Hey! I've decided to make my own hides/decor and wanted to share them 
.
I use:
- Foam panel from Lowes.
- Box cutter and non serated kitchen knife
- Skewer sticks / toothpicks
- Lighter
- Hot glue
- Non sanded grout (I initially used sanded grout, but due to the thickness it took forever to get into the crevices)
- Minwax Polycrylic
- Play sand
- Paint brushes
.
After getting an idea of what I wanted, I cut everything to size. Fixed the pieces into place with the skewers/toothpicks. Hot glued all pieces together (slid pieces off of the sticks and aligned them back on after glue was applied).
I filled any gaps between pieces with hot glue. I've seen people use spray foam - to each their own.
Apply two to three coats of grout (allowing to fully dry between coats). After getting the hang of it, I did the first two layers Non sanded, then the last layer sanded to add a bit of texture - but that's where the play sand comes into play anyway.
Then I did two coats of Minwax (I let it dry overnight before applying the next coat), three coats on the high traffic areas. I did this part in sections. I'd paint some on and then sprinkle play sand onto it before it began to dry.
And voila! Cheap, custom made decor!
.
I also made a ladder out of wooden dowels and twine (dollar tree) to connect the two hides together.
.
I'm working on another hide, a different ladder and about to finish a hammock crocheted from twine. Stay tuned!
.
I use:
- Foam panel from Lowes.
- Box cutter and non serated kitchen knife
- Skewer sticks / toothpicks
- Lighter
- Hot glue
- Non sanded grout (I initially used sanded grout, but due to the thickness it took forever to get into the crevices)
- Minwax Polycrylic
- Play sand
- Paint brushes
.
After getting an idea of what I wanted, I cut everything to size. Fixed the pieces into place with the skewers/toothpicks. Hot glued all pieces together (slid pieces off of the sticks and aligned them back on after glue was applied).
I filled any gaps between pieces with hot glue. I've seen people use spray foam - to each their own.
Apply two to three coats of grout (allowing to fully dry between coats). After getting the hang of it, I did the first two layers Non sanded, then the last layer sanded to add a bit of texture - but that's where the play sand comes into play anyway.
Then I did two coats of Minwax (I let it dry overnight before applying the next coat), three coats on the high traffic areas. I did this part in sections. I'd paint some on and then sprinkle play sand onto it before it began to dry.
And voila! Cheap, custom made decor!
.
I also made a ladder out of wooden dowels and twine (dollar tree) to connect the two hides together.
.
I'm working on another hide, a different ladder and about to finish a hammock crocheted from twine. Stay tuned!
