Friday 31 October 2008

Floor sanding

Under most carpets or badly laid laminate flooring are beautiful old floorboards which, with a bit of love, can breath new life into a room. In this Brighton property I sanded and finished the bathroom floor with a gloss varnish. In the bedroom I sanded and finished with a paste wax. I sometimes remove the skirting before sanding and then re-skirt afterwards, but as the skirting in this property was original we decided to leave it.






Wednesday 29 October 2008

Iroko bench



So far this week I have made an Iroko bench seat for a Brighton back garden. The concrete base was already in place so I built the seat to fit it. The whole thing was assembled in the workshop so on-site fitting only took half an hour or so. It would have been a very simple job but I wanted the back to lean back at an angle so it felt more comfortable to sit on. This made the mitres in the corner a bit trickier than they would have otherwise been. I think it was worth the extra work though.
Iroko is a great timber for exterior use. Like teak, it has natural oils which protect it from rotting. It is sometimes referred to as "poor man's teak" but is a very good substitute at half the price! The quite strong yellow colour you see in the picture will darken over time to a rich golden brown.

Thursday 23 October 2008

Boy's room



I've just gone back to a Brighton property where I fitted some units last week. A room in the house had been set aside as a refuge for the husband and his boy's toys! There were games consoles, records, record deck and DVDs etc. The clients wanted a modern feel so I came up with this design which looks quite clean and simple.
The shelves on the wall are "floating" rather than being on battens. All the doors are touch to open and a record deck pulls out of the middle unit on heavy duty full extension drawer runners. When not in use the record drawer slides out of sight and everything is kept neat and tidy.
Some carpenters forget about electrics when fitting jobs like this. I like to work with the customer to make sure any wires or plug sockets are properly moved or hidden away to make the job as professional as possible. This job has access behind all the units so the clients can run wires and plugs where ever they are needed. I once saw a job where someone had cut a hole in the corner of a cupboard door to trail a TV aerial out! Awful!!
I've got allot more examples of cabinet work like this at the Blue Sky Brighton Carpenters website. Click here to go straight to my portfolio.

Tuesday 21 October 2008

Brighton Carpenter

Just a reminder you can click here to visit the Blue Sky Brighton Carpenters website and view our full portfolio of carpentry and joinery services.

Walnut coffee table



The coffee table is almost done. It's having a leather upholstered top so I'm just waiting for that and it can be delivered. I think the simple design works really well. Underneath the table are small feet which give the impression the piece is floating just off the floor. Like the sideboard it has been finished with danish oil. Blue Sky Brighton Carpenters carry out a full finishing service from staining, painting and distressing to lacquering and high gloss spraying.

Monday 20 October 2008

The Guild of Master Craftsmen


Blue Sky Brighton Carpenters have been a member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen for over a year now. The Guild of Master Craftsmen supports and promotes excellence. Their rigorous selection procedure ensures the highest standards. The Guild’s emblem and Coat of Arms represent skill, integrity, quality and service. click here for more information.

Brighton Carpenter

If you need a carpenter in Brighton click here to contact me

Friday 17 October 2008

Walnut sideboard ready for delivery.. might need a bigger van though!


The sideboard is all done. I'm really pleased with it and I've sent pictures to the client and she is delighted! It's been given the first of three coats of Danish oil to bring out the richness of the walnut, it almost looks like chocolate!
The four doors on the unit are on "push to open" catches meaning you touch the door and it springs open. Knobs or handles would ruin the look of a unit like this.
The client has also asked for a walnut coffee table to be designed and built. that will the next job. Glad it's friday though, I'm knackered!

Thursday 16 October 2008

Drawers in...


The walnut sideboard is coming along nicely! It has eight drawers in it. I am using those fancy soft close runners which glide the drawer gently back into position even if you slam it shut... nice touch.

Brighton Carpenter

Just a reminder you can visit the Blue Sky Brighton Carpenters website and view our full portfolio of carpentry and joinery services. From the Blue Sky Brighton Carpenters website you can also contact us for a free no obligation quote.

Check it out!

www.bluesky-brightoncarpenter.co.uk

Wednesday 15 October 2008

Walnut sideboard


This weeks job has been an order for a property near Brighton station. The client is having her kitchen extended and she wants a 3 metre long sideboard as the main feature in the room. It is a really nice job. Walnut is a lovely wood to work with and the scale of the unit is going to be really impressive. It should be done by the end of the week and I will post pictures of the finished job.

Monday 6 October 2008

Audio storage unit



I normally work around Brighton and Hove but this customer contacted me from Hampton Court in London (quite posh!) She wanted a solid oak audio unit. I designed a unit which looked like a solid chunk of wood with no handles or knobs. There are nine drawers for storing cd's and dvd's. When you touch each panel a drawer pops open and when you push the drawer it clicks shut. I think it looks quite cool... might make one for my place!

Brighton Carpenter

If you need a carpenter in Brighton click here to contact me