Monthly Archives: July 2013

A Doorknob Hat Rack

Baseball caps are cool these days, and many have colorful logos that would be fun to display. That prompted me to find a new use for some old doorknobs, making a unique hat rack — or one you could also use for your cooking aprons! Take a quick look, and see how easy it is to make ….
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Stripping an Old Finish

As messy as it is, sometimes stripping off an old, unwanted finish is unavoidable, especially if we want to appreciate the beauty of the grain hidden beneath a layer of paint or dark tinted varnish. When I found this Arts and Crafts style armchair, it had a heavy coat of a 1960s “antiquing kit” all over it. If you would like to see how I tackled this stripping job, just read on.
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Working With Veneer

A reader at the Minwax® Facebook page recently asked for advice after she sanded completely through the veneer on the top of a buffet, leaving an unsightly bare spot. While I had no easy solution for her, I thought it would help if I explained what veneer is and at least how you can best work with it. If that sounds helpful, you can read more about it here.
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Preserving Our Cedar Porch Swing

Two years ago I built this pergola from rough-sawn cedar, and hung a new cedar porch swing so that we could relax and enjoy the view. But two years of sunshine and rain have begun to rob the wood of its natural oils, so today I decided it was time to take some preventative action. If you’d like to see how you can add several years of life to your outdoor furniture, just follow along.


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