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Redoing woodwork and new skylights in 1920's bungalow

15 years ago

I am eyeing redoing the woodwork in my little cottage - while unpainted, the previous owners (of whom there were many) globbed paint on all surfaces. The cottage has the original doors, which I love, and some of ok, others not in great condition at all! I haven't a clue what to do to finish them. The doors have the original knobs which apparently locked, however there is no key for any of them. I've included pics, any idea (a) what type of wood this is (b) What finish this is (it's a matt almost type), and (c) how do I go about cleaning these up? Do I have to strip all the woodwork? Big job, but I want it to look nice. Some of the paint is EVERYWHERE lol.

Here is the baseboard - they drilled a HOLE through it to run a phone cable (which then ran all through the heating ducts!!!!)

[IMG]http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z143/NurseKathleen/DSC04111.jpg[/IMG]

Just a sample of the paint jobs of years gone by:

[IMG]http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z143/NurseKathleen/DSC04113.jpg[/IMG]

More damaged trim:

[IMG]http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z143/NurseKathleen/DSC04112.jpg[/IMG]

You can see the paint splashed on the edges here. This door is pretty good shape, not all are as lucky:

[IMG]http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z143/NurseKathleen/DSC04118.jpg[/IMG]

We had new skylights put in (old ones were leaking). These are in the upstairs attic, which was gutted and redone in the '80's. The trim is unfinished wood. Should I stain it, or paint it? Trim will be white in this room.

[IMG]http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z143/NurseKathleen/DSC04122.jpg[/IMG]

Another view of room:

[IMG]http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z143/NurseKathleen/DSC04121.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks in advance!

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Comments (9)

nursekathleen
Original Author
15 years ago
Ok, I have no idea why my pics are not working :(
powermuffin
15 years ago
I think if you go to photobucket and click on the html img, it will copy the image. Then when you create you message here just right click and paste it into the body of your post. When you preview, you should be able to see it.

Diane
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From what you've said, I'm guessing the best solution for you is to figure out what is really bugging you, and address that with the least possible work for the short term. Either match the grubby patches with the creamy colour, or paint it all so it matches the addition. You are in the busiest years of your life! You'll have more time later. Later, figure out what you want to do in the long term. Do it later. The only thing you want to avoid now is doing anything irreversible - like removing and discarding all the old moulding. Remove by all means, if that's what it takes to keep you sane, but don't discard! If your moulding has a nice profile, it is worth stripping even if you are going to repaint. Even if it is flat board, it's probably lovely old-growth wood, so give a future owner a chance even if you don't want to see it. You cannot strip "some" of the paint - it's pretty much all or nothing. But there is nothing forcing you to accept wood frames if you strip. Just clear-coat or shellac before you put more paint on, so a future owner can go that direction if desired. I have been living for 20 years with just the kind of paint you describe. Globby, put over unsanded filler, and drippy. Unbelievable that anyone could paint like this! It's on doors, moulding, and wainscoting. Actually we removed a lot of the moulding, but not all, and have done a lot of stripping. So I had some un-framed doors and windows for a long time, but they are almost all done. We will eventually strip more (kids are now grown), and probably repaint some of it. There is so much to do if you have an old house while the kids are small, we have always done whatever bugs us the most, and the rest, you just promise yourself you'll do it someday. What I have found the worst is living with half finished jobs - finished or unfinished is almost easier, though of course you have to get through the transition. And you know, someday comes before you know it. Enjoy the kids, put the time into them! One thing I have discovered is that painting over the drips and globs and ridges softens the old paint, so for about a day or two after your paint dries, you can relatively easily cut, with a utility knife, the worst offenders. That's been a lifesaver upstairs, where the attic is all beadboard that I am NEVER going to strip. I'm assuming I'm dealing with both latex and oil layers when this happens, so I hope it works for you. Karin L
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User
15 years ago
I can't see your pictures, but if the wood has it's original finish, this is what I'd do - and do it when you can open a window because the alcohol stinks.

1. Get some denatured alcohol (Lowe's, Home Depot) and in an inconspicuous place, dab some on the wood with steel wool and rub. If the finish gets sticky and comes off, the finish is shellac. The alcohol won't take off the stain but with rubbing, the paint spots will also come off. If it doesn't come off, the finish is some sort of polyurethane.

2. If it's shellac, keep going along with the denatured alcohol and steel wool, using gobs of paper towel to wipe off the surface of the wood until the shellac and paint gobs are gone.

3. If you need to touch up stain, do it now after all shellac is off.

4. Shellac can be purchased at most paint stores and it comes in clear or amber or garnet. Most old wood was originally finished with it and around me, most was done in amber (orangish tint).

5. Once stain touch up is complete, just brush on new shellac. It is a bit glossy. I'd so multiple coats. Each new coat sort of melts the prior coat and the two coats adhere together. I'd do 3-4 coats, depending on the wear and tear the wood will get.

If your finish is poly, you'll need to use a different remover but I'm guessing you have shellac. This process isn't hard at all.
Rudebekia
15 years ago
I "renewed" the beautiful woodwork in my bungalow, slowly and painfully, but the end result was beautiful. The original shellac had "aligatored," and was daubed with paint splatters. Inch by inch, I sanded it down lightly and/or used a very small (eye glasses) flat head screw driver to "pick" away the paint dots. Then I restained it and put on a finish coat. Very tedious work (took some years to work all around the house) but beautiful end!
nursekathleen
Original Author
15 years ago
Ok, here's some of the pics using the html link:

AHA! Worked! Thanks!
powermuffin
15 years ago
Looks like your trim has a shellac finish. As Patser suggested, you can test with denatured alcohol. I had to strip paint off of my originally shellaced trim. That left most of the shellac. I used alcohol to clean it up and then I restained it. It turned out beautifully and really didn't take me that long. The alcohol leaves the wood looking very dull, but once you either re-shellac it or stain it, it will be beautiful again. I would finish one piece completely using the method of your choice - particularly if you have an inconspicuous piece of trim some where. Then once you have your test piece to your liking, you can complete the rest of your trim.
Diane
nursekathleen
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks! What kind of wood do you think it is? I haven't got a clue :)
jcin_los_angeles
15 years ago
We had keys made for all the doors in our 1910 house. There's a key and lock company here that will do that if you bring them one of the locksets. They make the lovely old skeleton looking keys. Now we can lock every door. It does come in handy sometimes.
sautesmom Sacramento
15 years ago
Wow, I LOVE that door! Why can't they make doors like that anymore?

Carla in Sac

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