One issue that is getting harder, however, is deciding which of my paints to use. I now have six colors:
Old White
Old Ochre
Graphite
Duck Egg Blue
Paris Grey
Chateau Grey
So, I had to make some color and treatment decisions immediately (although redo's are doable - but I prefer not to waste product or time if not necessary). There were several factors I evaluated to make this decision:
1) Level of Detail on Piece
When a piece has a lot of detail in the wood (e.g., curves, carvings), it makes sense to use either one color of paint over the other (allowing the first coat to show through in crevices and other places) or to use dark wax over light (the dark slips into the crevices) - both techniques really show off the details in the wood.
2) Fabric Available
I have MANY fabrics in my inventory and these type of pieces do not require a lot but I do want to make sure that the ASCP treatment can be complemented with a good piece of fabric - particularly if I have one in mind.
3) Likelihood of Popular Interest
Since I sell my items on-line (eBay and through my website link to site, I want to make sure that the piece appeals to a broader audience (than just me)! So far, I have sold three pieces of my ASCP completed chair selection. This is not easy to judge but something I must certainly consider.
So, my production line is set up in my garage (I'm also painting a coat-rack in graphite but it's not that interesting).
Here's a TIP that I learned the hard way:
When working on an upholstered piece, remove as much of the fabric touching the wood as possible so you can get clean lines - minimally you want to take off piping and sometimes remove part of the cushion if it attached and rubbing up against the wood.
Even though all of the ASCP adheres well to just about anything, I always do a good cleaning first and use a great cleaning product (with steel wool or cloth) - Goof Off! It takes off not just grime, dirt and old paint but also that awful "smoke stain" that is often present in older pieces that were at some times in their long lives in a smoking environment - you would be amazed at how much of this is often on old piece of furniture.
So today, I finished one coat on each piece and did a slight of amount of second coating on the old French chair because I wanted to make sure that the white coat is clean and will show well once the duck blue is used as the second coat. I may change my mind about the Paris Grey for the tall chair - I just am not sure how it will work.
That's the end of Part I - with photos of chairs at this point.
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