Installing photo murals inside the Aviary at Cornell
Estates in Hillsboro, OR.
The perimeter of the back walls in this custom built Aviary is 17'
6".
Since the eight panel Washington Wallcoverings
mural is only 12' 6" wide, we will be using two murals to span
the back walls.
The birds & tree branches were removed before my arrival.
The existing hand painted mural will be replaced
by two waterfall photo murals.
The first order of business is to repair any
damaged areas.
After the wall repairs were sanded smooth I primed
with Miller's Kril primer.
Ten years ago Kril primer was also packaged as Miller's Wallpaper
Primer. I elected to use it instead of Shieldz Wallpaper Primer
because it "hides" better.
With many residents passing through the hallway,
odor was a major concern. I did not want to use oil based primer.
There were however a couple "peekaboo" stains that bled
through the Kril primer. So I gave them a quick spray with Kilz
oil based primer to eliminate them. Hallway doors were closed &
two fans were used to force the air out the front doors.
Pro Tip:
MicroFiber towels are a lifesaver. They eliminate the small water
beads left behind after wiping paste off the face of the mural panels.
Don't leave home without them.
A laser level was used to scribe the level line
across the wall where the tops of the bottom row of panels will
be positioned.
After the bottom row of panels for the first photo
mural are installed, my laser level is used to project a plumb line
onto the wall. This helps me to match up the pattern & ensure
the top row of panels will not end up with an ever increasing gap
as I work toward the left side of the Aviary.
Standing outside the door you get a good view
of the dramatic transformation taking place. Only one more panel
and the left wall will be finished.
The second mural is started on the right wall.
We only need the first four panels to finish.
After installation, the murals are allowed to dry over night.
On day two the murals are sealed with GARDZ
primer/sealer. The first coat has been applied to this section.
It will dry clear & waterproof. This way any dive bombing
missions by the birds can be easily cleaned with a damp sponge.
This photo shows the "blush" that occurs
when GARDZ is applied to the non sealed mural. This means the mural
is absorbing moisture. GARDZ goes on translucent milky white. The
darker appearance on the wet mural will lighten once the primer/sealer
has dried.
As on day one, the hallway doors were closed and a fan used to minimize
the odor.
A second view from outside the door after the
first coat of GARDZ. A plastic bag was placed over the primer
bucket with the roller inside. This saved time by not having to
clean tools in between coats.
After allowing the first coat to dry for one hour,
a second coat of sealer is applied. Here you can see an expansion
bubble has appeared. Not to worry, it will contract & disappear
when the second coat dries.
The sealer will be allowed to dry over night
& gas off before the birds are returned.
The completed Aviary mural installation. I'm not
being facetious or upset when I say, "This job is for the
birds."
This was a really neat job that most paperhangers will never get
to do. I really enjoyed it.
