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    • Paint playhouse: Scandi style garden house

    From Heidi to Scandinavian style: DIY artist Aneta completely redesigned the children’s garden playhouse. Larger windows, new paint, a small wooden terrace and a hanging chair – we show you, how you too can repaint your playhouse. Aneta has decided against painting the playhouse – and wants to spray paint instead. In addition to the new colour scheme, she also changes some design elements and rebuilds the garden playhouse a little. Aneta chose a chic grey colour for her little house – subtle, restrained, Scandinavian style.

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    You will need:

    • sufficient paint(s) of your choice
    • Respirator mask, safety goggles, gloves
    • Painter’s masking tape and masking film, cardboard for covering

    If, like Aneta, you want to change more than the children’s playhouse-colour:

    • Jigsaw or small circular saw
    • Cordless screwdriver
    • Wood for new roof beams, window frames or the frame for a hanging chair

    Attention: Look at the manufacturer’s instructions for your varnish or wood stain and check whether you can spray the wood paint. Also, make sure to choose protection that is suitable for outdoor use! It is also best to use a paint that is absolutely safe for the environment and your children.

    And this is how you paint the playhouse in Scandi style:

    Step 0 of 5: Do you want to convert something? Then now is the time!

    Step 0: Do you want to convert something? Then now is the time!

    Aneta has taken the opportunity to change not only the look but also details of the construction. She enlarged the windows, unscrewed the flower boxes and shutters and also replaced the decorative roof beams: She unscrewed the old ones with the wave cut, which reminded her of a chalet, and cut new boards with straight lines in the Scandinavian style.

    Tip: If you work with the circular saw or jigsaw, don’t forget to sand the edges well afterwards and wipe the dust off the wood surface afterwards.

    Step 1 of 5: Getting ready

    Step 1: Getting ready

    If there are decorations on the outside of the house, unscrew them – in Aneta’s case these are flower boxes and shutters. Then tape off everything that you do not want to spray with paint. Take out the window panes, i.e. the Plexiglas, then you can stick film in the hole from the inside so that no paint accidentally gets inside. Sand the playhouse to roughen the surface and remove any dirt and paint residue.

    Step 2 of 5: Prepare the paint and fill into the paint sprayer

    Step 2: Prepare the paint and fill into the paint sprayer

    Now it depends on what you spray: A stain so that the grain of the wood can still be seen through the tint, a thick-layer stain or an opaque varnish? As a rule, stains are thinner, so you do not need to dilute them. Varnishes, on the other hand, can be sprayed better if you dilute them by about 10 % with water. To do this, fill your paint into the paint container and take the stirring stick: Place it vertically in the filled paint container and fill up to the next notch with water.

    Step 3 of 5: Adjust spray system

    Step 3: Adjust spray system

    Screw the paint container onto the paint sprayer and now adjust the material and air volume. Test the spray on a piece of cardboard first. Does it come out nice and even? There are no visible paint blobs or droplets? If you are not satisfied, test thoroughly until you are and have achieved a smooth spray finish.

    Step 4 of 5: Painting the playhouse

    Step 4: Painting the playhouse

    Now it’s time to paint the playhouse! To protect the rest of your garden, hold a larger piece of cardboard against the edge of the wooden house. This will prevent the wood stain or varnish from landing somewhere other than on the surface you want to paint.

    Move at a consistent speed, always at right angles to the surface. Start the movement first and then pull the trigger of the sprayer. In contrast to the application with roller and brush, you only need one application of the paint – there is no need for a second coat!

    Step 5 of 5: Playhouse paint dry? Time for more new things!

    Step 5: Playhouse paint dry? Time for more new things!

    After the paint has dried on the children’s playhouse, Aneta gets to work on the final improvements: She installs window frames with plexiglass panels – they have a hinge so that the children can even open the windows.

    She replaces the paving slabs in front of the house with a small wooden decking. She also builds a stylish frame for the hanging chair from some wooden struts and two cross struts, which she can hang from it.

    The result

    What you need to pay attention to when coating wood

    For light accents, Aneta has left the frame for the hanging chair and the window frames in natural wood. For longer durability, however, you should also coat this wood – for example, by spraying a clear preservative with your paint sprayer for wood protection! Untreated wood is highly susceptible to weathering influences such as moisture and UV radiation as well as fungi, algae and other pests. By applying a wood preservative you protect the wood from damage and enjoy it longer!

    icons8 information

    What actually is the Scandi style?

    "Scandi style" is the short word for Scandinavian design. This style has been around since the 50s and is characterized by functionality, clean lines, subtle colors and natural materials. Overall very minimalist, there are usually only a few accents, but they have all the more impact. With IKEA, it has also become apparent that there is more to Scandinavian design than just a stylistic direction: namely, the attitude that it should be accessible to all. This is also reflected in the fact that it is easy to build yourself! If we compare it, for example, with the sprawling flourishes of Baroque and Rococo, a straightforward and sober Scandi-style piece is perfect to recreate - even for beginners!

    Tip: To extend play and fun for the children, you can build a mud kitchen yourself from pallets and match it in colour to the playhouse.

    "Scandi style" is the short word for Scandinavian design. This style has been around since the 50s and is characterized by functionality, clean lines, subtle colors and natural materials. Overall very minimalist, there are usually only a few accents, but they have all the more impact. With IKEA, it has also become apparent that there is more to Scandinavian design than just a stylistic direction: namely, the attitude that it should be accessible to all. This is also reflected in the fact that it is easy to build yourself! If we compare it, for example, with the sprawling flourishes of Baroque and Rococo, a straightforward and sober Scandi-style piece is perfect to recreate - even for beginners!

    Tip: To extend play and fun for the children, you can build a mud kitchen yourself from pallets and match it in colour to the playhouse.

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    W 590 FLEXiO

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    For spraying the children's playhouse, Aneta uses the W 590 FLEXiO Universal Sprayer from WAGNER. This device can process almost all types of wood sealers and primers.

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    Spraying woodstain: Guide & tips

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    Why spraying is better

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    With a paint sprayer, it’s incredibly easy to apply the material evenly and to cover the entire surface. The end result is a smooth and even layer of paint. When using a brush, brush marks tend to appear.

    To the explanation