DIY and Home Repair

[fatbastard]

what. the. fuck.

where do you live again?

You need to come visit the Whole Foods in Pasadena.

In addition to the things mentioned above: fresh juice bar, smoothie bar, BBQ section (they have their own smoker inside the store), "green" clothes for men and women, sushi rollers, and a brunch on Sundays.

I've left very lit from that tapas bar.

[I.F.A.]

This is adorable. I have always wanted to refinish a chair. How difficult is it?

It was super easy, and I think it only took me about an hour and a half to do all 4 - you just unscrew the seat from the base, paint the base, then staple the fabric over the seat. The only tricky part is doing the corners on the seats, which requires gathering the fabric as you staple it.

[BROKENDOLL]

Bump. I just painted my dresser and I am extremely fucking pleased with myself.

What are you doing.

Hannah, that dresser is awesome! I love taking something that most would consider trashable, and giving it a 2nd life.

And as far as home repairs go, I tackled one about 6 months ago that may not be perfect,but it's far better than waiting on the landlord's schedule. I would see a good sized puddle on the bath floor after anyone took a shower and just assumed the curtain wasn't getting closed all the way. Then I started noticing that the tub bottom felt flexible underneath the bathmat. When I went to check it out, it all added up...there was about a 6 inch crack in the center of the tub! This also explained why there was a constant bog of water along the side of our condo for over 3 months. (I thought the gardeners had hit a sprinkler.) Anyway, the tub was made of fiberglass and being your typical one piece unit would mean having the ladnlord replace the whole thing...unless of course it got repaired. (Drumroll, please.) I did call him and could tell by his enthusiasm that this wasn't gonna happen immediately, so I offered to patch the tub and fiberglass it myself. (If we move, he'd have to replace it anyway, right?) So, off I went to Home Depot for supplies. (Keep in mind that I've never worked with fiberglass and all the resin and shit.)

While the crack was 6 inches, I could see where it planned to continue, so I fiberglassed a larger section as a precaution. Word to the unknowing: Wear a mask of something and definitely wear gloves! I was higher than a kite from the fumes and the fiberglass mixed with resin sets fast and all the little fibers get fucking everywhere! Anyway, my patch job worked and I was able to sand it fairly smooth, but the color difference was so obvious. I could only think of one thing...paint over it.

Now, like Hannah, I just had paint laying around, but I knew it had to be resilient and able to withstand water. I just so happen to have marine paint handy, but it was a royal blue color. Hell, why not? Water is blue, pools are blue, may as well make the bath blue! Okay, maybe not royal blue...that was a little dark, and I only had enough for 2 coats. Back to home depot to get the only marine paint they had...in white. Mixed with what I had and applied with a sponge for a textured look and this is what we got...

Like I said, it's not perfect, but 6 months later it's still as strong as ever. The landlord was actually impressed that I did this, and since he had just replaced the AC unit, I'm sure he didn't mind reimbursing me for the supplies as opposed too remodeling the whole bathroom. Now I'm more concerned than anything as to what might be growing underneath this condo because black mold is a huge problem in situations like this, and that tub must have begun it's outdoor irrigating at least 3 months prior to my repair.

I'm refinancing my mortgage.

If anyone has any brilliant secrets on how to get a sliding glass door to keep from sticking, I'd love to hear it. I cleaned out the track real well, used real grease cutting stuff, and then used a dry film lubricant, but it's really not working very well. I am tempted to go back to 3 in 1 oil even though everything I read tells me not to because it attracts and traps dirt which causes the sticking to begin with.

No, don't use oil because that will just draw more dirt and dust to the track. Either use candle wax by rubbing a candle along the track, or maybe get a hold of the same wax that surfers use on their boards. I'd also say that if you can get the glass door off, you could maybe spray some lubricant on the the actual door track itself because once it's back on track, that part becomes hidden.

[Courtney]

WARNING WARNING. Am in possession of 3 cans of chalkboard spray paint. No furniture item or wall will be left unsprayed.

[donkey sex]

painting a bike for the first time ever tomorrow. It's pink. With a basket.

[Hannahrain]

WARNING WARNING. Am in possession of 3 cans of chalkboard spray paint. No furniture item or wall will be left unsprayed.

That is awesome. Are any of these yours, or are these examples? Because if that is your kitchen, I'd like to get married and live at your place.

[PlayaDelWes]

I never understood how some are able to write on a chalkboard so well. Beautiful your writing it is.

[Courtney]

Oh, those pictures above are just examples, not actually my house. I'll post a picture of my chalkboard spray paint coffee table one of these days.



In the meantime, I'm having decision inability. Please tell me which of these shower curtains is the most awesome. I'm leaning towards the octopus personally (which is the most expensive, of course).

[miscorrections]

Octopus.

[Still-ill]

Yeah the octopus was the one that jumped out at me, as well.

[Courtney]

Yeah. I like it the the octopus the most. Thanks for the feedback I'm just not sure I can justify $96 on a shower curtain. Maybe.

My apartment bathroom also has this weird towel hook with a picture of Florida that the last resident installed, and I can't figure out how to remove it without destroying the whole wall, so I just ordered some fancy decorative paper and I think I'm going to decoupage over the Florida picture part with some of that hard coat mod podge. That stuff will hold up in a bathroom with shower humidity, right? I hope?

[BROKENDOLL]

I want to know where the one with the palm trees can be found. Octopus, not so much, unless one of those 8 arms is willing to wash my back.

[Courtney]

Bev, all the images are clickable for a link to the vendor.

[BROKENDOLL]

Yeah. I like it the the octopus the most. Thanks for the feedback I'm just not sure I can justify $96 on a shower curtain. Maybe.

My apartment bathroom also has this weird towel hook with a picture of Florida that the last resident installed, and I can't figure out how to remove it without destroying the whole wall, so I just ordered some fancy decorative paper and I think I'm going to decoupage over the Florida picture part with some of that hard coat mod podge. That stuff will hold up in a bathroom with shower humidity, right? I hope?

Damn, for $96, that octopus better wash your back! Now I'm more curious about this wall hook you have than the palm tree curtain...As for the mod podge? I haven't tried it yet, but I'm pretty sure they have a variety of coatings to choose from. There's even one for clothing, so I'd guess that it would be waterproof. Sales person said the stuff works great.
BTW, I also have a quart of chalkboard paint that's waiting to be used... and I'm looking at the backside of our front door...Hmmm...

[BROKENDOLL]

Bev, all the images are clickable for a link to the vendor.

Well, would you just look at that! On sale too...$39!
Poop! That won't look good with the blue tub though...dammit.

[Courtney]

Damn, for $96, that octopus better wash your back! Now I'm more curious about this wall hook you have than the palm tree curtain...As for the mod podge? I haven't tried it yet, but I'm pretty sure they have a variety of coatings to choose from. There's even one for clothing, so I'd guess that it would be waterproof. Sales person said the stuff works great.
BTW, I also have a quart of chalkboard paint that's waiting to be used... and I'm looking at the backside of our front door...Hmmm...

Bev, here's the weirdo Florida wall hook and the papers I'm considering using to decoupage over it:












And I think a chalkboard door back would be pretty sweet. Except if when you slammed it the chalk dust went flying off everywhere. Do you think that would happen?

[miscorrections]

Nah, I think you'd be safe on the chalk dust front.

[BROKENDOLL]

Bev, here's the weirdo Florida wall hook and the papers I'm considering using to decoupage over it:












And I think a chalkboard door back would be pretty sweet. Except if when you slammed it the chalk dust went flying off everywhere. Do you think that would happen?

My, that is a different hook, isn't it? I have to wonder if it's hiding a big hole behind it...As for the paper, I think the first one would go best with the octopus.

I'm still not sure what the hell I had to have the chalkboard paint for. Knowing me, it was a novelty purchase and I probably painted one small item, if that. Hence the novelty. My theory on painting the back of our front door might actually prevent doors slamming around here... Errands wouldn't be forgotten, and if there were a need to slam the door, I'd be able to get the last word in before I walked out...LOL The frig is a cool idea too, but our kitchen is minuscule and every time I turned around my shopping list would get erased...

[BROKENDOLL]

Fuck it, I just did a generous shot of tequila and I think I'm gonna paint the back of our front door with that chalkboard paint right now! I mean no matter what, I can erase my error, right? LOL

[Courtney]

Have fun and remember to use painters tape to tape off anything you don't want sprayed! That stuff doesn't come off.

[CrimesceneCookie]

Hey, thread.
I became unemployed recently so I needed to fill my time & be active until another job comes along. I've been doing some painting in my condo. Here is this week's project, my hallway.

Before

After


Alternate view Before

Alternate view After


Took me about 3 days.
I wanted to have some fun with colors & stripes. I'm pretty happy with the results. The stripes weren't hard to do with blue painters tape and a yardstick. The trick is to paint the stripe the color that is underneath first, when you paint color on top of it your edge will be smoother.

I'm thinking about doing something similar to this in my living room in red.

[BROKENDOLL]

Well, I'm certainly glad somebody got some painting done! I, on the other hand, did not. After all that inspiration and the shot to motivate me, I got everything together, cleaned the door really well and light sanded it, only to open the can of chalkboard paint to see a chalkboard blob. SHIT!

Probably just as well, I guess, since I don't own our condo, just renting. Although, my landlord is pretty cool about things I've done so far.

Crimescene, you did an awesome paintjob! And I'm looking forward to the livingroom pics with the red strip. That is something I've wanted to do if I ever got around to having wall space...

As you can see, that's not anytime soon. The door idea isn't the first time I was inspired to personalize things...I restored this old bam,boo bar and added tile to the top. Scored the bar stools after a neighbor was gonna throw them out and painted them to match, followed by covering the cushions with fabric. And the red lamp was on it's way out until I saved it and rewired it. (I've "saved" a lot of lamps with hopes that one day I'll have more room and may need them.) All the antique photos have frames I painted and bedazzled with ribbon or lace. And the "hutch" is actually a dresser I bought from a girlfriend who was moving. More gloss black paint and I have a place for the glassware I use when I do private parties for people...or, for me? LOL Oh, and the splotchy wall paint...yeah, left home alone unattended one time for a week and thought it woulod be fun to give it a shot. Not sure about the color, but it's a wonderful way to hide little tack holes from moving pictures all the time.

[Courtney]

Woah, CrimesceneCookiel, nice. The job looks very crisp and professionally-done. I'm impressed. It reminds me of racing stripes. Would be so cute for a young boy's room in primary colors.

Also, I wonder if you could use the same technique to create vertical stripes to mimic a striped wallpaper. That would rule.

[I.F.A.]

I'm loving the stripes.

I've been working on this the last couple of weeks. It's taking for fucking ever, but I'm pleased with how it's turning out.

[Courtney]

Also, I wonder if you could use the same technique to create vertical stripes to mimic a striped wallpaper. That would rule.

...Like this:

[miscorrections]

Damn, I love all of those. Except the first one, it's kind of drab. But hot titties I can not WAIT until I have a place I can paint and do pretty things to.

[CrimesceneCookie]

Woah, CrimesceneCookiel, nice. The job looks very crisp and professionally-done. I'm impressed. It reminds me of racing stripes. Would be so cute for a young boy's room in primary colors.

Also, I wonder if you could use the same technique to create vertical stripes to mimic a striped wallpaper. That would rule.

Absolutely, I did vertical pin stripes in my bedroom a couple weeks ago using blue painters tape (you can almost see it in one of my hallway Before pictures) and it came out awesome. I might post pictures later but I still have a few more things to touch up there.

[amyzzz]

CrimesceneCookie, you are too cool.

[CrimesceneCookie]

Thanks for the compliments, all! Nice to hear after all that work.
Basically my mission is to get rid of every square inch of Off-White in my condo before the end of the year. I painted a few accent walls blue 10 years ago when I moved in, but I'm tired of it now & want changes.

The rest of my place needs lots of attention, especially lighting.
Never buy lighting from Ikea by the way, that shit will break. Anyone have any suggestions for cheap modern lighting in Los Angeles?

[Courtney]

Ooooh. CrimesceneCookie I want to see the rest of the condo! Now I really really want to paint my living room with faux vertical stripe wallpaper.

Also, I think I may need to come to terms with the fact that I have a mild obsession with black/white/gray & yellow color palettes.

I know this is not exactly exciting, but I actually really like Target for cheap lighting. They have a lot of good basics, and also a few fun things. If I was in the market for new bedside table lamps, I would totally snag two of these and switch out the shades for a different color: