miy photo decor,

Miy Photo Decor
C r e a t i o n s & I n s p i r a t i o n s
"f o r t h e p u r e j o y o f m a k i n g t h i n g s"

Miycreations Project article and photographs
by Maddylane

Miy Photo Decor:
Bathroom cabinet doors - Revamped with Lighthouse images

Getting creative with your travel and vacation capture!
Create and decorate using your summer vacation capture, and keep that
summer feeling all year round!
Transforming bathroom cabinet doors with lighthouse images for a Nautical
Bathroom.

This is an ideal concept for a transitional decor, it liven up the boys bathroom. The
bathroom was all black, the bathtub, the sink, everything!!! So this is a great was to add
fun and colour until we renovate it all. Then the door photos panels can be used as wall
art! The power bathroom has a Paris photo theme, but done in a different way. Will show
you that project an other time.

Hands-on time: Week-end project.
Total time: Plus drying time for the stain, varnish, and the epoxy coating.
Skill: Moderate.
Project cost: Under $60.00 for the supplies (excluding the door panels).

Materials & tools:

• Bathroom wooden panel doors (I did four standard size)
• Screwdriver
• Sandpaper (medium and fine grit), electric sander and a tack cloth
• Minwax Water-Based Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
• Minwax Water-Based Wood Stain (Island Blue)
• Paint tray and stir sticks
• 3 Sponge brushes and clean lint-free cloths
• Minwax Polycrylic clear gloss protective finish
• Red and white acrylic paint
• An angle artist paintbrush (6 cm to 1.6 cm, depending on the moulding width)
• Painter’s tape, tape measure, pencil
• 4 pictures printed on tabloid-size paper
• Scissors, a straight-edged steel ruler and a craft knife
• Spray adhesive, 3M Super 77
• Vitra-Laque kit, a clear epoxy coating
• A disposable foil container (or an empty clean can), an old measuring cup
• Latex gloves and protective eyewear
• White braided nylon rope (4.8 mm x 6 m), a glue gun and sticks

(Materials for this project are available at arts, crafts, and at hardware stores.)

My lighthouse vacation pictures inspired me to incorporate them in my boy’s bathroom,
which already has a nautical theme. Using tabloid-size pictures is an original way to
revamp plain cabinet doors. The panels are first stained with a colourful water-based
stain, and then they are protected with an epoxy coating to achieve a super high-gloss
finish. This is an ideal finish for a boy’s bathroom, because it is easy to clean and perfect
for such high-traffic area.

Remove the door panels, hinges and handles and set the hardware pieces aside in a jar
or bowl.

Clean the surface of the panels. I used an electric sander to remove the old paint. If your
panels have several coats of paint, perhaps you will need to strip them first. Wipe away
the sanding dust with a tack cloth. To ensure colour uniformity, apply the pre-stain base
coat, which will dry in three to five minutes.

I applied an island blue water-based stain to all four door panels. I like using water-based
stains because they are odourless and easy to use as well as clean up. To ensure colour
consistency, mix the stain well before applying. Brush on one even coat of stain using a
foam brush to the frame only, not on the moulding trim or the centre panel. Be sure to
wear latex gloves while working with the stain. Allow the stain to permeate the surface for
three minutes. Wipe off stain with a clean cloth in direction of the grain. Let dry two hours
before applying a second coat, or three hours before applying the protective finish.

Apply three coats of clear gloss water-based protective finish on the stained areas only,
letting dry between each application (about two hours).

Apply painter’s tape around the opening of the door panels. Apply two coats of white paint
on the centre panel. Once the panels are dry, apply two coats of red acrylic paint to the
moulding trim.

Have your high-resolution pictures printed on tabloid-size paper. Cut the print-outs to fit
the centre of each door panel.

In a well-ventilated area, apply spray adhesive to the back of a print-out (do one at a time)
and fit it on the centre panel. Pat the picture down, smoothing the surface with your hands.

Wearing protective gloves and eyewear, mix equal parts of the Vitra-Laque ACTIVATOR
and RESIN in a heat-resistant container. (I used 8 oz of each, which was sufficient to cover
the four panels.) Stir continuously for about three minutes. Use a sponge brush to apply
the coating directly over each picture panel. To remove tiny air bubbles, lightly blow over
the panel and watch the bubbles disappear. Repeat steps for the remaining panels. Allow
6 to 12 hours for the coating to dry and harden completely. Once the coating is dry,
remove the painter’s tape.

Apply a nylon rope trim around the inside of the moulding of each picture panel using a
glue gun.

Fasten the hinges and the door panels back into place.

MIY Safety tip: Once the Vitra-Laque is mixed, it is dangerous to leave it near a heat
source. Exercise caution when handling. Do not dispose product in sewers or sink. Use
disposable tools.

MIY Variations: Use your children’s art work or various photographs done in the same
manner to create fabulous decorated door panels for storage cupboards in a playroom or
family room. You can even transform old cabinet doors into unique wall art.