Category: Furnishings

How to Use Resin to get a Decorative Countertop

How to Use Resin to get a Decorative Countertop

Resin countertops, which might be epoxy, polyester or acrylic, have long been used in laboratory settings, as the non-porous nature of the material resists bacteria and stains. The parts of resins are fluid before they’re mixed. After mixing, they harden into a durable, strong material. Colored resins can produce a countertop which rivals materials such as polished soapstone, but you can gently tint the leaf for translucent color, or omit color to get a transparent appearance.

Prepare the Substrate

Resin needs a strong, flat substrate or foundation. Plywood, butcher block and medium-density fiberboard are acceptable. The substrate ought to be cut to fit the top of the cupboards with appropriate openings to the sink and other items such as a drop-in stovetop. Resin countertop substrates are attached to the cupboards from the underside with silicone adhesive or screws. Inserting screws down through the top of the substrate can cause a dip in the finished leaf at every screw. If the countertop demands more than one sheet of substrate, that is common in very long counters, seal the seams using two-part epoxy adhesive. You’ll need a temporary lip around the perimeter of the countertop and every opening to contain the fluid resin until it hardens. Strips of metal flashing tacked around the edges make a smooth lip, and its flexibility bends around curves.

Mix and Seal

Prior to pouring the bulk of the countertop, you should seal the substrate with a thin layer of leaf. Resin is made up of at least 2 components mixed together in a plastic container and used quickly. For clear resin that reveals the underlying material, you do not need a color additive in the sealer. This is common once the substrate has wood grain that you would like to show, such as with butcher block. A small quantity of resin goes on the substrate using a paint roller first. When you desire a solid or transparent color countertop, this is the opportunity to incorporate a leaf color additive. Bubbles may appear after rolling, but you may break them with a needle or toothpick. Some manufacturers recommend two applications of leaf for a sealer.

Artistic Touches

One of the benefits of a leaf countertop is the possibility for customization. You can seal just about any object beneath clear or lightly tinted resin and it will show through without being exposed to kitchen moisture. A countertop covered in jewels, such as pennies or nickels, adds a metallic beam without the typical care needed to maintain the metals. It is possible to seal in photographs, seashells, marbles, notes, tumbled sea glass or dried flowers and herbs. Fresh plant life is an exception, as the moisture content might interfere with the resin’s curing process. Photocopies and ink-jet printed items may run when leaf is pumped, so they are also a poor option. When the objects are lightweight, such as photographs, glue them to the sealed substrate using water-based adhesive and let the glue dry before proceeding.

Mix and Pour

Mixing resin to pour is just like mixing it to seal, except that you need more leaf. Even though you can pour the whole countertop at once, some manufacturers recommend pouring in layers, allowing each layer cure before adding another. Additional layers bonding seamlessly with all the underlying ones. Resin can set quickly. If the countertop is very large, you’ll need a helper to pour one place as you pour a second. Bubbles might form while pouring or soon after. If there aren’t any embedded objects, a propane torch passed gently across the leaf breaks the bubbles. If there are objects that the torch can damage, use a toothpick to break bubbles. After every layer sets, pour the next layer and then build until the depth that you prefer.

Cure and Complete

Curing time for leaf varies and may take up to a week. Anything put on the countertop before the resin cures can introduce permanent dents. Similarly, wait to install drop-in items such as the sink. You may safely get rid of the metal flashing lip before the leaf has completely cured as long as it feels company. If there are any drip marks on the edges, shave them away using the blade of a utility knife. Rough countertop edges are smoothed by sanding lightly with fine-grit sandpaper. Car wax, which has light synthetic ingredients, and a handheld, orbital polisher, such as a car-detailing polisher, buffs the sanded edges to a shine. You might also cover the edges with wood trim molding.

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Without Streaking It how To Clean Laminate Flooring

Without Streaking It how To Clean Laminate Flooring

Streaks are not only left by cleaning laminate flooring that are improperly but may void the flooring warranty. Laminated floors have a sealer or protective coating that is prone to streaking. Everything you do once you wash your floor may be as vital as the washing process itself to banish smears and water spots.

Dry Clean

Never use abrasive cleaners, polishes or waxes on flooring. These can leave streaks or cause damage. Use a merchandise that is laminate-floor-cleaning or wipe the flooring with a thoroughly wrung-out cloth. Refer to the manufacturer’s care-and-cleaning guide to get cleaning product recommendations specific for your flooring kind in case you have it. Vacuum or sweep the flooring until you wash dirt to be reduced by it and also to attain better cleaning results. Before your floor air dries, wipe it dry with a soft, dry, long-handled mop. This step often is skipped and flooring left to air-dry results in streaks or mop that is observable trails.

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Acoustic Ceiling Tile Cleaning Products

Acoustic Ceiling Tile Cleaning Products

Ceilings are a particular type of ceiling used to soften noise in building or a house. Made from a variety of substances, including PVC and fiberboard , acoustic ceilings fell into a grid of metal strips that are hung in the ceiling of the room and are usually sold as tiles.

Getting Ready

Because you’ll be under the ceiling, a possibility exists that particles or dust in the ceiling might become airborne. Wear safety goggles and a mask and gloves. Put dropcloths under the ceiling over any surfaces to secure your furniture and flooring.

Cleaning the Tiles

Dust can gather from the space behind the tiles of an acoustic ceiling, which, combined with the tiles’ texture, can eventually become flaky and fall off. Use your vacuum cleaner attachments to swipe the surfaces to remove particles, dust or cobwebs. You may use a soft brush to clean out the tiles and eliminate particles. For stains or to eliminate movie and smoke, use a chemical sponge that is dry. For places with signs or stains of mildew, spray a combination of 1/2-gallon water and 1/2-tablespoon bleach. Don’t over-saturate the area. Let the bleach mix dry on spray and the ceiling before the discoloration has disappeared necessary.

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The way to eliminate Black Mold Stains From Oak Flooring

The way to eliminate Black Mold Stains From Oak Flooring

Mold grows where moisture is present; a black discoloration on your oak flooring may signal both mold and humidity. The moisture generally comes from over, seeping through the finish and soaking into the wood, but it can also come from under, in the event the subfloor is wet. You can eliminate the mold and get rid of some of the discoloration utilizing timber cleansers, but you may need to stain and refinish the ground — or portion of it.

Surface Staining Vs. Wood Discoloration

There is a difference between black discoloration that has settled on the surface of your oak flooring and also at a discoloration of the timber itself. You can attribute the issue to moisture in the cases, but at the first case, remediation is quite straightforward and doesn’t involve sanding or refinishing. After the wood itself is black, the discoloration could be brought on by mold, or it may result from tannins from the wood responding with minerals from the water. For both situations, the remedy involves stripping the finish and bleaching the timber or replacing the affected boards with new ones.

Killing Surface Mold

Mold grows only in the presence of moisture, so first you have to dry out the ground. Jogging room heaters and fans is one way to try it, or, if you’ve got central heating, turn the heat up and open the vents in the affected area. If mold is growing on the surface of the ground and it hasn’t penetrated the finish, it is possible to kill it by washing with a solution of chlorine bleach and water or — to be safer — a non-water-based hardwood floor cleaner. You may be able to restore the shine of the affected area with a refresher coat of finish or even an application of wax.

Treatments for Blackened Wood

From the time you notice blackening, mold has generally penetrated into the timber, which makes remediation more of a job. After drying the ground, you want to sand the finish with a hand sander so that you are able to apply wood bleach; utilize a flooring sander in the event the damage is widespread. Implement chlorine bleach to kill mold, making sure to neutralize it with a solution of 1-cup baking soda per gallon of water before rinsing and drying the timber. If black Water stains remain, treat the timber with a saturated solution of oxalic acid crystals and water; subsequently neutralize and rinse.

Staining and Refinishing

Bleaching raises the timber grain, and if you sand it down, it is ideal to do it gently, using 120-grit sandpaper, to prevent sanding off the top layer of bleached timber. It is possible to find a stain that fits most flooring colours, but if the match is not exact, it is ideal to err on the side of a lighter stain, as opposed to a darker shade. You always have the option to fine-tune by adding pigment to the finish coat. Repairs do not always mix, and at times the only method to hide a patch would be to sand and refinish the whole floor. You may be able to prevent this by scuffing the finish and covering the ground with a tinted topcoat.

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