Wednesday, April 1, 2015

A Fountain Made Youthful


Ever wondered how to re-purpose masonry objects to look brand new?  We brought back to life this gorgeous three tiered fountain.


We had a really cool fountain that came with our house.  The only problem is the previous paint job was chipping off.  We think the old black paint was a spray paint job done with the fountain constructed in place.

This is what the fountain looked like with the original terracotta color popping through the black chipped paint (we had already deconstructed it by this point):




The black paint probably looked good right after the fountain was sprayed, but obviously the paint wasn't right for the long haul.  

So, we took the fountain apart and decided to give it some TLC.

1.     PREP!  Always the most important step.  We set plastic sheets underneath our work area to keep the harsh chemicals we would be using from getting on other surfaces.

2.     Use a strong jet of water to get rid of any loose flakes (we did NOT use a pressure washer in order to prevent chipping of the decorative intricacy of the fountain).  Let surfaces dry completely.

3.     Use paint stripper (states for use with masonry) and a wire brush to scrape off previous paint.  *Plastic gloves and protective eye-wear glasses are a MUST since paint stripper burns upon contact!*




4.     Once all surfaces are stripped, use Mineral Spirits to clean and prep the masonry for paint.  Rags in a box is a great thing to keep on hand and are very durable for revival projects such as this.


5.     Paint all surfaces with pool paint which is offered in various colors (I chose classic white).  Fountains such as these need to be able to handle standing water (not just a light rain).



Teddy loves being outside during our DIY projects. #diydog

6.     Wait the recommended 8 hours and apply a second coat.  Let the paint dry for another 24 hours unless applying a third coat. 

7.     Place the fountain all back together, plug in, and enjoy!





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