MyFurnitureOK.com

The Uses And Dangers Of Ozone (O3)In The Grow Room

Ozone or Trivalent Oxygen (O3) is an unstable gas made up of three Oxygen atoms. It is formed when a single Oxygen atom attaches itself to an Oxygen molecule (O2). Ozone is very unstable and will revert back to Oxygen very easily, (2O3 = 3O2).
Because this third atom is so easily dislodged from the molecule, it will freely combine with any other molecule that has a spare space for it.

This process of is called Oxidation and is the reason why Ozone is an excellent killer of bacteria, moulds and viruses. It is also an effective means of removing odours, which it does by attaching to the scent molecule and altering its chemical makeup. This does not mask the smell, it destroys it at source.

Ozone is produced naturally in two ways; Firstly by the chemical reaction with the sun’s Ultra Violet rays in the upper atmosphere and secondly by Corona-Discharge.
For most practical applications Ozone is generated using the Corona-Discharge method.

In nature, when there is a thunderstorm, massive voltages are passed through the air as the lightning jumps from cloud to Earth. This electrical discharge with its accompanying blue/white corona causes some of the Oxygen Molecules to break down from O2 to 2O which in turn immediately attaches to another 2 Oxygen molecules giving the equation 2O2 + 2O = 2O3. This also happens when the energy produced by very heavy rain and waterfalls causes the natural production of Ozone.

Because any impurities in the air around us, for example exhaust fumes, will have been cleansed by the Ozone molecule combining with them and then reverting to pure Oxygen and oxidised pollutants, which are virtually odourless, the air will smell clean and fresh. So the advantages of using O3 as a means of providing your plants with extra Oxygen are several: The increased Oxygen levels, the odour control, and the anti-microbial and spore controlling properties.

Ozone generators can be purchased from most reputable Hydroponics suppliers. These work by passing Oxygen through a strong UV light or, more commonly, by using a high voltage discharge to break down the Oxygen molecules. In practice the UV system produces considerably less O3, per unit of energy used, than does the Corona-Discharge method.

There has been a lot of discussion about the dangers associated with Ozone in confined spaces. Ozone has a strong recognizable odour, so very low concentrations soon become apparent. This makes it generally safe to work with. The use of Ozone is thought to be safe in low levels (0.05ppm); however in higher concentrations it can be very dangerous. Because it oxidises materials readily it can cause severe irritation to lung tissue and mucous membranes. Other symptoms include headache and a feeling of tightness in the chest, coughing and dryness in the mouth and throat.

Recommended safe levels of maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) for humans are: 0.06 ppm for 8 hours per day 5 days per week (ppm = parts per million). For a maximum of 15 minutes a MAC value of 0.3 ppm may be applied. These levels far exceed that where the gas is noticeable by smell.

While it is quite possible and fairly easy to make an Ozone generator at home please bear in mind that a good working knowledge of high voltage electricity and its associated safety procedures is essential to avoid injury or even death.

It is always better to spend a little extra money on an article and know that it is safe for you and your family to be around, rather than risk a less safe alternative which could end in a tragedy.

Copyright (C) 2004, 2005.

J R Haughton.

— All Rights Reserved —

A partner in a thriving retail hydroponics supply business,
Rickie Haughton is the owner of hydroponics-gardening-information.com which aims to cater for all levels of expertise in the field of
hydroponics gardening. The website is packed with good content about
all aspects off hydroponics gardening and offers a free hydroponics
Club membership to all subscribers.

[tags]Ozone, O3. Trivalent Oxygen,[/tags]

What happens if you take one very run-down home, a deserving cause, several contractors and designers and a few weeks of work? The answer is Omaha Home Makeover, an entirely new trend in home tours that combines the best in home improvement with the best in the human spirit.

Many of us have experienced the opulent luxury found at annual home tour events and marveled at the possibility of new construction design technologies, only to return to our real home disappointed that most of these ideas are out of reach. Welcome to the home tour for the rest of us! The Omaha Home Makeover is an event designed around a traditional split-level home plan and features easily implemented and affordable revisions anyone can apply to their own home.

The mechanism of the project is easy to implement. Sponsors come on board to provide products for the workers. Organizations come on board and donate their services and techniques. The project is coordinated in a way that spectators can come and watch the progress in person or via the website. During the actual home tour period of five days, there is a small fee to tour the home. The fees are then donated to a worthy area charity so everyone wins on this venture.

The house will then be resold at a higher margin of profit and the next home selected so the process can start over.

The evolution of home makeover television shows have proved how popular this trend has become. Home repair super stores are being placed across the country encouraging consumers to “do it themselves.” This idea can only grow to be bigger and better with every attempt made in communities across the country.

Truly the best part of this concept is the plethora of non-profits who will benefit from the donations raised through these projects.

Omaha Home Makeover, truly a home tour for the masses.

Omaha Home Makeover benefits the Omaha Hope Center for Kids. This organization offers inner city youth inspiration and hope for a brighter future.

[tags]Omaha Home Makeover,Home Tours,Home Improvement,Interior Design,Construction[/tags]

From the moment health experts begun discussing the unique nutrients and important elements fruits and vegetables contain, people are browsing through kitchen utensil shelves in their effort to locate the best juicer that can help them stay healthy. However, as different equipment are used to perform a variety of functions, choosing a juicer is not only a matter of price, brand, or shape, but rather an issue of covering the specific consumer needs.

Fulfilling or even surpassing one’s expectations is not an easy task for any kind of company. Electronic juice manufacturers, had originally been focusing on improving the performance of their equipment, but as years have passed and consumer needs have increased or even altered, juice production had to incorporate style and functionality apart from covering the required safety and quality concerns. Thus, producers quickly abandoned the idea of introducing the ‘best juicer,’ since that was not anymore a technology-based decision. After performing the required consumer research, they focused on improving their most successful juice designs and continued to look for new ways to cover emerging needs with their newer juice versions.

There are several styles of juicers available on the market today and some are better suited for juicing certain kinds of fruits and vegetables than others. Yet, since there is no ‘perfect’ juicer available that will perform every juicing operation with equal quality, a prospective juicer buyer has to evaluate carefully his or her needs and then carefully purchase the appliance that will cover most, if not all, of them. So, before buying a juicer, one should consider the particular factors that will make this type of choice easier.

First, there is the ease of cleaning. Because the juicer extracts the fluids out of a vegetable and/or fruit, it is important that its components can be easily cleaned either by hand or a washing machine. Then, there is the issue of noise level. Some types of juicers produce much more noise than others, making users feel uncomfortable or even annoyed. Selecting the model that one feels comfortable using is also a matter of noise, especially because operating a machine that will irritate a person’s nerves can lead to it being stored somewhere and juice preparation to stop. Third, as many users and experts assert, different speeds result in different juice qualities. Depending on the speed of an electronic juicer, more or less air enters the juice while it is being extracted from the fruits or vegetables. The oxygen can then accelerate the speed with which the fruit’s or vegetable’s nutrients are oxidized, affecting its taste and nutritional level. Another issue is the length of a juicer’s warranty. Different manufacturers, offer different warranty durations and since these types of products can be easily mishandled, it is always wise to have at least a year of free service before replacing a broken juicer. Finally, one has to consider the types of produce intended to be juiced. The juicer selected has to be compatible with their use and substance.

John Gibb is the owner of juicer resources
, For more information on juicers check out http://www.juicer-resource4u2k.info

[tags]juicer, kitchen, fruit[/tags]

Agoraphobia is the fear of being in open spaces. And a hint of this primordial fear is present in all of us. Perhaps “fear” is too strong a word in this context. Let’s just say that for some reason or other, we all feel more at ease, more relaxed and more secure in enclosed areas - such as our homes, our porches, and our gardens.

Perhaps this predilection for enclosure can be attributed to ancestral memories. Memories formed when our mammalian precursors hid in burrows and dens, or when our hominid ancestors cowered in caves. then again, it may go back no farther than our own buried childhood memories, to the sense of safety conferred by cradle, crib or playpen.

In early times, enclosure provided protection against such threats as roving carnivores, Mongol hordes, marauding bands of seriously disgruntled peasants, and the not-to-be-lightly-dismissed possibility of dragons. It wasn’t until after the Renaissance that Europeans drained theor moats and let their guard down. But - significantly- they continued to maintain the artifacts of enclosure.

Whatever its etiology, the walls and fences that surround us engender a deep-rooted feeling of security, serenity and peace of mind. They’re an essential part of what makes a garden a garden. So, by all means, let us continue to create enclosure. And by so doing, maybe we’ll be able to keep all those dragons - real or imagined - at bay.

For professional landscape design information, free downloadable garden plans and many excellent garden articles visit http://www.landscape-design-garden-plans.com

For everything water features visit http://www.water-features-online.com

http://www.water-features-online.com
http://www.landscape-design-garden-plans.com
http://www.gardenviews.com

[tags]peace, serenity, gardens[/tags]

Kitchen remodeling can help you revamp your kitchen into central space of the house. From traditionally a dungeon-like place to cook and wash dishes to a multi-purpose activity hub of the entire family, kitchens have definitely become an important part of the modern homes. The homemakers now want to get the best kitchen remodeling done in order to have the best possible in-kitchen experience. Kitchen is after all a place where you have to spend very important time, and good cooking comes with good surroundings.

The boundaries of the kitchen, living room and dining room are actually merging into one. Therefore, when you are getting the home remodeling done, think about thoughtful kitchen remodeling. Choose the colors, dimensions, materials carefully and as per your requirement.

Now kitchen remodeling not only means getting it designed into a swanky corner of the home. It also includes budgetary and utility considerations. Make sure your kitchen remodeling plan is so made that the floor plan subscribes to a simple and efficient working. Your kitchen remodeling should utilize the floor space in such a way that the kitchen does not appear crammed with gadgets that are essential part of all modern kitchens.

[tags]Kitchen remodeling[/tags]

Lawn Grass Options

Having a quality lawn in the shade can be a challenge. Lawns in shade areas are typically thin, weak, and of poor quality. In addition, lawns in shade areas generally do not have the ability to tolerate or recover from stress as compared to lawns growing in full sun. Start improving shade areas for grass growth by pruning trees and large shrubs as much as feasible to allow the maximum amount of light to reach the soil surface.

Significant shade such as this makes growing a quality lawn difficult.

Red fescue or other fine fescues are the primary lawn species in shade lawn mixtures. Among the more commonly used cultivars of the fine fescues are Jamestown, Banner, Barfalla, Checker, Highlight, Koket, Shadow (all chewings fescues); Dawson, Ensylva, Fortress, Pennlawn, and Ruby (creeping red fescues); and Aurora, Biljart(C-26), Reliant, Scaldis, and Waldina (hard fescues). Perennial ryegrass and tall fescue offer intermediate shade tolerance. Perennial ryegrass cultivars for shade include Birdie II, Citation II, Fiesta II, Manhatten II, Palmer,and Regal. Tall fescues best for shade include Falcon, Finelawn, Houndog, Jaguar, Olympic, Rebel,and Rebel II.Kentucky bluegrass generally does poor in the shade, but some shade tolerant cultivars include Bensun, Bristol, Eclipse, Glade, Nugget, Touchdown,and Victa.

After establishment, care of established lawns in shade areas is different than lawns located in full sun. Mow higher (near 3 inches), and fertilize less in the shade, as too much nitrogen can be detrimental to shade lawn species. About one to two pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per growing season is all that is needed. When watering shade lawns, do so as infrequently as possible, and water deeply. Reduce traffic over lawns in the shade.

If these practices have been followed but the lawn still fails, there probably is not enough light, even for a shade tolerant grass species. Shade tolerant grasses still need an acceptable amount of light to grow. Lawns in the shade often have problems with moss (discussion follows) or shade-loving broadleaf weeds (see Lesson 6-Weed Problems in Lawns). Ground ivy, or creeping charlie, is a prime example. These problems exist primarily because the lawn grasses are thin and weak, allowing easy invasion. Follow the steps outlined above to help avoid these problems. Another option is to try a shade tolerant groundcover, as discussed below.

Groundcover Options

There are a variety of groundcovers available for shade areas. Shade groundcovers may offer an alternative to turfgrasses in shade areas, but are not foolproof. Poor soil drainage can cause problems for several species. Some maintenance is also needed to keep the planting looking good. The following list outlines some of the better groundcover choices for shade areas. Common names are provided, followed by Latin names.

.Goutweed
Aegopodium podagraria ‘Variegatum’
Persistent, weedy groundcover that spreads via underground rhizomes. Tolerates many soil conditions, deep shade to full-sun, although foliage may scorch in full-sun. Best to plant in contained areas to avoid becoming evasive; cultivar ‘Variegatum’ more desirable.
Buglewood

.Buglewood
Ajuga reptans
Low-growing, attractive foliage, spreads via above ground stolons. Prefers moist, well-drained soils in heavy shade to full-sun; protect from winter winds. Cultivars vary in both flower and foliage color.

.Canada Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Forms foliage mass up to six inches tall, spreads rapidly via rhizomes. Excellent deciduous groundcover for partial to deep shade.

.Lily-of-the-Valley
Convallaria majalis
Forms thick carpet of upright leaves, spreads rapidly via rhizomes, very adaptable but does best in well-drained soils, partial to full shade. May crowd out delicate plants. Large quantities of roots and rhizomes are poisonous. Fragrant flowers are popular.

.Purpleleaf Wintercreeper Euonymus
Euonymus fortunei ‘Colorata’
Trailing habit and roots readily into soil as it creeps along. Heavy shade to full-sun, prefers well-drained soils. Protect from winter winds. Scale can be a problem.

.Sweet Woodruff
Galium odoratum
Delicate deciduous groundcover that forms uniform mat of bright green, persistent foliage. Small, white flowers. Prefers moist, well-drained soils in medium to deep shade.

.Hosta, Plantain Lily
Hosta species
Large group of hardy, dependable plants with bold, decorative foliage forming neat, circular clumps. Plants spread slowly via short rhizomes. Adaptable, best in open shade. Some have showy, lily-like flowers. Leaf burn problems in sun. Slugs also are a common problem.

.Japanese Spurge
Pachysandra terminalis
Neat, uniform, evergreen groundcover that spreads via rhizomes to form dense mat. Best in shade, well-drained soils. Protect from winter winds; may have pest or disease problems if stressed.

.Common Periwinkle
Vinca minor
Trailing, vinelike evergreen groundcover that roots as it creeps along. Grows in fairly heavy shade to full-sun; although foliage tends to be deeper green and glossier in the shade. Protect from winter wind and sun. Disease problems occur with poor soil drainage and poor air movement.

.Barren Strawberry
Waldsteinia ternata
Forms mats of strawberry-like evergreen foliage with glossy, bright green leaves and yellow flowers. Easy to care for, plant in partial shade to full-sun.

.Woodland Natives
(various species)
A wide variety of woodland plants, such as ferns, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, and trilliums may also be used in areas where turf will not grow or is not desired. Consult with native plant specialists & nurseries.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of “Your Perfect Lawn,” a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

[tags]lawn, lawn care, lawn maintenance, garden lawn[/tags]

I had a customer call me to make a complaint about the Limestone floor we had restored and sealed for them. The building is a state of the art facility in the heart of Covent Garden, in London. The problem was as an up market serviced office block the tenants were complaining that the Limestone Floor was resoling very fast and looking extremely dirty even immediately after the contract cleaners had washed the floor.

I was somewhat surprised by the complaint as we had only restored the floor a few weeks prior to the complaint. I know the floor would take quite a bit of looking after and the right guys with the right cleaning machinery and detergents should be able to keep the floor in great shape.

I had to find out exactly what was being done to maintain the floor. I enquired to my client and he promptly told me that the cleaners where using a strong “washing up” liquid in a warm bucket of plain water to perform the cleaning. I felt that I had found the root of the clients problem and realized he wasn’t going to like what I was about to tell him but I soldiered on regardless.

When you are performing maintenance on a stone surface you need relatively neutral pH cleaning detergents. So in this case the “washing up” liquid that had a pH level of around 18 was leaving a greasy residue on the surface of the stone that would be invisible to see but would still be present. The floor would be attracting all dust, grease from shoes etc because of the greasy film.

The second part of the problem would be the amount of clean water used. I know from experience that a “contract cleaner” would only ever use 1 bucket of water on a floor. It would be too much trouble to keep getting fresh water to clean a stone floor and that is exactly what is required. If you continually use dirty water to clean the floor you will simply be washing dirt into the floor from the dirty water.

So I had to explain that Professional maintenance was required to keep the floor in tip top condition and we set up a maintenance regime over the course of a month at the same price the cleaning contractor’s had charge and the floors look great.

So, what should you do to maintain your commercial facilities stone floor surfaces?

1. Also have a professional Stone maintenance quote for your work

2. Contract cleaners do not understand stone and will never keep it in great shape.

3. Never use a product that isn’t designed to keep the stone in good order

4. Never use a high pH detergent you will leave the floor greasy.

5. Change the water in your bucket a minimum of every 5 sq mtrs.

It needn’t be more expensive for your stone contractor to offer professional maintenance services for regular upkeep of your stone product so always ask, we don’t bite.

Marblemasteruk.com offers regular stone maintenance services call for a quotation on 0800 7317232.

Edward Green owns and operates the highly successful Marble Master Ltd Company. Marble Master specializes in Restoration and Refinishing of all types of natural stone and consultancy services to Architects, Restoration Companies and Interior Designers. http://www.marblemasteruk.com

[tags]kitchen, bathroom, stone, marble, granite, limestone, cleaning, porcelain, slate, york, sandstone[/tags]

Everyone who buys or sells a house, apartment or condo is going to use a home inspector at one time or another and even though you pretty much know what they do, many of you might have more appreciation for them once you learn more details of there chosen profession. Home inspectors have been around for a long time and they will be here for a lot longer, preparing reports, giving advice and recommendations and to some, a peace of mind. Because this is a big subject and there is a lot to say, right know I will focus on roof inspection and also give a little class on roof construction.

First the basics - Pitched Roofs

The basic structure of a typical pitched roof is: the framework, a deck and a weather resistant covering. The purpose of the deck is to serve as a base for supporting the roof covering, which is what protects the roof. (Pretty simple so far, right?) A pitched roof has a series of parallel beams (joists) joined at the top at angles, like tepees with a supporting overlay (the deck), usually plywood or similar material that serves as a base for supporting the roof covering (shingles), which has the purpose of shedding the water away from the roof either into gutters or just falling off the roofline. The deck is not waterproof so the shingles must be intact and able to withstand all types of weather, (except tornadoes and meteoroids) be it snow, hail, or rain.

I can’t speak for all home inspectors because they have there own techniques and working procedures. Like most people I had a couple of them look over my house, so from my experience they generally do a outside visual of roofs that entails walking around the house, sometimes with the aid of binoculars for close-up viewing or use a ladder for ranch type houses, if practical. They generally don’t want to walk up there for liability issues (fear of there foot going through the roof), but I feel that is the best way to check for roof structural integrity and they need to do it anyway for flat roofs. Needless to say they would be responsible for any damages they do in the course inspection!

A typical roof inspection will include checking for:
Uneven shingles - poor installation of a second layer over an old one. This might be ok but will be prone to water damage. When making an attic inspection the deck should be checked for damage and signs of leakage.

Sagging roof - probably deck damage, but may be a structural problem like a damaged ridge beam (A beam placed on end at the top of the roof and fastened to the rafters) or a roof deck that may not have adequate bracing or spacing of wood-frame support members. This is better left for a structural engineer for evaluation.

Roof ventilation - in a way roofs have to breathe too, that’s why there are roof vents on the roof and in the soffit (a horizontal board nailed to a roof overhang). Warm air must have an escape in attic space or there will be moisture buildup and the wood will rot. This can also cause streaks on interior walls and peeling paint. An inspection should be made of vent placement and count to evaluate if there is adequate ventilation.

Shingles- If the roof is pitched it will most likely have overlapping shingles to shed water away and down the roof. The south and southwest sides of the roof gets most of the sun that makes brittle and age faster, thereby causing deterioration. If there is any cracking, pealing or breakage of these ’tiles’ they will need repair or replacement because it will not protect the roof.

Flat Roofs
Even if a roof has a slight pitch it is considered a flat roof. As with the pitched roof this is the first thing inspected. Sometimes an interior wall that has signs of water damage could be traced back to the roof. Since this type of roof can’t be seen from the ground inspection must be made at top of the house. On a two story or more building access to the roof has to be made from inside, a stairwell, ladder, or an access hole in the ceiling of a room, probably a bedroom closet or pantry. As with any type of roof ventilation is key so checking for air vents is a must. A ventilation opening can be a pipe coming from the roof top or an open space on the side of the roofline right below the roof. A flat roof differs from a pitched one in that it is water tight, not just shedding water like a pitched one. At one time standing water was considered a good thing because it would cool the roof a bit during the summer months. There should be no ponds of standing water because this could be a breeding ground for insects and more importantly plants, where the roots can break through the asphalt covering. Special attention should me made when inspecting flat roofs because even small cracks between the roofs drain and the roof covering could become serious.

There are many types of flat roofs like single-ply membrane, roll roofing, metal roofs, hot tar covered or built-up roofs an inspecting them is similar in every case. The inspector will look for any visible cracking, blisters, weak spots or any kind of corrosion that will compromise the structural integrity of the roof. The cause of a leak on an interior wall or ceiling may be hard to find because it may have started on the roof, then zig-zagged its way down, but several feet away from the area you saw it.

These are some of the things home inspectors look for and report on when checking roofs. They not only go in 120

Now that we have satellite or DISH TV, with hundreds of channels there is virtually limitless information available on almost any subject matter and home improvement TV shows are no exception with many different styles of passing on their information. Some are actual arts and crafts type channels and some are total home improvement make over shows. I’m a guy and I even get into these. It’s kind of cool to see how a project starts out and see the finished project in thirty minutes or an hour. HGTV is one such show and it’s my wife’s favorite. We could probably get by with that and ESPN and we would be just fine! You also see the Discovery channel offering lots of different types of home improvement shows and they are all very good and informative, although some can be a little on the boring side.

The craft style of home improvement TV shows is mainly aimed at older viewers who have an interest in woodwork and similar crafts. They usually show detailed instructions for restoring and creating new and wonderful things that you could use to improve your home with. There are also types of shows that are challenge style types so there are usually two teams battling it out for success and who ever has the best modification or has created the best craft wins. The prizes vary but often it isn’t for anything major. These types of shows are the boring ones I mentioned, at lest they are to me!

Then there are also the make over home improvement TV shows, they feature specific rooms such as bathrooms bedrooms or sitting rooms which get a complete makeover from top to bottom, paint and furniture. They bring in a team of designers while the husband of the owner sends her away on a trip for a little while and have the surprise for her coming back which is great. Sometimes they send the whole family away for a little vacation! The really cool thing about these shows is that they show you all different kind of ways to spruce up your home with very little effort and money. Sometimes they even feature a whole house being totally redone!

Home improvement TV shows are becoming very common and are popular with young and old viewers alike. They are a great source of helpful and handy tips, advice and information on what is necessary to create that stunning home we have always wanted with minimal costs and effort plus they also show things that can go wrong which helps to prepare you for these things as well.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Research the power tools for your project at http://www.powertoolsplusmore.com

[tags]home improvement, tools, power tools[/tags]

Gilding is the fixing of gold leaf to a prepared surface and rubbing it into place. Gold leaf will not tarnish: it lasts for years, giving a true gold look to any wood, metal or plaster base. The lavish and decadent lives of yester year found the need to have almost every piece of furniture that they owned gilded, really evident in the 17th and 18th centuries across the globe. Today these fine pieces still have the same allure, but for totally different reasons - being antiques.

Old gold leaf antiques can be cleaned with water containing a few drops of ammonia. New gold leaf can be bought in plain sheets, or in transfers that have a tissue backing. The transfer sheets are much easier to use than the plain sheets. When applying gold leaf to a restored area, make sure that the surface is clean and dry. Paint the base with Japan gold size and leave it to get ‘tacky’. Lay the sheets in place, slightly overlapping at the edges; rub them down carefully, following the direction of the overlap, with a clean cotton cloth until the edges blend evenly together. The knack is to lay the sheets on the surface when the size has reached the correct degree of ‘tackiness’. If the size is too wet, the leaf crinkles; if it is too dry, the leaf will not stick.

Today the value of antiques will depend on whether pure gold leaf was used or wax gild, as was common practise to reduce the cost of making a fine piece of furniture. The other popular alternative, gold paint, although simple to apply, produces a rather garish finish and lacks depth. Wax gilts, available at most art shops these days, come in many tones of gold. They are ideal for touching-up damaged of gold leaf and for applying a broken gilt surface over white or coloured paint. They are simple to apply, ensuring that even most unskilful restorer can restore their prize antique piece. Wax guilt can easily be removed with turpentine substitute, so a good idea is to protect it with a covering of clear alcohol-based varnish. Another alternative is liquid leaf, again easy to apply. It can be brushed on, or drawn on with a pen. It is brighter than gold leaf and does not have the same ‘antique’ finish as wax guilt, hence larger areas may not have the desired effect especially when restoring your antique piece.

Ormolu is bronze, cast into decorative shapes that are gilded with gold leaf and attached to parts of furniture. A form of decoration that was developed from ormolu is brass alloy, with the same appearance as gold. The surface of ormolu often becomes tarnished because the brass sweats through the gilding. Clean it by brushing the surface gently with soap and warm water containing a few drops of ammonia. To remove any obstinate dirt from the surface, add more ammonia. Always wear rubber gloves for this work.

To restore faded or damaged antique pieces of painted furniture, scrape the paint down to the surface and fill any deep scratches or holes with plastic wood, or Polymer texturing paste. Rub the area with fine glass-paper and repaint, using matching artists’ oil colours. To achieve a matt finish, only use undercoat paint; cover it when dry with a good-quality matt varnish. Small areas of old paint texture can be matched by using white undercoat as a base. Apply matching colours with artists’ oil paint, which should always be a tone lighter than the original. When the paint dries, it should match the original tones. A varnish may be applied; however, it is best to varnish the entire area rather than the retouched area. This will give an overall even texture to your antique piece. New gloss may be a bit too shiny when dry; if so, rubbing it down gently with steel wool will give it that aged antique look.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Antiques

[tags]antiques[/tags]