Month: June 2022

Procedures for Marble Restoration

A person may purchase a house that needs some fixing up. The new owner sees the beauty and potential in the house and the marble surfaces which became damaged and dull over time. As the new owner, you can hire professionals. If your plan is to do the job yourself, marble recovery entails a couple of crucial procedures.

Cleaning

It is crucial to understand that marble is a limestone, although a lot of men and women think that it is granite. In fact, marble is much thicker than granite, therefore it stains and wears down considerably easier as well. Not all organic stones are equivalent, and each requires different cleaning procedures. Never use vinegar to clean marble as sterile substances etch and dull marble surfaces. Clean marble surfaces with a pH-neutral dish soap or transparent ammonia diluted with water. You can use acetone on dark marble or hydrogen peroxide on light marble for those stubborn stains.

Repairing

If the damaged surface is masonry tile, then use a handheld oscillating tool with a grout removal blade to remove the grout and ruined piece of the tile. Replace the tile with a fresh one. Fix cracks in marble surfaces with a marble repair compound from your regional home improvement center or marble trader. Leave huge repairs or complete resurfacing up to the professionals.

Honing

Marble floors with high heeled areas become dull when organic crystals within the rock erode from abrasion of soil, sand and shoes. Honing is part fixing and part polishing. Perform honing with abrasive pits or stones attached to a handheld oscillating tool. This process leaves a smooth finish but not shiny as with polishing.

Polishing

Polishing gives marble its sheen and follows the cleaning, repairing and honing procedures. First, employ a marble stripper by following the instructions on the bottle. Rinse the masonry surface twice with clean water and allow it to dry completely. If you are doing the job yourself, rent a floor buffer for marble floors and apply the gloss in 3-by-3-foot segments, using a side-by-side movement. For other marble surfaces, a tiny rotary buffer or car buffer will get the job finished. Polishing typically requires three applications to accomplish a large, even gloss.

Sealing

Because bathroom and kitchen countertops come in contact with acidic or greasy substances like ketchup, lemons and cosmetics, sealing them is probably the best way to protect them. Employ stone sealants annually to shut pores in the masonry and protect the surface from harm.

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The Way to Get Dark Mold From a Wood Ceiling

The indicators of mold growing on your ceiling — chipping or peeling paint, moisture stains and blackened regions — are simple to spot. Moreover, you can usually smell mold in an area where it is growing, and that’s why it’s important to get rid of it: Mold is poisonous. Mold isn’t as difficult to remove from a wood ceiling as it’s from a roof; wood isn’t as porous, so the mold tends to remain on the surface. Cleanup involves a trip to the loft and may involve some repair to the ceiling paint.

Put on a respirator, rubber gloves and goggles. You should also wear a protective over-suit that you could wash whenever the job is completed. Switch off the central air , cover the intake vents with plastic sheeting, and open the windows in the room where you are working.

Spread a plastic dropcloth on the ground. Scrape any loose or peeling paint from the affected region of the ceiling with a paint scraper and collect the paint chips onto the dropcloth. Deposit the dropcloth in a plastic garbage bag and close the bag once you have completed scratching. Vacuum the area and put a new dropcloth.

Mix 2 cups of chlorine bleach and 1/4 cup of laundry detergent in a bucket with a gallon of warm water. Scrub the mould using this solution and a scrub brush. Be sure to wash all of the discoloration from edges and corners of paint chips. Rinse the regions you wash with clear water and a sponge.

Go into the attic with a flashlight and examine the ceiling rafters and rear of the ceiling. Wash and rinse some discolored areas you find.

Let the ceiling dry out, then repair the paint.

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How Long Can a Sealed Can of Interior Paint Last?

Old cans of interior paint may stay usable for many years if they have been kept tightly sealed and stored away from freezing temperatures. Evaluation old paint stirring it well, then brushing it on to old newspapers. If there are lumps in the paint, it is no longer good and ought to be discarded.

Paint’s Shelf Life

The shelf life of paint depends on the kind and whether the paint container was opened. Solvent-based oil or alkyd paints can stay usable for up to 15 years when they were not opened and always kept away from temperature extremes. Water-based latex and acrylic paints can stay good for up to 10 years if not opened and kept from freezing. Leftover paints that have been opened ought to be closed tightly, stored in a cool, dry place and used within two years.

Paint Gone Bad

Paints normally separate into solids and liquid during long-term storage. If you can stir the solids smoothly back into the liquid, then you can most likely use stored paints. However, if the solids have hardened on the bottom of the can and won’t mix with the liquid, then the paint is spoiled and should be discarded. Other indications that older paint has spoiled include a foul odor when the can is opened and visible mold and mildew in the paint.

Touch Ups or Undercoat

If the paints have been in colors you have in your property, keep them for touch ups and repainting of badly soiled areas. If you’ve got small quantities of many different colors, either move the paints into small containers and label them mix the leftovers collectively by paint type and utilize them as an undercoat at a future painting job. If you’ve got a lot of gallons of very good paint you don’t want anymore, provide it to friends, neighbors or relatives. Or contribute the good paint into a charity that does house renovations for needy families.

Paint Disposal

If you can’t use the previous paints give them off, repaint acrylic and latex paints with kitty litter before throwing them off. Mix one part paint and 2 components clay-based kitty mess and stir well. The paint should solidify in about an hour. For undesirable alkyd and oil-based paints, please consult your state or local environmental protection officials for dates and locations of hazardous waste collections.

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How to Paint an Antique Bronze Finish

Transform humdrum, everyday objects by painting them with a faux antique bronze finish. From lamp bases to planters, bookends into light-switch covers, this effortless technique produces a fascinating look of depth. Length of metallic paint in various colors are blended over a base coat, then darkened with a glaze to generate the aged effect. For an even more stunning look, try this complete on bigger projects like a metal bed frame, mantelpiece or focal point wall.

Prepare the surface by cleaning it to remove surface dirt. You do not have to remove the finish unless it’s waxy, greasy or peeling. Surface imperfections add credibility and interest for this faux painting design, so only a light sanding is needed.

Paint the thing using a primer right into the surface. If you’re painting on a slick surface like laminate or metal, use a bonding primer that will adhere nicely. Permit the primer to dry.

Paint the primed surface with glowing golden latex paint, using a brush or roller right into the dimensions of your job. Make sure the surface is completely covered; allow it to dry overnight.

Apply layers of contrasting metallic paint softly pouncing using a clean cotton rag. Dip the rag into crimson metallic paint and lightly dab the paint onto the outside, softening the edges and leaving some regions untouched. Repeat with copper metallic paint, hitting the regions untouched by the red paint and allowing a few copper to float with the red. Finish with a light coating of gold paint, using the rag to add highlights and soften red or copper areas that look overly strong. Permit the surface to dry to the touch.

Prepare a glaze by mixing black latex paint with glazing medium, after the product directions for proportions. You are able to add some brown paint, such as burnt umber, to create a darker coloured glaze. The glaze with a family paintbrush, working in sections. Immediately wipe the glaze off with a clean cotton rag, leaving the darkened weathered along edges and in cracks and crevices in the surface. Repeat on adjacent sections, feathering the edges to prevent a distinct overlap. If you’d like a darker look, employ a second glaze coating after the first has dried to the touch. Permit the glazed piece to dry for 24 hours.

Coat the surface with clear varnish or polyurethane, if desired, to add additional protection. Utilize a matte or non-gloss finish for a more authentic look. Permit the coating to cure for 24 to 72 hours, or according to product directions.

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How to Remove Wax Build-Up on Hardwood Floors

Wax provides great protection for your floor if it is completed with a penetrating sealer, and it can make polyurethane, lacquer and shellac finishes additional shiny when it is fresh. Wax never actually hardens, though, and sooner or later it’ll collect enough dirt to cloud the finish. Moreover, it eventually turns yellow. The solution will be to strip the wax and then apply a fresh coat. This really is a job for a solvent that dissolves wax without affecting the finish, and the National Wood Flooring Association recommends absorbent mineral spirits. Get a few knee pads, since the job involves scrubbing.

Moisten a cloth with mineral spirits, which can be accessible at any hardware store. Rub down a small area of the ground — a place of about two feet square will be all about the right size. Rub with the grain of the wood.

Rearrange the cloth once it becomes filled with wax to reveal a clean portion of it. Moisten the cloth with more mineral spirits and keep rubbing. Continue in this manner until you’ve completed the first part of floor.

Moisten a clean cloth with more mineral spirits and rub the area you just washed. Look at the cloth; if it is yellow, then clean the whole section again. Repeat until a clean fabric stays clean once you rub the area.

Go over the area once again with a pad of 0000 steel wool moistened with mineral spirits. The steel wool will remove wax residue from the timber grain. If the ground has a V-groove, work the steel wool into the groove to remove wax from that point.

Mop the floor with hot water once you’ve stripped all of the wax, then dry the ground with a rag. Do not leave any standing water — it can hurt the finish.

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The Way to Get Water Rumors Out of Wood Tables

A water ring to a hardwood table doesn’t need to signal the end of the table’s life. Accidents happen; a stray teapot or a coffee cup can lead to a white ring which may appear to defy removal. Water rings can often be repaired with regular household items, and you don’t need to be a house handyman. There is no need to toss it out; keep your table from the landfill and also in your house.

Clean the surface of the table using a damp cloth and permit it to dry. Make certain there’s no dust, dirt or deposits on the table surface.

Cover the ring with a clean, plain white 100 percent cotton T-shirt. Lay it flat above the ring, then covering the entire ring. Don’t use a shirt with words or pictures because the colours or ink may bleed through and damage the table. A top notch with polyester content may also discolor the tabletop.

Set your steam iron into the atmosphere just below cotton and let it come up to temperature. Typically, the lights on your iron stop flashing when it is at fever, but to be sure, check the iron operation manual. If your iron doesn’t create a constant stream of steam, then get accustomed to the steam burst attribute and practice using the burst until you can create a pretty constant steam. Make sure that the water heater is complete once you initiate the ring removal; this method uses a lot of steam.

Hold the iron above the T-shirt over the ring. Maintain the iron 1/4 inch over the shirt and permit the steam to penetrate through the top for about 30 seconds. Move the iron about; don’t stop in any 1 location. Don’t set the iron on the T-shirt. Use bursts of steam close together if your iron doesn’t create a constant flow.

Set your iron to the side and permit the T-shirt to trendy. Boost the shirt and examine the ring. If it is still visible, replace the shirt above the ring.

Examine the water reservoir, fill it if required and let the iron come back up to temperature.

Steam the ring a second time. Let the shirt cool before lifting to test. Repeat the procedure if necessary.

Allow the table surface to cool completely before applying any furniture shine if that is part of your table care.

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Types of Pink & Yellow Hibiscus

The Hibiscus genus includes several hundred species, famed for their showy blossoms. The Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), a perennial shrub from the tropics, has white, red, pink or yellowish flowers and can be grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 10. Deciduous hibiscus, sometimes called mallows, typically have red or pink blossoms and grow in USDA zones 4 through 9.

Most Famous Yellow Hibiscus

The state flower of Hawaii, Ma’o hau hele (Hibiscus brackenridgei) produces a yellow flower 4 to 6 inches in diameter on a shrub which grows from 3 to 15 feet tall. The yellow flowers, typically with a maroon center, produced in tiny clusters or separately on the ends of the branches, accessible between 2 and 4 p.m. and close involving 9 a.m. and one p.m.. The Mao’o hau hele rises in USDA zones 10 through 11.

Chinese Hibiscus With Pink Blossoms

Chinese hibiscus cultivars either have single or double rows of petals on the flowers. “Dainty,” “Miami Lady,” “Minerva,” “Mrs. Mary Johnson” and “Ross Estey” have big pink blossoms with one row of petals. Pink cultivars with a double row of petals include “Flamingo,” “Kona,” “Mary Morgan” and “Peachblow.”

Chinese Hibiscus With Yellow Blossoms

Chinese hibiscus cultivars with big yellow blossoms with one row single petals include “Hula Girl,” “Old Gold,” “Penny’s Sunset” and “Veronica.” “Crown of Bohemia,” “Full Moon,” “Hilo Island” and “Peggy Hendry” have big yellow double blooms. “Veronica” has additional big saffron-yellow flowers with double cones.

Deciduous Hibiscus

A deciduous hibiscus with a yellow blossom, “Old Yella” (Hibiscus “Old Yella”) rises in USDA zones 4 through 9. Two cultivars with pink blossoms, “Disco Belle Pink” (Hibiscus “Disco Belle Pink”) and “Fantasia” (Hibiscus “Fantasia”) also grow in USDA zones 4 through 9. Rose of Sharon “Lucy” (Hibiscus syriacus “Lucy”) produces pink or crimson blossoms in USDA zones 5 through 8, and the confederate increased variety “Plenus” (Hibiscus mutabilis “Plenus”) grows large pink double blossoms in USDA zones 7 through 9.

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Different types of Sunflowers

Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) Contain both annuals and perennials, which are native to North and South America. Many sunflowers develop strong stems with showy, daisy-shaped blossoms in various colors such as orange, yellow, red, cream, purple and bronze. Sunflowers reach anywhere from just a few inches to several feet tall. Optimal production is through hot summers.

Tall Perennial Sunflowers

Several sunflowers grow as perennials. All these sunflowers die back to the ground in the winter and ripped from the root in spring. One example is the Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) reaching 3 to 10 feet tall with unbranched stems and long narrow leaves, which are 10 inches long near the base of the stem, shrinking to 2 inches long near the top. The flower heads are approximately 5 inches across with yellow cones surrounding the green or dark brown centers. This variety of sunflower produces edible seeds in the autumn in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. Swamp sunflowers (Helianthus angustifolius) develop best in USDA zones 6 through 9 with golden beam petals around a dark brown center cone in autumn. This 3- to 6-foot-tall sunflower grows 3-inch-wide flowers in the complete sun, attracting butterflies and bees to the garden.

Short Perennial Sunflowers

Short perennial sunflowers develop smaller than normal sunflowers, even reaching dwarf sizes of just a few inches. These types mixture into the flowerbed rather than overshadow the garden. “First Light” willow-leaved sunflowers (Helianthus salicifolius “First Light”) develop well in USDA zones 6 through 9, reaching just 3 to 4 feet tall. The autumn flowers are made up of butter-yellow petals surrounding a raised brown facility. The flowers reach 3 inches wide, and the stems are covered with narrow, hairy leaves 4 inches long. This more compact kind of sunflower attracts birds and butterflies to the yard. This variety tolerates poor soil that drains well.

Tall Annual Sunflowers

The classic tall sunflowers usually develop as annuals in the garden. These big, top-heavy plants may need to be staked to be able to stay upright after the blossoms blossom. Branching sunflowers (Helianthus debilis) develop thick stems that have divisions covered with glossy green leaves. The 5- to 6-foot-tall stems support nodding 2 1/2-inch-wide summer flowers, which attract birds. The blossoms are made up of bright yellow ray petals growing around a greenish-brown middle. “Sungold” sunflowers (Helianthus annuus “Sungold”) reach 6 to 7 feet tall, spreading two to three feet wide with yellow dual blooms composed of butter-yellow outer petals surrounding a darker yellow center. This summer-blooming sunflower produces flower heads 3 to 6 inches tall which are followed by seeds, which behave as a food source for birds. This variety of sunflower germinates and grows very quickly.

Short Annual Sunflowers

Annual sunflowers also consist of dwarf types of sunflowers, which can be only a few inches tall. Annuals have a tendency to die out after producing seeds and need to be replanted another spring. Annuals ensure it is easy to change the expression of the flowerbed every year. “Sunspot” dwarf sunflowers (Helianthus annuus “Sunspot”) stay short, reaching only 24 inches tall with big 10-inch-wide golden-yellow blossoms. This variety of sunflower produces sunflower seeds within 60 days following planting.

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How to Get an Inactive Orange Tree Back to Life

Although orange trees (Citrus sinensis) attract many delights, such as fairly leaves and fragrant blossoms, it may be frustrating when a tree does not bear fruit. Orange trees are neither difficult nor delicate and generally thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 thorough 11. These botanical fruit trees need little pruning and less water than you may think, as soon as they are established, but they do need sun, well-draining dirt and proper fertilizer for fruit. You need to figure out exactly what’s causing your tree’s inactivity by a process of elimination.

Inspect your orange tree carefully, jotting down anything out of the ordinary which you discover. Search for insects, insect damage or webs about the leaves or branches. Verify the leaves to see if any are yellowish and, if so, whether any part of these remains green. Rake beneath the tree to see whether leaves, flowers or flowers have fallen. Should you find pests or symptoms of infection, gather samples and evaluate the issue by looking at citrus problem identification sites or asking for help at the garden store. Treat appropriately.

Walk outside five times every day, at three-hour intervals, to look at your tree’s sun exposure, even if you find no signs of pests or diseases. Citrus trees need at least six hours of direct sun daily to produce fruit and perform better with more. If trees or brush have grown in near the orange tree, then they might shade the tree at critical times of the afternoon. Prune any neighboring branches which come between your orange tree along with the sun.

Dig around the trunk of the orange tree that has a little shovel or big kitchen spoon to determine whether the tree is getting sufficient water. If the dirt is dry 5 inches, the tree needs water. Your tree’s water requirements vary depending upon the size of its canopy as well as the weather. For example, a tree with a 4-foot canopy necessitates 4 gallons of water a day the majority of the year, but this amount doubles, then almost triples as summer arrives.

Pour 5 gallons of water over the root area of your precious tree. Watch to see how fast the water drains to the ground. If the soil remains soggy or muddy 20 minutes after watering, you have clay or heavy loam that orange trees don’t value. Amend the dirt around the tree by functioning at a 5- to 6-inch layer of organic material. Alternatively, transplant the tree to a place with well-draining dirt. Orange trees will not thrive in heavy soil.

Fertilize strictly in line with this citrus fertilizer package’s instructions. It’s tempting to attempt to jump-start the tree’s growth with sulfur, but this plan will backfire. In times of ample increase, the tree requires additional fertilizer, but a inactive tree requires small. Do not apply fertilizer during autumn and winter.

Write down your tree history of action. If it is inactive this season but bore a heavy fruit harvest the previous year, it might be a citrus type like the “Valencia” orange tree which tends to alternate posture, a syndrome where the tree bears many fruit one year and none couple of the following. If that is the tree’s situation, thin from the orange harvest by one-third the next heavy harvest year and remove all ripe oranges from the tree immediately.

Stop all fertilizer if your tree was newly transplanted. Transplanting is tough on trees and they frequently suffer from transplant shock from having lost a big portion of their root system. Trees in transplant shock seem inactive but are struggling to rebuild origins. If that is your tree case, water the tree’s roots twice every week for the first few growing seasons following transplant. It can take as many as five years before the root system is big enough to supply nutrients for the canopy as well as the tree starts growing again.

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