Freshen Your Front Entry

Enhance your home's curb appeal with these great tricks.

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  • Freshen Your Front Entry

    After 

    To age brass hardware, it is necessary to soak it in a lacquer thinner to remove the clear finish.

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  • Freshen Your Front Entry

    Before

Aged Details
For door hardware, an overnight bath in lacquer thinner will remove the clear coating on brass that prevents tarnishing. Next, use very fine steel wool to remove any lingering sealant. Finally, rub the brass with brass darkening solution. This is a great way to give inexpensive hardware a timeless look.

Stylish Stoop
The homeowners also wanted a quick fix to mask their unattractive concrete stoop. Removing it would be too expensive for their budget, so Jody gave it a fresh look with paint.

She first cleaned the surface with a solution of water and bleach to kill any mildew, allowing it to dry for several days. (This is important. If the stoop wasn't completely dry, the paint would bubble and not fully adhere.)

Jody painted the top of the stoop a rich chocolate color and allowed it to dry. Then she taped off a diamond pattern and painted the design black.

Before giving the stoop a final coat of marine varnish, Jody lightly sanded the entire surface to enhance the aged appearance. Allow each layer to dry thoroughly before moving on to the next.


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