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Hula Sue's South Seas Hideaway |
Mr. Pupu Pants
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 332
From: Edmonds, WA
|  Posted: 2009-02-10 1:24 pm Permalink
Thanks for the 15 cents Woofmutt. I really appreciate it.
Mainly I was just wondering if there was some magic or 'secret sauce' recipes of coatings that have been used for that effect in the past (without recreating the wheel, if you know what I mean).
I guess I'll have to take this one to the boys (me) down at the lab (my basement). 
Thanks again.
[ This Message was edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2009-02-10 13:25 ]
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GatorRob
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 20, 2004
Posts: 1766
From: 3 hrs 33 mins to paradise
| Posted: 2009-02-10 3:15 pm Permalink
I can tell you what we did to "nicotine" age the lahala for our room. This came after many trials (and errors) with several products and at different mixtures. The winning combo we came up with was a 12-to-1 mix of poly to stain. Specifically, we used Minwax Red Mahogany stain and Minwax Clear Gloss poly. The goal was to give the lahala a rich, leathery feel like you'd get after decades of smokers. But without the smell.
As for applying it, since we had a lot to do, we tried spraying it on with a garden sprayer, but the poly kept gumming it up and it didn't spray evenly anyway. We stayed clear of a brush to avoid brush strokes, so we decided to go the most labor intensive route (because we have nothing better to do I guess) and hand rubbed the mixture on with soft rags. We could get it in all the nooks and crannies that way. We went pretty light with it and wiped all the excess off. Didn't want to darken it too much.
Here's a swatch of untreated lahala held up against a treated wall. The hand model is my lovely wife. The "unaged" lahala is rather flat, lifeless. The treated lahala takes on a deeper tone and has a light gloss to it (exaggerated by the flash).
Here's a shot (flash again so you can see -- not a glamor shot) of part of the room so you can see the lahala color across a wall. The ceiling is a different material that is darker than the walls. I think it turned out pretty good. We're still in construction on the room. Lots more to put up on the walls and ceiling.
[ This Message was edited by: GatorRob 2009-02-10 16:54 ]
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TabooDan
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 18, 2004
Posts: 641
From: BC, Canada
| Posted: 2009-02-10 3:53 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-02-10 15:15, GatorRob wrote:
I can tell you what we did to "nicotine" age the lahala for our room. This came after many trials (and errors) with several products and at different mixtures. The winning combo we came up with was a 12-to-1 mix of stain to poly. Specifically, we used Minwax Red Mahogany stain and Minwax Clear Gloss poly. The goal was to give the lahala a rich, leathery feel like you'd get after decades of smokers. But without the smell.
As for applying it, since we had a lot to do, we tried spraying it on with a garden sprayer, but the poly kept gumming it up and it didn't spray evenly anyway. We stayed clear of a brush to avoid brush strokes, so we decided to go the most labor intensive route (because we have nothing better to do I guess) and hand rubbed the mixture on with soft rags. We could get it in all the nooks and crannies that way. We went pretty light with it and wiped all the excess off.
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That's a good tip GatorRob! Great way to age the matting.
That's also a very cool looking room!!
Awesome job!
TabooDan
[ This Message was edited by: TabooDan 2009-02-10 15:54 ]
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Mr. Pupu Pants
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 332
From: Edmonds, WA
| Posted: 2009-02-10 4:21 pm Permalink
Thank you Rob!! (and that lovely hand model of yours)!
I was thinking of something along those lines but thank you very much for allowing me to benefit from your creativity, hard work and experimentation
You sir, are an officer and a gentleman (and your wife should go 'pro' with the hand-modeling
Thanks again!
One question: did you try any other poly finishes (Satin, etc.) or was the gloss just right and you didn't feel the need?
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GatorRob
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 20, 2004
Posts: 1766
From: 3 hrs 33 mins to paradise
| Posted: 2009-02-10 4:53 pm Permalink
Honestly I'm not sure if we tried the satin. I have some so maybe we did. We did lots of combinations! But I wanted a slight sheen to it. It's not overly glossy though. Looks great when there's a low level colored light source (and there are quite a few) near by. We tried several stains... Bombay Mahogany, Dark Walnut, Red Mahogany. Ultimately went with the latter to get that slightest hint if red in there. We sanded and stained all the bamboo too. That's another time killer.
Oh! I just re-read my original post and noticed I got the mix backwards. It's 12 parts poly to 1 part stain. Not the other way around! Otherwise your lahala would come out REAL dark. When the hand model comes home, I'll double check with her, but I'm 99% sure that's correct. I'll go edit my other post now...
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rocktiki
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jan 28, 2008
Posts: 11
From: Atlanta GA
| Posted: 2009-02-24 1:39 pm Permalink
I love this place. I really wish I had a space to do that. You are doing a great job and I can't wait to see it finished. Keep up the good work.
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palapala
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 15, 2006
Posts: 240
From: Hale'a'Kenmore, Wash
| Posted: 2009-02-24 8:10 pm Permalink
Aloha MR.3P,
I was wondering, how did you do your "Magic Hour" night sky?
I am doing a Diorama (volcano with a mist fogger and lava river, palm trees, huts, cannibal pot with boiling Barbie's),in the overhang out side the window of the "poi Dog Paradise".
I have some cheezy fake bamboo window blinds that I am putting some midnight blue outdoor fabric over, & I want to do stars on them. I was thinking of rhinestones for their reflective value with some lights shined on them...any other Ideas?
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Mr. Pupu Pants
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 332
From: Edmonds, WA
| Posted: 2009-03-18 01:03 am Permalink
Aloha my friends! Got a few pictures of the entrance to post.
To do: lava rock with 'natural' sills for tropical flowers creeping down the lower third of the wall as you come down the stairs, staining the lighter tiki to match the darker one, aged planks for surfacing the steps, and more.
To do: Torches wired to be lit, sconce on wall, etc.
To do: Dimly lit evening sky (curved graduated, painted MDF surface lit with colored flourescent tube) with several stars (fiber-optics) and/or moon showing through the 'hole' in the awning (evening light from this hole will also be directed to light the Hula Sue's sign that will hang at the center of the matting).
Here's an early one of the bar beginning to take shape. The hula girl masthead will fit in a lit alcove under the bar at the corner.
More soon. Thanks again for the earlier comments!!
[ This Message was edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2009-03-18 01:17 ]
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leleliz
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Sep 02, 2008
Posts: 1981
From: NorCal
| Posted: 2009-03-18 10:01 am Permalink
Always love your updates. The room gets better and better and its always impressive. Looking forward to the next round of photos.
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Danno
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 17, 2004
Posts: 141
From: So Cal
| Posted: 2009-03-18 11:24 am Permalink
Ditto on leleliz's comments. Very, very nice!
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TIKIVILLE
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 22, 2008
Posts: 635
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
| Posted: 2009-03-18 11:39 am Permalink
keep posting the progress photos , very inspirational!
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machinelf
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 24, 2009
Posts: 13 | Posted: 2009-03-18 11:51 am Permalink
Absolutely incredible. This is exactly the sort of room I dream of having some day. Thanks so much for sharing your updates!
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Monkeyman
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 04, 2003
Posts: 2300
From: Vista, CA
| Posted: 2009-03-18 2:18 pm Permalink
That is really nice. Excellent job.
wow.
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Mr. Pupu Pants
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 332
From: Edmonds, WA
| Posted: 2009-03-18 6:52 pm Permalink
Thank you all very much. Your comments made my day.
Here are a few more pics from another corner of the room. I'm going to build a broken piece of curved airplane fuselage that fits into the sloped ceiling. I want it to look as though it were dragged up the beach and used as part of a wall for the 'hut'. There will be an overhead luggage rack with vintage luggage on it and a window with the old curtains, etc.
The seats I'm using came from an old art deco movie house. I'm going to add seatbelts and airline logo'd headrests. The seats will be raised on a platform to look like the broken floor of the aircraft with metal structural parts.
I have an old 'On Air' light that I'll use to make the 'Fasten your seatbelts' sign.
I think it'll work thematically with the rest of the room and particularly the 3D Hawaii travel map that will wrap around the back of the booth/hut in the opposite corner (shown in an earlier post).
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leleliz
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Sep 02, 2008
Posts: 1981
From: NorCal
| Posted: 2009-03-18 7:00 pm Permalink
Would you like to adopt me? I do windows and vacuum if that helps
Love the airplane idea.
Man this room is going to be so fantastic when its all done.
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