Modern creative people can turn even the most ordinary and seemingly unattractive thing with their golden handles into a beautiful and original addition to the interior. We will talk about one such "work of art" in this article.
It will be about how to decorate a heating radiator. Usually these units come in light shades. But we will teach you how to decoupage the battery. Making a heating device in this technique is a new direction in needlework, but everyone can master it. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the information presented in our master class.
What do you need in order to decoupage the battery yourself?
To design a steel, aluminum radiator or the most ordinary cast-iron battery, you will need the materials indicated in the following list:
- rice paper with a pattern;
- solvent;
- white enamel (matte);
- acrylic colored paints;
- sand paper ;
- PVA glue;
- transparent heat-resistant varnish for decorative work;
- brushes of different sizes;
- rags, foam sponge;
- water.
Preparing the heater for reincarnation
Before you start decoupage the battery, you need to carry out a number of procedures with it. Wash it first with warm, soapy water. Clean corners and cavities especially carefully. This will be difficult to do with a rag, so we recommend that you use a foam sponge or a brush for washing dishes. The appliance should now dry completely.
The next step in preparing the battery is sanding. If you are working with an old cast-iron unit, then do not set yourself the goal of cleaning it completely from all layers of paint applied over many years of operation. This is almost impossible to do. It will be enough to remove the top layer and the places where the paint is peeling off. After this procedure, wipe the battery with a dry cloth. No particles of dust, old enamel, rust should remain on it. Now treat the unit with solvent. It will remove grease and dirt from the surface.
The next thing to do before decoupage the battery is to paint it white. Shine should not be present on it, so take the matte material to cover the device. When choosing a paint, give preference to oil enamel, which is thermally stable. Any other material may bubble under the influence of heat. Leave the battery to dry for about a day.
We make battery decoupage. Master Class
Take the general measurements of the unit and each section separately. Cut out the required dimensions from rice paper . During this procedure, be careful not to mix the elements. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to pick up a picture later.
Dilute PVA glue with water 1: 1. Attach one part of the paper blank to the heater section and attach it. How to do it? Dip a brush into the glue mass and apply it with smears on rice paper. Move from the middle of the section to the edges, carefully expelling excess air and leveling the folds. Thus decorate the entire surface of the battery.
The next stage of the work is the completion of the details. Most rice paper comes in a standard size - 34x100 centimeters. And if you glue all the elements exactly in the middle of the device, then unformed sections will remain on the top and bottom. To give the product a finished look, they will have to decorate with acrylic paints.
Those masters who have artistic inclinations can choose the right colors and shades and finish the continuation of the composition, which is made on rice paper. If this option is unacceptable to you, we suggest just painting the battery in a color that matches the decoupage material. Well, best of all, when preparing materials for work, buy two identical sets of rice paper or look for larger rolls.
The final stage
When the radiator is completely dry, cover it with one coat of varnish, and then another. Keep in mind that this material must be resistant to high temperatures and withstand heat up to 150 degrees. Do not touch the appliance until it is completely dry.
At this point, battery decoupage is considered completed. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this matter. Try it and you will succeed.