The Perpetual To Do List - Checked Off Today

I don't know if you are like me but I always have a perpetual "to do" list somewhere in my house or on my computer. Sometimes, it is even on my phone. 
 
This list sometimes has things on it for over a year. I usually don't like to do that but sometimes, life happen and it takes me some time to get to certain things. 

About a year ago, I purchased this chair at a second hand store. I had a few things that needed to be sprayed black and I stacked them on the chair and several times, had everything ready and the sprinklers would go off or it would start raining or I would get a call that someone needed me and it kept getting put off. The newspaper and the spray paint were even with the chair and other items needing painting. 

It just seemed like the fates conspired that I couldn't get this project done. I purchased something last week that needed painting and someone gave me something this week that needed painting so I finally pulled everything together and masked everything needing masking and sanded everything needing sanding and the weather was actually dry enough which it hasn't been for a few weeks. 

I was very glad about this and was also glad that I had the four cans of spray paint ready to go as I purchased them last year when an Ace hardware was going out of business near my sisters house. 

I was able to get them for about $3 a can verses the $6 or more for the brand name I used. 

I used to lay out newspaper and spray on the back cement pad but the over-spray got the cement painted in the past so for a few years now, I paint on the grass as it grows and next mow, there is no over-spray showing.

Once again, I forgot to take "before" pictures. I had to scrub and clean the chair before I could even paint it and also had to remove the little wooden plugs you can see I painted on the table picture.

Basically, you use a thin screwdriver or knife to remove the wooden plug/stopper and then you unscrew the back and bottom of the chair. 

Sand the finish off if it is a gloss or varnished. I just scrubbed off any grime and then lightly sanded the entire chair.

I didn't need to mask anything on the chair and just sprayed an even two coats of black satin spray paint on the chair. 

After it has dried sufficiently, you screw the seat back on and push the little plugs back into cover the screw holes. However, if you want to "recover" the chair seat, you can purchase fabric and add some padding or batting if you want. Use a staple gun to put the fabric onto the wooden seat and then screw it back onto the chair.  Click here to see how I did it with a bench.  

Click here for part two of this where I sanded and painted the bench. 

I purchased this dining room table set at a second hand store for $100 for the entire set. It was missing one chair from the set so when we have company, we use a piano bench for the empty spot but I have been looking for a chair that was a similar style for about ten years now. 

I found this one for four dollars or so last year and am glad to finally have it finished. This is a picture of what our table looked like without the new chair. I took a picture with the new chair but I think I am going to put it on the far side of the table so that the matching chairs will be on the side you see upon entering the room.   
 
I wanted to mention that the best way to paint the little plugs is to put them onto masking tape. I wish I had taken a picture before I took it off the tape. I have lost small items in the past when refinishing them so I have learned that using tape when storing or painting items is the best way to keep them all together. It worked wonders and you don't have to touch them to paint them.
 
It is a little smaller than the other chairs but at least is is a similar style. I am grateful to have gotten it painted and to have enough chairs for everyone now that our family is growing. Not a bad looking set for $104. I am greatly blessed.