How To Finish Wood After Stripping Paint?

2 years ago

First time posting here, hope I’ve done it right :

This month I moved to a rental that is in pretty rough shape, with a classic lack-luster landlord. Soo, I’ve been doing a lot of things for the first time. Considering the state of the property, I figured I could do no real harm through my endeavors. Something I really wanted to do was paint..

In my room there are two paneled walls that I started to scrape paint drips off to prep for a new color, and it peeled to what seemed like cool wood. I really like wood. So naturally, I’ve started the project of paint stripping.

But! I need some feedback.. I think I’m in over my head. The section of panel in the photo is maybe 1/4 of the total project.

I think the stain stripped in some places.. its all uneven.. is there a way to even it out again? I figured I would give the wood a finish when i was done anyways, but I don’t know what outcomes are possible anymore..

I want to do a good job :—(

(ignore the trim, that is my last step)

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Comments (5)

klem1
2 years ago
Doing that would challenge a pro,if you find someone that tell's you how it's done,I'd like them to tell me how to dance. I've never been able to dance and don't have time for an instructor but would love to do the Viennese waltz if only someone will tell me how.
Fori
2 years ago
I don't think it's stained. I mean, it's stained, but by life and not intent. Is it just paneling or is it thick stuff?

You can sand splintery bits and try to even out the color with stain and seal it with a couple coats of polyurethane but I don't think it'll look like a formal paneled wall. I think it's destined to be rustic. But I think it can still look pretty good. But rustic. Because it IS.

I had an old house built out of wood once. The walls and ceiling were tongue and groove 10" x 3/4" thick planks. (The floor, oddly enough, was just typical tongue and groove heart pine with nothing else between you and the crawl space.) It was all covered with wallpaper except for the front rooms which had at some point been drywalled. This wood was not meant to be seen. It was rough, discolored, uneven, and gappy. I suspect yours is similar. (Pull off the lightswitch cover. Betcha got wood behind the drywall. That's why the door trim is embedded.)
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The finish is probably shellac. Shellac is used to apply a French polish finish. From the Wiki: "French polishing is a wood finishing technique that results in a very high gloss surface, with a deep colour and chatoyancy. French polishing consists of applying many thin coats of shellac dissolved in alcohol using a rubbing pad lubricated with oil. The rubbing pad is made of absorbent cotton or wool cloth wadding inside a square piece of fabric (usually soft cotton cloth) and is commonly referred to as a fad (also called a tampon or muÃÂ±eca, Spanish for "rag doll").[1] "French polish" is a process, not a material. The main material is shellac, although there are several other shellac-based finishes, not all of which class as French polishing. The finish is considered by many to be a beautiful way to finish highly figured wood, but it is also recognised to be fragile. It is softer than modern varnishes and lacquers and is particularly sensitive to spills of water or alcohol, which often produce white cloudy marks. However, it is also simpler to repair than a damaged varnish finish, as patch repairs to French polish may be easily blended into an existing finish." Shellac is made by dissolving dry lac flakes in alcohol(denatured for finishing---but a whiskey/vodka/etc. would also work). Acetone rapidly dissolves shellac. The age of the finish really does not matter(up to over 100 years). Look up a tutorial on shellac to find more.
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Gotta be careful with heat guns. I have one, and if the application I'm heating is attached to the house I use it on the low setting. Many a house has been burned down with a heat gun. There is the real potential it will blow a smoldering ember into a recessed area that eventually catches fire. I was talking about the quartz bulb infrared paint remover. Doesn't blow any potentially fire starting debris into nooks and crannies. I figured it might be an old apartment building. But I've seen old houses with that many layers of paint too. And always wondered when there was already too much paint on there, why even more was applied. It's not like it looks any better... Peel Away will get really expensive really fast. But, I cannot imagine heat stripping that much paint off of that much wood work. You'll need an assortment of different size scrapers and and arsenal of fresh blades. Because the first four layers of lead paint, the eight layers of non lead oil paint, and the 12 layers of latex paint will dull those blades fast. Before committing to peel away, try Citri Strip. It's a lot less expensive, and you can get it at Home Depot. From my experience it works pretty well.
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Teresa, I never post here. Rudeness seems to be the M.O. I was raised way better. i did a refresh on my very small galley kitchen. Repainted the cabinets, new hardware, ended up replacing the floor (big leak and mold) in that awful trendy grey wood look tile, and non stone (I used a lighter shade of wood look tile) counters. New appliances (cheap and black). No backsplash (what are those actually for anyway) other than the counter material going up about three inches. All together way less than $10,000. And my "art" comes from generic places too lol. DIYer is so not me. I am good at using my phone. I have an EXCELLENT handyman. Through Home Advisor. I also have used Handy for putting furniture together. i also lived in a very dysfunctional kitchen before my divorce. Raised seven children and entertained for all twenty five years. Parties of well over one hundred. In a very ordinary 1800 sq ft home. I miss every bit of that. I am glad you went ahead with YOUR plan. I hope to see photos soon!
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You can give it a good sanding, and fill in spots that have been nicked and then sand them smooth. Put on a good quality primer, that is a sealing bonding type primer. Once done, put on two coats of paint. Be sure to allow the proper drying time. I wouldnt change out good solid wood trim. Its also very expensive to change out and use new wood trim. It just needs the right prep, and it will paint up just fine.
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Brown Dog
2 years ago
I think you are taking on a really big challenge. Not sure you will want to take on the work for a rental property. But if you do, start by sanding with a power sander to get down to wood that is all the same colour. It looks like it’s already raw wood without any kind of varnish which is why it has aged unevenly. Once you think it’s all the same colour, figure out your stain. Put a bit of water on the surface to see what it will look like with no stain. If you like it go directly to a protective top coat like varnish or polyurethane or paste wax, etc. If not, choose a stain you like & go from there. If you find that the wood surface is still blotchy, you’ll have to take it back down to raw wood and start over again. If you go through all the steps and still find blotches and are unhappy with the result, you can always paint over. Not every wood was meant for staining. Good luck!
ci_lantro
2 years ago
Sanding should even out the color a lot.

I don't think that you will want to stain it after sanding.
bry911
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
First, please make sure that you get your landlord's permission for this. I once had a DIY tenant remove lead encapsulation paint. I was a bit less than thrilled by their project.

Next, @klem1, get ready for your dance lesson. If it is fairly old real wood paneling, then there is a fair chance it was lacquered.

So pick up some lacquer thinner and apply some to a small area and see if your coating gets workable again. If it does you can soften the areas around the spots to even them out. You will probably need a few new coats on top.

Be cautious as lacquer goes boom when near flames.

ETA: Having said that, I wouldn't go through that trouble for an old wall in a rental.

How To Finish Wood After Stripping Paint?

Comments (5)

klem1

Fori

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