How To Turn White Paint Off-White

14:22 , , , , , , 0 Comments


There is no doubt that white paint speaks more than being a neutral color. No matter where you paint it, it gives off a dazzling and brilliant appeal not to mention that it creates a lot of drama. However, if instances tell you that the white paint appears too bright for you, you can tone it down a bit or even a lot. This will result in giving you an off-white color, which lessens the brilliance but increases the drama of the real color.
The good news for you is that even if you have already purchased a can of white paint, it is not too late yet to give it an off-white color. There are a lot of ways on how you can effectively tone it down to your desired shade. Here, check out these steps in turning your white paint into an off-white one:
  • Prepare dark stains. Turning a white paint into an off-white one is as simple as adding some dark stains into it. Therefore, decide on what kind of stain you wish to add on your white paint. The easiest and most convenient to use is a brown paint. The type and kind of brown paint to use does not matter here. In fact, even your daughter's finger paints can do the trick here. Same is true for your old dark stains in your garage.
  • Consider old fashioned ways. An off-white finish can also be achieved using traditional ways such as adding coffee or tea. To prepare coffee, brew around five tablespoons into one-fourth cup water. Before it can be used, let this coffee solution set for around three hours. On the other hand, to prepare tea, you simply place a teabag in hot water for several minutes.
  • Add the dark stain. Pour in a few drops of your prepared brown paint, coffee, or tea into the can of white paint. In cases of tea, squeeze the teabag into the can to let go of a few drops.
  • Stir the paint. Once your preferred dark stain is poured in, stir the paint carefully and efficiently. Make sure that the dark stain blends well enough with the white paint.
  • Repeat the process. If you are not satisfied with the color after the first try, repeat Steps 3 and 4. Repeat these steps as many times as you wish to achieve your preferred off-white finish. If you are using tea, make sure to place the teabag into hot water in between squeezing it into the can of white paint.
With this, you are now ready to paint whatever your project is with an off-white color. It is good to know that it requires no magic to tone down the shade of a bright white paint. Doing this is as simple as adding a darker stain into the paint little by little to transform it into an off-white shade that you wish to have. Hence, anyone can do wonders for their white paint, even you who have no experience in mixing paints before.

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How To Use a Paint Spray Machine

14:20 , , , , , , , 0 Comments


Applying new paint for your walls or roof? Use a paint spray machine. You can easily cover more mileage than using a paintbrush. Aside from that, you can add art into your design with the use of spray. But before you start spraying, do not forget to cover your furniture with plastic if you are spraying inside. You may use masking tape and newspapers for the windows and chandeliers too. If you are painting outside, better cover your car and your fence including your neighbor’s car or anything that may be close to your target area. Most of all cover yourself. As much as possible, cover your exposed skin. Better yet, wear a suit that covers the whole body that is specially made for spray painting. And protect yourself from the fumes and the bits of paint, not just with a thin, cloth gas mask, but also with a respirator. It is bad enough to inhale fumes of fresh paint, and inhaling paint itself is even worse. As you spray, make single or thin coats only. It is better to thicken the coat than to try fixing drips and runs of paint along the wall or fence.
To achieve the output you really want for your wall, fence or roof, be sure to know how to use a paint spray machine. Here are the instructions on how to use one:
  • Know the knobs and buttons and the purpose of each. Familiarize yourself with the on and off button, the spray and priming button and the pressure adjustment knob. Once you know which does what, you may start using the paint spray machine.
  • Fill a bucket with paint. Then place the spray machine’s tip inside the bucket.
  • Get your priming hose out of the bucket of paint. Point it towards the floor or ground. Remember not to point the hose towards anybody. Hit the power on button and set your button to prime.
  • Slowly increase the pressure by turning down the knob. You will see water and paint coming out of the priming hose. Wait until only pure paint comes out thoroughly, and then you are good to go.
  • Switch the button to spray. Turn down the pressure knob just to make sure you have enough spray for the spray gun.
  • To use the spray gun, squeeze the handle. Make sure you are not pointing the gun at anybody.
  • In case the spray gun gets clogged, twist the spray tip one hundred eighty degrees. Squeeze the handle. This will unclog the gun. Then twist back the spray gun’s tip one hundred eighty degrees and squeeze the handle so you can continue spraying.
Do not point the gun at anybody’s face or skin. Treat it as a real gun, dangerous. When the spray gun is triggered, the paint travels at a very high speed that can puncture your skin and enter your blood stream that is bad for your organs. If this happens, proceed to the nearest hospital as soon as possible to get professional treatment.

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How To Use Accent Lighting in a Stairwell

14:18 , , , , , , 0 Comments


If you own a house which contains a stairwell, then you are likely well-aware of the fact that a barely lit stairwell at night is a recipe for disaster. All manners of accidents can happen if you aren’t careful, and the problem becomes even more obvious when you have children in the house. This is because staircases are not supposed to be used if you cannot see where you are going. It may not be that big a problem if you know the steps by heart, but anything can happen and as was stated above, if you have children living in the house with you, then a barely lit stairwell (or even worse, an unlit stairwell) should be remedied as soon as possible.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to fix this problem, and if you are interested in doing so, continue reading as this article provides these ways via a simple series of steps. You can take the advice of these steps and follow them if you wish to use accent lighting in a stairwell, because an unlit stairwell is dangerous, even for adults who have lived in a home with the unlit staircase all their lives. So if you wish to find out some of the many ways to use accent lighting on a stairwell in order to prevent accidental injury, you will find it right below:
  • A permanent light fixture is one of the best ways of dealing with a barely lit stairwell. You can do this by setting up a mounted chandelier lamp, preferably right on top of the stairwell so that it is able to light it up completely. However, this can be a little jarring if the lamp is too strong as staircases are normally narrow, so if you are going to set up a permanent light fixture, then it is best if you use a soft light—just enough to light the way at night. Also, you may need to be wise in choosing the style of your lamp, as these kinds of lights are obvious, meaning it needs to blend in with the overall design of the house.
  • You can also mount some sconces along the stairway. To those with an eye for creativity and design, these sconces can be fun to design and install. Aside from making the stairs completely safe (normally, three or so sconces should do), it will also make the stairway more attractive—that is, if you choose the right kind of design. It will not be too difficult however, as it does not take much to decorate the stairs (a general rule would be not too decorative, but not too bland).
  • You could also try Touch lights, which have their own sets of pros and cons. Normally Touch lights are battery operated, so even if it can be fun to use at night (your children will certainly enjoy it), it isn’t recommended to leave this type of light on for extended periods. Otherwise, you will waste a lot of time and effort constantly switching batteries.

Although there are still other ways you can use accent lighting on a stairwell, the steps above are the best ways.

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