Piano face lift : Part I

My Grandmother left my cousin Rachel her old piano after she passed. This piece has definitely seen a lot in its days. Children growing up right around it; then grandchildren. It has scars, stories, and a life of its own that it has lived. I was enlisted in giving this piece a face lift since it has seen its better days as far as the looks department goes. I was chosen since as they say, I'm the "crafty" one in the family and seem to get the most joy out of these sorts of projects.

So, I have decided to share my process and journey with you as I go along. This will be a project that will last me awhile indeed. Hopefully I can truly bring a new life to this for my cousin.

To begin, you will need to gather your supplies. I purchased all of these at Lowes or you can use your local hardware store you like best.

• Stripper.
• I like Citristrip since it's not as harsh and low VOCs which means less fumes.
• Mineral Spirits.
• Chemical resistant gloves.
• Flat scraper.
• Stripping pads.
• Drop Cloth if you don't want a mess all over your floor.
• Trust me, there will be a huge mess.
• Eye wear.
• You could possibly splash or fling the products or the stain/paint your stripping into your eye.
• Natural bristle brush.
• Metal pan to pour your stripper into, or whatever your instructions tell you to use.
• Mask if using a stripping agent with high VOCs.

Fun Take on a Picture Frame

I actually did these frames as a birthday present for a friend. You could get creative on what you use for the frame...a block of wood, old cabinet door, etc. I actually have a lot of old wood samples from a furniture company from my work that I used.

What you'll need:
Whatever you are going to use for the main part of the frame
(Cabinet door, block of wood, be creative)
Picture
Accessories to add on
(Metal pieces, appliques, etc.)
Glue

So on these wood samples, one had a lot of texture and the other a lot of wax which makes it kind of hard to glue anything on. I had to use a paint stripper to remove the finish from the raised panel in the center.

(If you are going to do this step have a clean surface that nothing can possibly be ruined if it drips our spills.)

Wear thick rubber gloves, if the stripper gets on your skin it will burn extremely bad. Pour the stripper into something you don't care about: an old bowl our cup. I  used an old coffee pot I bought at the thrift store for a dollar for this very purpose. Use a paint brush and brush on the stripper. Let sit for about 30 mins. Use a paint scraper to scrape off the paint or finish. It may take a few applications to remove everything. Feel free to leave some for a rustic, antique look. When done clean with a damp cloth and let dry completely. I would use an old rag just in case it ruins it.

(Sorry I didn't get a picture of this)

Old Hardware Gets a New Life

These are some antique pulls I have off 

 an old antique dresser and lingerie cabinet that belonged to my Great Grandmother. I have been working a long time fixing it up and refinishing everything. These pulls are off the main dresser. The one on the right is one in its original state and the one to the left is after I removed the paint. I used a Paint Stripper to take off the paint. When using this, be sure to wear thick rubber gloves. The chemicals can absorb into your skin and make you very sick.

  

Here is a better picture for you. After I removed the paint I cleaned off the pulls with toothpaste. This is an easy and inexpensive way to clean hardware and jewelry both since you already have it in your home. I used an old toothbrush that I keep around since it gets into these little grooves great. This got off a lot of the grime but still doesn't get them really shiny since they have been badly neglected for years. Most items, this will shine them right up. Also, you can use white vinegar but I prefer the toothpaste myself.

 To get the pulls to really shine up, use a product called Brasso. This is made to clean brass and remove tarnish. Now these pulls aren't solid brass, they are actually a die cast metal with brass plating so always be aware of what you are working with and test any chemicals on the back of your object to make sure that there isn't any kind of chemical reaction. To use the Brasso you will put the product onto your object and buff out with a rag. I recommend using an old one because the dirt that is removed while buffing out can ruin your rag.  Now you can leave them like this if you'd like, just their original state.

 Now I went further since I am not a brass fan. Here I painted the pull with a Turquoise acrylic paint. I prefer Folk Art but you choose your poison and which ever color suits your mood. Make sure to cover the pull well but don't let the paint glob up in your details because that's how you get how these originally looked. Also, Make sure to paint the backs where the pull will stick off your cabinet or furniture piece. Let dry. Acrylic dries fast so you won't have to wait long. You can use other types of paint as well but your drying time will be longer.


I then used Rub'nBuff Wax Metallic finish in Silver Leaf (this product comes in several finishes). You can find this in some craft stores, I just order mine off of Amazon.com. It is inexpensive and shows up at your door in a few days time. Now when using this, you only need a tiny tab on your finger tip and then just gently rub across the pull. If you apply too much at a time you will lose the effect of the color coming through. You can completely cover the item with the rub in buff to give a metallic finish. The product dries practically instantly, then just buff it a little to give more of a sheen. Now to remove product from your hands, you can usually just use warm soap and water but if you need something a little stronger use mineral spirits.

Now you can also try using the Rub'nBuff straight onto the item without the paint. This lets the gold/brass color peek through behind the the silver. Another really great option if you want something that's a little more subtle then a bright pop of color. This also looks really great on the furniture.