Piano Make-over!!!

I am sorry to say that this post is beyond over due. I finished the piano last fall! Sigh. So many things going on and time just got away from me. But as they say, better late than never!

Making over a piano is beyond a doubt my favorite project so far. I confess it was a ton of work (sorry folks, this one involves sanding!), but every bead of sweat was worth it! I get compliments on it every time someone comes over. Hey, an aqua piano is a pretty good conversation starter. And my daughter has begun piano lessons on it. I love how it turned out so much!  If you are thinking about giving your current piano a face lift, I say do it! It was so worth it!

Here it is before and after:

This is a 4 part process:

Part 1: Take piano apart into several pieces. I did NOT take out all the keys, however, you can if you want to. The keys are generally numbered. I just covered and taped mine up since I was trying to avoid extra work. Take the top lid and the key lid off.  Protect the insides folks! Cover and tape every thing up good and tight. You don't want the instrumental parts to get paint or dust from all the sanding in them. Each piano style is different so it may look different when you do this to yours.

Part 2: Sand that piano down! Every nook and cranny needs to be sanded smooth so that the old finish is sanded off. It should be nice and smooth to the touch. There are so many angles and sides to a piano. Make sure to get them all.

Part 3: Paint! I used Valspar Paint and Primer in One in the color Sea Kiss. Satin Finish. You will need to paint a coat, let it dry, then lightly sand it smooth. repeat this step for several layers. This helps it adhere and become virtually chip proof. It also helps it become smooth and streak free.

Part 4: Top coat! I used my every trust worthy Polycrylic in Gloss finish. This is a very important step as it seals the paint and protects from dings, dents, and chips.

Here's what you will need:

1) A sander(I used an orbit), and sand paper of various grits. The higher the number the finer the        finish. For instance 80grit is for sanding off the old finish vs 220 for sanding each layers of paint. You can experiment to what grit works best for you.
2) Tape and paper to cover the exposed areas.
3) Paint rollers and brushes.
4) Your choice of paint color.
5) Primer if you don't use a paint and primer in one.
6) Clear top coat.
7) Additive for the paint called Floetrol. It slows paint drying time down so you can't see the strokes. Great stuff!

Are you ready? On your mark...Get set... GO!!!!

Make sure you are in a well ventilated area! Take your piano apart. Make sure to save the hardware to the side so it doesn't get lost.

Tape it all up. Make sure the majority of dust and paint will be sealed out. Be gentle around the keys.

Sand it down. Don't be afraid! This takes a bit of time, but its really not that bad. Be gentle on the front legs as for most pianos they are not actually weight baring.

Bust out those paint rollers and brushes and start painting. If you are using a separate primer, paint a good 2 layers on first. Then paint. You can add the Floetrol to the paint by following its directions. Be patient as you let each layer dry. Then sand it gently smooth. repeat until it looks as you desire.

Clear Top coat! This was by far the hardest step. I do not advise adding Floetrol as it can cloud up the clear coat finish. Polycylic is water based and dries fast. While this is a good thing, it means you can see your brush strokes if you get hasty. So small areas at a time and be patient. If you have a paint sprayer, that would be ideal, but for those of us who don't, little bits at a time. Polycrylic is very wet and runny. I actually solicited some help from my neighbor who works with wood on a regular basis. I was trying to go too big too fast. He helped save the day! So trust me, do it right and you win every time. :)

Let it dry and cure before you set anything on it. I let mine sit for two weeks before I brought it in the house.

Lastly, with polycrylic or any type of clear coat for that matter, it will get "burned" if it gets too much direct sun. This means that it will yellow. Darker colors are less noticeable obviously, but if you go lighter, keep it mind.

I really hope I'm not forgetting anything...

This project took me a few weeks. I'd go out and work on it step by step. Bit by bit. In the end, the time I put in returned the favor by sitting in my living area looking cutesy!

My next project is to paint the wall behind the piano and do a new picture gallery. Where one project ends another begins!

If you have any questions, send em my way! I'd love to hear from you on your piano make-overs.

Happy Pinning!

DIY Entertainment Console(from a dresser!)

Next to Pinterest and blog stalking, I LOVE Craigslist! I think I have mentioned before that we just moved. I sold several pieces of furniture on there and one of them was our entertainment center. Made a little money off the stuff we didn't need(or want to lift. ha!)! No, really, Cha Ching!

For a while now, I have had a plan to find a dresser and fix it up real cute to go in the living room and hold all our DVD's and Wii games. Moving was the perfect excuse! As soon as we moved, I went on the hunt. I found myself an awesome deal(where else? Craigslist!) and now have another great piece of furniture. Without further ado... my new entertainment console!

The original Pin that was my color scheme inspiration! Love the dark with lighter, high-end look. I also love the argyle detail, but my dresser wasn't really the right shape. Sigh*

http://diycozyhome.com/diy-desk-makeover-instructions/

I think Craigslist is a great place to find all sorts of goods! Kinda like one big awesome garage sale from the comfort of your couch. There's that saying, "one man's garbage is another man's treasure." Its not that its actual garbage, but like this dresser, it is no longer serving its purpose. It was originally used in a little girls room with matching mirror and headboard, but alas she grew. The dresser caught my attention when I saw it. Its got this ridge of detail under the top drawers and I just new that a coat of new paint and some distressing could make it sing a new tune! I almost painted it yellow or mint, but I saw the color of the desk on Pinterest and LOVED it! I almost bought a similar dresser at an antiques store, but it was twice the price, and I thought, "I could do that myself." So I did of course. :)

Here's what to do!

Supplies:
1) Primer! If you want your piece to last and not have to sand, use a primer. I used Bullseye 123 from Walmart. Its approx $8 for a quart. Shouldn't need more than that for two coats on a project this size.
2) Your choice of paint. I used Better Homes and Garden's colors Mink Brown for the top and drawer knobs, and Early Blossom for the body, both in Semi Gloss. I however, used Colorplace paint because its cheaper. I only purchased a quart of each($10ea) and had plenty left over.
3) I used a roller and brush to coat all the pieces.(already had these!)
4) Sandpaper or block if you want to distress.
5) Top coat if you desire extra protection. Minwax Polycrylic is my favorite. It is water based and is the only one I know of that dries crystal clear. About $8-10 a quart.

How to:
1) Take all the knobs and pulls off and take the drawers out.

2) Wipe down all the surfaces and let them dry so the primer will adhere.
3) Coat the entire dresser top, sides, and drawer fronts with the primer. Let dry sufficiently in between coats. I did two.

4) When the primer is dry, paint desired color. Again, I used two different colors, so I did the darker top first and the areas I wanted to distress. It looked a bit messy at this point with dark brown paint smudged all over edges and areas. When that was dry, I painted the lighter body and over those brown areas(they show up later!). I did 3 coats of each. (I forgot to stop and photograph this step!)
5) Paint drawer knobs and allow them to dry. Don't attach til everything is dry! Or you can upgrade to new knobs from your local hardware store for some extra fun!

6) When all the pieces have dried, sand desired area for a distressed look. This is where I lightly sanded away the whiter color to reveal the darker color I had painted underneath in areas on the drawers, edges, and that detail below the top drawers. (Hopefully I explained this well!)

7)  Wipe clean any paint dust.
8)  Top coat if desired!
9)  Re-attach all the hardware.

Total cost of this project: $35 for the dresser, $20 for the paint, and $8 for the primer= just under $70! Can't beat that even at Walmart. Ha!

There is something about a furniture make-over that is so fun to do!  Don't be afraid... Do it!

Happy Pinning!