Apply [Retique It] Polyacrylic Without Drag

When I first started redesigning furniture, applying the topcoat was very frustrating for me. It dried too quickly, giving me drag. Drag happens when you swipe another strip of poly overtop poly that has already started to dry. It’s tricky to get a good application when the poly dries too fast. This could happen if the room you are working in is very dry or too warm. So make sure there’s enough humidity in the room and/or the proper temperature to give you time to work. No matter what I did back then, I couldn’t get a smooth, consistent finish. After lots of sleepless nights, then plenty of practice and research, I discovered a method that works AND a product that makes it so very easy. In this video, I demonstrate applying Retique It Polyacrylic with a detailer sponge. Easy peasy! The Polyacrylic (interior water-based polyurethane) and Polytique It (exterior … Read more

[VIDEO] Painting Without Tape – Tip Wiggle Push!

Years ago a friend told me while we were painting walls in our new house to “Get a good brush and stop using tape.” I took her advice and have translated that into using the same method on my furniture to save time and frustration. As you probably know, it’s always a concern that paint will seep under the tape when painting. Sure there are ways to prevent that, but it adds steps and I’m all about “quick and easy.” In this super short video, I show you several simple methods on how to use a brush to paint without tape. Yes, it does matter what brush and paint you use. Always use good quality products. One of my favorite detail brushes that delivers a nice finish is the Wonder Brush from Retique It. Go visit my store, Furniture Flipping Market – it’s full of great products for furniture flippers. … Read more

Antique Accent Table Redesign – Start to Finish in 7 Minutes

I’ve found video to be the best tool in sharing projects. We see everywhere pretty pictures, both before and afters, but seldom see HOW it was done. Today I’m a project that I video’d all the way through to the staging. We found this accent table at a local estate sale and it was labeled “antique.” I paid a little more for it since it is so unique. A “unique antique”. 🙂 I used all products from my online store, featuring Retique It products at FurnitureFlippingMarket.com. Go have a look at all the great products – quality products you can trust. I will list all the materials and link them below the video. Materials List: Oil-based Primer Ultratique all-in-One Paint – Robin’s Egg Ultratique all-in-One Paint – Alabaster Stain & Glaze  (old oak or dark oak will work to give an antique look) Wonder Brush (there are three sizes!) Polyacrylic … Read more

Polyacrylic Isn’t Hard to Apply ANY MORE!

POLY APPLICATION FRUSTRATION! When I first started redesigning furniture, the hardest part was working out what methods worked the best – especially when applying glaze and poly. Fortunately after about 2 weeks of stressing and waking up and going to sleep with it on my mind, I finally figured it out. For glaze, I apply poly first and the glaze goes on so much better. For poly, I started using a damp car detailer sponge, soaked it in the poly first and then applied in strips, overlapping just a bit and never going back over it because you’d then get drag. Drag is when you go over a part that has already dried and the poly looks cloudy when dry. I added Extender to increase open time so I didn’t have to work so fast. I also discovered that humidity and temp in your room made a difference. It worked … Read more

Adding a Bit of Glitz to a Motif – The Royal Collection Metallics

Add Some Glitz! The Retique It Royal Collection Metallics Are you wanting your pieces to stand out so people take notice? One way to create the WOW factor is to add a little glitz. Whether you are stenciling a piece of decor, redesigning furniture, or even stenciling on a wall, metallics are a great choice. I recently redesigned a coffee table for my living room and of course I wanted a piece of art rather than just a plain ‘ol table! Today I’m sharing a video showing you how I giltzed it up. Sometimes the best things are the simplest! I used the Royal Collection Metallics by Retique It by stenciling just a bit of trim on all of the leaves. You don’t see it at first when coming into my living room, when casually glancing at it from the front, but as you walk around to sit on the … Read more

[SLIDESHOW] Beautiful Furniture Art by FFB PRO Members

This week I’ve opened up Furniture Flipping Blueprint enrollment and thought you might like to see some of the furniture art that my PRO members, both past and present, have created. I often marvel at the skills they have perfected. Talent isn’t everything, but hard work, experience, practice, experimentation, watching and learning is. I like this quote by Albert Einstein: “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”   I can tell you until I’m blue in the face that it would behoove you to join Furniture Flipping Blueprint for so many reasons. But for you to SEE why you need to join is so much better. This time around I have special pricing, which is another reason why you should not to hesitate to join before time runs out. Come SEE what beautiful furniture artists my FFB members have become in the slideshow below. Here is the … Read more

Upcycled China Cabinet – Unwanted to Amazing!

I’ve got a good one to show you today! We’re always thinking of ways to turn cast offs into something desirable, aren’t we? Garage sale finds, Goodwill castoffs, hand-me-downs, Aunt Clara’s dusty old china cabinet… A while ago we bought this china cabinet at an estate sale. We paid $97. It’s an Ethan Allen, so I knew it had good bones and it reminded me of my mother. LOL For some reason I acquaint Ethan Allen with my mom. No idea why. Maybe because it’s from her era. Here is DH strapping everything down we go that day. It was the last day of the estate sale, so I got this china cabinet CHEAP. I got a couple of other things too. I felt like I had won the jackpot. This thing was sitting in the living room of the house of someone who had gone on, and the kids … Read more

Furniture Worship?

BALANCING OPINION WITH FACT Do we act like we know the difference? Look at the pieces and prices below: PRICING IS HARD We are free to charge whatever we think a piece is worth – I’m all for Capitalism and the freedom to ask whatever we want. BUT… Just because something is listed for a certain price doesn’t mean it will sell for that. Nor does it mean it really is worth that in our market. We must remember when seeing these listings, that something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.  Sometimes people price based on their own emotional connection to an item. Have you ever been to a garage sale and found items that are old and worn priced at retail prices? I have and it makes me chuckle. They priced based the item based on their personal attachment to the item, but as … Read more

Cleaning Paint Brushes

If you want your painting supplies to last, take good care of them. I’m super picky about cleaning my tools, especially my brushes. I try to get my paint brushes to as close to new looking as possible by cleaning them until I’m satisfied all of the paint is out. Here’s an extra tip: If you find it has dried before you were able to wash the paint out, soak the brush in hair conditioner or fabric softener for a day or two and you’ll be surprised at the results! In less than 1 minute, I show you in this video the simple process I use to wash out my brushes. These little tips by experienced furniture flippers can save you $ and much disappointment – go the extra mile to keep your tools in good shape. How’s that for a quick tip. You can find more on my Youtube … Read more

Fixing a Sloppy Paint Job

Here’s a little tip to save you some time and effort. I bought a dresser from Marketplace and the drawers had some messy painting going on. Drips, over painting, scratches, bristles embedded, etc. The worst part were the drawer sides. My options for fixing them were: painting them, stenciling over the mess, or sanding it off. I didn’t like any of those options. I thought on it a while and came up with a better option. It was easier than any of the three choices I originally thought I had and it worked. Here is the finished project – you can click the pic to go right to the post about this project: This is an example of the super short videos I create for my Blueprint members. I’ll be sharing some of them with those who wish to see the nicky picky details that most experienced furniture flippers have … Read more

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