DIY: The Coin Vase

A common misconception these days is that DIY is mainly pursued to fix or build things. What people forget is that there a few things you can do to improve upon an object or parts of your house, either for appearance or functionality purposes. If you have been following our Facebook page, you would have noticed that we at Black & Decker are on a mission to convert shoppers into what we like to call, DIY-ers.

Stop buying and start making. That is our philosophy and this week we are going to show you how to glam up an old vase. Many of you will say that most vases are already decorative and very pleasing to look at.

Well, if you have owned one you would know that after a few years the same design can get a little boring and it will soon defeat the very purpose it was bought for (To please your taste). Follow these steps and we guarantee a smile with a tilted head at the end of it.

What you will need

• An old and boring vase
• Lots of coins, about 100 to be on the safe side
• Black acrylic paint. Nothing too glossy
• A strong adhesive

The procedure

1. First, paint the entire vase with the black acrylic paint. Once it has dried, give it another coat.
   
2. Leave it for a while until the vase is completely dry.
   
3. This next step requires you to get the coins out and stick them next to each other, moving all the way around the vase, like this.
   
   
   
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4. Once you have covered the entire area with coins, you need to let the glue dry.
   
5. Once the glue is dry and you are sure that none of the coins will fall off, the next step is to find a spot to place this vase and fill it with flowers or potpourri.
   
   

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As simple as that

That was simple enough. For more great home improvement ideas, follow us on Facebook and bookmark this page. We will be back next week.

Protect Your Home’s Exterior

Weatherly Woes

As the saying goes, “The first impression is the best impression.” The same applies for your house; the interior maybe well organised and clean but if the outside of your home is dirty and worn out because of the weather, then it may leave the wrong impression amongst your guests. Rain, wind and sun can cause excessive amounts of damage if preventive measures are not taken. The paint will start chipping, doors and windows begin to creak and in a worst-case scenario, you may end up with a leaky ceiling.

With problems such as these, finding someone to fix them for you, who’ll come on time and won’t charge you excessively is going to be the real task.

Protective Measures

Now, there are ways that you will help you avoid using your life savings to fix your house. The concept of #DIY shall save you the hassle of chasing up workers, overpaying for mediocre work and you’ll learn a few things on the way. Not to forget the joy and fun involved in doing it yourself!

·         In case of a leaky roof, use a waterproof paint that contains a “membrane’ forming function. This will prevent water infiltration and should keep the rain out of your room.

·         Paint the exterior of your house with high quality weather proof paint once every two and half years and then once every five to six years after that. It’s a simple logic, the more number of coats, the better protection you’ll get.

·         For creaky windows and doors, oil the hinges regularly but if it’s too late for oil (You’ll know when oiling doesn’t help at all) change the hinges.

Black & Decker Knows Best

These are just a few things you can try and all the tools that you will require are available on leading online stores across the country. Check out our website www.blackanddeckerindia.in and see which one suits your needs the best.

Keep an eye out on this blog as we’ll be putting up more #DIY tips and tricks in coming weeks.

Till then Happy #DIY !

Which type of paint should you use? - Black & Decker, India

When setting out to try that first DIY painting job, it can be tough to decide the type of paint to use. We would usually want the paint we choose to be long lasting and durable, as well as attractive to the eye. Here is some useful information to help a beginner decide on which type of paint to go with:

Distempers: This is the basic and economical variety of water-based paint available in all brands. It is a good choice for a budget project, or an area where you anticipate a re-painting every few months anyway such as for a rental home. It is not very durable in the long run and walls painted with distemper cannot be effectively cleaned by wiping.

Emulsions: This is also a water-based paint, but it is much more durable and gives a lovely finished look to the walls. The reason for the improved durability is its acrylic quality. These walls can be wiped easily with a damp cloth to remove minor stains. Most companies have special types of emulsions as a good choice for exteriors.

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Enamel: Enamel and Lustre paints are solvent based and are used for surfaces such as metal and even wood especially doors in the house. They are long lasting, but can be really strong smelling and it is not advised for someone with allergies to stay close to the painting area when using this variety.

Functional: This is a specialized variety of paints that can be used for specific functions such as insect or germ control. This can be a very useful option to control fungal growth, as well as for creating a safe area for people with allergies.

Other than the varieties, you can also create an exclusive effect based on the texture and finish that you choose. Whatever the type of paint, the RapidRoller from Black & Decker makes it easy for you to apply multiple coats with ease. For this and other products, do check out our website: http://www.blackanddeckerindia.in