Old Doors - New Use

Discussion in 'Garden Junk' started by toni, Apr 24, 2006.

  1. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Several years ago we took the doors off of the upper kitchen cabinets to make the tiny kitchen look bigger. They sat out back for a long time, unwanted and unloved. :cry:

    Then I started playing around with paints wanting to see if I had an artistic talent other than being able to successfully complete a paint-by-number picture.

    I was going to put these out on the back of the house as part of my garden decor, but I just don't want to see them damaged by sun and weather so they are now in the new sideroom leaning on the wall for me to enjoy when I am on the computer.

    [​IMG]
    Summer, Spring, Autumn, Winter

    I want to do this on the linen closet doors too.
     
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  3. dooley

    dooley Super Garden Turtle

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    WoW! It looks like you have more talent than paint by number. I like them. I don't have any talent like that, I know. Dooley
     
  4. Frank

    Frank GardenStew Founder Staff Member Administrator

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    Do I see all the seasons just there :) Very bright colours Toni, certainly catch the eye. So why does summer get the smallest door?
     
  5. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    I just did some editing and identified each one, forgot to do that before.

    I was bringing the doors into my craft room one at a time and painting them as I had an idea. Winter of course was the first one I did since it is my favorite season. But in the process I totally forgot that they were not all the same size and especially that one was much smaller. So Spring just happened to get the small end of the deal....it really should have been Summer since that is my least favorite season.

    The color is only that bright in the picture to make sure all the detail shows up, they don't actually "glow" like they appear to.
     



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  6. catkins

    catkins Seedling

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    They look great! You could even hang them on the wall, what a great way to brighten up a room , what about some good quality varnish? they would look great hanging in your garden.I have a crappy old fence that could do with brightening up ( sends all my old kitchen doors to toni :D )
    catkins
     
  7. Pinkiered

    Pinkiered The Rose Queen

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    I work with wood all the time. Thats all I paint on. If you put few coats of poly on, it will protect it. They have a clear poly now too. You want an oil base so the wet weather wont seep in. I have heard of a water base poly that does the something and is clear but Ive never used it so I cant tell you if it works.

    When you poly it, make sure you get every little inch of it. Front , back, sides, and corners. That will seal it up nice and tight.

    Becareful tho when you are picking out a poly. Alot of them dry with a brown or yellowish tint. Ask someone in the store for help. They will know the ones that dry clear.

    Theres even craft seal you can use. I alway put a coat of it on my finished work. It brings out the colors and makes them "pop". I have lots of those laying around as I go through alot of it.
    The name is Patricia Nimocks Decorative Crafts Clear Acrylic Sealer (Im assuming you used acrylics for those. It looks acrylic)

    Add two coats of this, letting each coat dry before you add the next. Then let dry for two days before adding the poly. (I would use the Matte finish as the sun will hit the paintings once they are outside and blind anyone who happens to walk by.) Once the sealer is dry, add two coats of poly. Let dry for 24-72 hours depending on the thickness and hang.
     
  8. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    I bought two or three types of sealers, varnish, etc for these doors after I painted them. But then I got selfish :-D If I put them out back, the across the alley neighbors will get to see them more than I will so I kept them inside for me.
     
  9. Pinkiered

    Pinkiered The Rose Queen

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    Do you have trees in your yard? HAve you thought about hanging them from tree branches to face your back door? Just a thought.

    They are very nice!
     
  10. Kimberly

    Kimberly Seedling

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    Ohhhh I love them!!!! :D
     
  11. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Toni those are lovely!!! I wouldn't mind having them on my existing cupboard doors let alone on old ones. You have a wonderful talent there. :D
     
  12. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Thanks you all for the nice comments about my doors.

    My project for this summer when it is too hot for me to do yardwork is to paint the inside of the cabinets. I painted them white when we took the doors off and now I want to decorate the insides. I'll take pictures as I get them done.
     
  13. tweetykiss

    tweetykiss Seedling

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    You did a wonderful job with those Toni....I love the paintings you did....:))))
     
  14. cajunbelle

    cajunbelle Daylily Diva

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    Love those doors, wish I could paint like that.
     
  15. glendann

    glendann Official Garden Angel

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    Toni great job .I am just not talented like that.I am going to attempt to paint and old bird house I have not sure where it came from bird house
     
  16. blackrose

    blackrose In Flower

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    you are so creative! :idea: you could surely make wonders out of nothing. :eek:
     

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