proceed to the next portion of the process after allowing the item to dry and disappear for at least 30 minutes.

Leather Binder

Apply a leather binder to the furniture’s surface, as seams, sides and edges of cushions using a foam sponge. Add between three to five coats for leather binder, allowing each coat to thoroughly dry before applying the next coat. Wipe up any extra binder on stitching or cording on cushions using the sponge. After the binder has dried, you may need to employ a unique conditioner with an artist’s palette knife to badly cracked areas; let it dry for 30 minutes; and sand with 1,200-grit sandpaper. Wipe away any residue, and recoat with binder as needed.

Colorant and Finish

If you’re planning to add a colorant to recolor cracked areas, add it to a soft wax and rub it directly onto the leather. Add a thin coat to creases, crevices or some other badly cracked areas in which the color has remove the leather; work the colorant lightly into the grain of the leather, wiping any surplus using the sponge. Dry and treat the colorant using a hand-held hair dryer. After the colorant is dry, then apply multiple thin coats of the final finish to seal in the colorant and protect the leather.

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