Give new furniture an antique appearance
Many people love antiques, but they can be costly. If you aren’t a purist and are willing to “fake it,” here are some easy ways to make new furniture look old.
Old furniture has worn areas, around the corners and near handles. You can make them look worn by using a rasp to grind off sharp corners. Then use sandpaper to smooth the areas. It’s instant aging.
It’s not just the edges of furniture that get abused over time. The top surface is also usually heavily damaged. Use a hammer or some other heavy metal object to inflict injury on the surface.
Scratches are a sign of age, too, and things such as nails and chisels can create years’ worth of scratches in a few minutes.
An ice pick or awl can be used to make “worm holes,” a sign of old age on many real antiques.
Paint and stain can be used to create an aged appearance, too. Rubbing dark stain into cracks and crevices will make a piece of furniture look old.
If you are going to paint the furniture, rub a little petroleum jelly on some edges and corners before applying the paint. It won’t stick on these areas, and you can wipe the paint off easily once it’s dried on the rest of the surfaces.
Paint on several different colors of paint and then sand and scrape off the top layer or two to show the colors underneath.
Use black paint and a toothbrush to make tiny fly specks on the finish. Other dark stains and spots may be added in other areas to show a lot of age and wear.
These are a few ways you can create “old” furniture out of new pieces. You’ll need to come up with a great story of how you came to own the piece, too. It’s just part of the process, so have some fun with the furniture and your friends.
Q: My house is in pretty good shape, but I have been hearing a loud metallic sound I think is coming from one of my rooftop air vents. I think I have figured out which one is making the noise but don’t know what to do to stop it. — B.R.
A: Go up into the attic and watch the fan as it moves. It should be easy to see if one of the blades is hitting something or if the spindle needs to be lubricated. You may have to access it from the roof side to make repairs. Be careful, and you should be able to handle it. These rarely have any major problems and, if they do, can be replaced without a lot of expense. Mildew be gone
Summer is a great time of the year, but in many parts of the country, it also is humid. This can bring on mildew problems. Mildew is not only smelly and ugly — it can ruin walls, carpeting and just about any surface it gets on. Learn how to rid your home of this problem once and for all. We’ve put together a pamphlet called “Mildew Around Your House,” and it is full of tips to show you how to get rid of mildew and how to keep it from coming back. If you would like to take care of this problem in your home, send your request along with $1 and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to The Super Handyman at the Houston Chronicle, P.O. Box 4260, Houston, TX 77210. Allow six to eight weeks for delivery. Flipping appliance doors
Did you know most appliances with swinging doors can be switched so the door opens the opposite direction? It’s true for refrigerators and dryers, and probably a lot more as well. Most of the time it’s a matter of removing the door and hinges and transferring them to the other side of the opening. This could change your life! Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but it might make life a little easier. Just check your owner’s manual and see if you can make the switch.
Dear Carrells: I love to restore cars, and I have two I am working on right now. I use a lot of hand cleaner in the shop. It’s great at getting the grease off. I’ve discovered you can rub it into grease stains on your clothes like you would to pre-treat a stain. When you put the clothes through the wash, the stain usually will come When you cut up an onion for grilled hamburgers, save the “butt” end. Then use it to clean off your grill grate when you’ve finished all of your cooking. out. At least it works pretty well for me. — S.G.
A super hint — Sodas not only taste great, but they also can be used to remove rust and corrosion from metal objects. Scary, but true.
Dear Al: Our old closet rod was made of wood. It’s hard to believe it would sag, but if you saw the amount of clothes we store on it, it’s easy to understand. We decided to replace it with a metal rod. We went to the hardware store and chose a length of iron rod and had it cut to fit. I don’t think that will sag. If it does, we might need to have a garage sale. — H.P.
Q: I don’t think we have much insulation in the wall between the garage and the house. I would like to add more. What type of insulation will be the easiest to add? — B.G.
A: If the wall is exposed studs, perhaps you can install batt insulation. Another option or addition to the batts would be rigid foam panels. If the wall is finished, see if you can cut holes between the studs and add loose fill or blown-in insulation. You might check around for a contractor and see if foam insulation could be added to the wall.
We’ve seen some DIY foam applications that are worth checking out. Good luck, and that’s a smart idea for saving money and being more comfortable.
A Super HandyMom tip — I have found a super-easy way to remove ink stains from a variety of surfaces. Rubbing alcohol — or any kind of alcohol, for that matter — will work. It works on ink pens, markers, price stamps and other ink stains and marks. Flexible sawhorses Some projects can’t be done without a good sawhorse, or a set of them. You can buy them, or make your own. Some hardware stores sell kits that, combined with your own lumber, make it easy to construct. But one of the best plans we’ve run across was designed with hinges. The hinges will allow the sawhorse to be folded flat for easier storage. Add some rope or chain between the legs to keep them under control. It also will allow you to adjust the height somewhat. You’ll like these, and you’ll want to hang on to them for a long time.
Dear Carrells: We have a couple of vacuum cleaners we use on a regular basis. The one my wife uses the most is the upright, which is primarily used on the carpeted parts of our home. It has a rotating beater bar that gets clogged easily with thread and other long fibers.
It’s my job to keep it working. I have found the easiest way to get these strings off the bar is to use a razored letter opener. It cuts right through this stuff and makes it easy to pull off. — J.W.