Workshop Series: Paint Booth Tips

Welcome to 2013! I focused more on growing my business in 2012 rather than growing my blog. I think the decision was better financially but I do miss sharing my work with all the blog world.

About three years ago I started a blog series called "Keeping UP on your Workshop". It was intended to help out other small "garage shop" girls like me who paint furniture. Today I am sharing some candid photos of my really dirty workshop and my paint clothes.

These are my very sexy paint clothes. I wear hospital scrubs. I have about 10 pairs that look like this or worse.

So you want to be a shabby painter? Even with two space heaters on during the winter it is freezing in my workshop. The cement floor is freezing. If you sit on it too long your butt turns to ice. Especially if your sitting for hours sanding or painting. In the summer I use a window unit to air condition my garage. On a typical workday my workshop is super dirty. It requires a lot of cleaning.

Here is my paint booth.

Prepping area

My paint booth is half of a two car garage. Really I need about 1000 square feet for spraying but for now this is all I have. I have to change the heavy plastic about once a month. If I don't want paint flakes everywhere. It takes about an hour to change out all the plastic walls and floor. I have some nice large spot lights for the winter so I can see what I am painting. In the summer my garage doors stay open 24 hours a day unless its raining to keep good ventilation and natural light. The booth is made out of galvanized fencing posts. The cost of the poles were about $200 and included my husbands free labor to cut and assemble them. It took us one afternoon to complete this project. It can be taken down very easily but I keep mine together because I use it daily.

Paint Booth Safety:

If you want a paint booth do your research. There are many ways to build a booth a paint booth. In order for the booth to be safe you'll need proper ventilation and a nice professional respirator. I have both. They sell nice respirators for around $30 at most department stores. I use one designed for water based paints. For the longest time I had a drop cloth hung against the garage doors and I would spray furniture that way. Everything in my garage (tools, my stroller/bikes...) were covered in paint dust. Now that I have a booth about 90% of   and over spray is contained. After I am done spraying I sneak out the booth and close the plastic flaps with clamps. This insure proper drying times. Once furniture is fully cured I move it out to my enclosed box trailer for storage until it is ready for pickup.

Tips & Tools you Need:

*eye protection
*bandanna for hair
*shop vac
*broom and dust pan
*heavy plastic or drop cloths
*moving blankets
*tack cloth
*dusting rags
*floor heaters
*large spot lights
*professional respirator (NOT a small dust mask)
*proper ventilation (do your research on how to ventilate)
*paint sprayer (HVLP sprayers have the lowest over spray and control)
*additional electrical panel so you dont' blow fuses in your house.

I hope these tips help those of you pondering over a paint booth.

Liz,

The Midwest Cottage

Euopean French Buffet by The Midwest Cottage

This week I am sharing with you a beautiful buffet I completed about two weeks ago. Things are hectic in my neck of the woods. We recently refinished our hardwood floors. OMG. That was an undertaking. But they turned out beautifully. (post of that coming soon) Now if only I could finish painting my all my trim and interior doors my house would look normal again.

 

My furniture business is back in full swing with new pieces each week and a nice rush of custom orders. I don't think I will be taking next summer off. I am still working just "part time" but I really need to re-evaluate my business plan. I am so grateful to all of those blog followers and Facebook fans who support me each week. I love my job. I love to paint. I love furniture. I love being an antique dealer!

 

 

On this buffet I used my special technique that I've been doing for a few years now. I have so many people request this finish for custom orders. It's my specialty. I have it stored in my dining room  becuase I love it so much. No offers on her yet. But I am not worried because someone is going to appreciate the labor of love she was.

 

 

 

Thanks for visiting my blog. The Midwest Cottage is also on Facebook and online TheMidwestCottage.com

 

 

Liz

Shabby China Hutch

I am so glad to be back to work. Here is what I completed this week.

 

White China Cabinet with pearly blue hardware

 

 

Liz

 

The Midwest Cottage

Shabby French Dining Set

Hello Blog Friends. I have a great project to share tonight.

Now that I have your attention.

I will start with a little paragraph of wisdom I came across the other day. It spoke to me like a thousand words.

It has nothing to do with this furniture but I just feel like I have been running into a lot of people who are scared of people who are different from them. What gives? Since I was a little girl I've had friends in every category. I hung out with the Weirdos one week, the nerds another and the burn-outs way to often. I dated the skaters, the preppies and the jocks. My favorite crowd were the hippie's. I even liked the "churchy" folks..no offense. But they were all my friends. As a mother I am a little more protective about who hang out with but overall I would say that to this date I still have pals in every walk of life. I think you should too. It makes you well rounded human being.

Now back to furniture:



 

 

I hope you enjoyed my furniture post and my advice on life. LOL.

 

 

 

Liz,

 

The Midwest Cottage

 

 

Linking up to:

 

 

John Deere Tractor Party



John Deere Tractor Cake



B-day boy

 

 

We had a tractor hay ride

Centerpiece

Checking the tires

B-day banner and Tractor Cookies

 

Thanks for stopping by. I'm tired tonight. I may add more party pictures later. I'm working on a china cabinet, dining table and chairs, buffet table and 1800 square feet of trim and doors. Do you think I have paint in my hair? Yes, yes, I do.

 

Liz,

 

The Midwest Cottage

I'm back and ready to stand out! pink

I've been gone for a few months. But I am back and starting fresh. Life is so good and I am a very blessed person. I keep learning new things about myself and the world around me. I have learned that your perception can have such a impact on your attitude and daily life-it's a crazy thing. It changes people, it changes situations. But perception is dangerous. Perceptions are blind to facts and truth. So as I lead into my next year of life I will be sure to step back and look closer and evaluate my perception.

A Poem:

Perception

by Faye Jones

There is many a time You seem to read my mind. But in the end You can't know what I intend. Your view of my actions Are clouded by your past attachments. Your memory guides your comprehension. If only you could change the definitions. Erase the imprints on your heart. Make a new start. Allow me to ease your misery. Let us make our own new history.

I hope you can stop by and see some of my projects from this summer and some fun posts about my life. My most recent project was this funky vintage/retro Katy Perry "teenage dream" inspired bedroom set. It features a "very berry" paint color and white hardware. It's being delivered to its new home on Sunday. I sold her in a weeks time. It feels good when my hard work pays off.

"Very Berry", Katy Perry Inspired Bedroom Set

Check out this other  "GLAM RETRO" turquoise set I sold this past Spring to a buyer who lived 3 hours away.
Glad to be back to blogland. Winter is approaching and I need to get back to work!

-Liz,

The Midwest Cottage

American Picker wanna be

If your a lover of old rusty things then you would have stopped at this place too!  One Saturday I was on my way around town following yard sale signs when I saw this place in the picture below. Let us just say that I could not slam on the breaks fast enough.

It was like an episode of that show "American Pickers".

I knocked on the front door and asked if we could look around. The family told us that they have people stop all the time and look around.  I took a few pictures of the things I'd like to have in my yard or in my home.
There was a cool refurbished water well, tons of wagon wheels, water pumps, barn wood, signs and so much more.  One of my favorites was the old outhouse. Boy I'd love to have it just for fun!!

How cool is this?

One of each please?

I could make a cool light fixture or wall art out of this rusty old thing!

I'm going back next week to buy a wagon wheel. I am working on two new projects this week. Come back soon to check them out.

Thanks for visiting. 

Liz

The Midwest Cottage