He's careful not to apply too much pressure: "Remove the finish, not the wood," he says. But when Thomas comes to the tiny curves and crevices around the panels, he reaches for his pull scrapers, dental tools, toothbrushes-anything that can get into the hard-to-reach places. WebberĪ dull scraper is the best tool for removing stripper-softened finish from flat panels. Step 3 Scrape down to the wood Photo by Wendell T.
#Easytime wood refinishing windows
(Dull means the finish underneath has liquefied.) He keeps all the windows open to allow any fumes to escape.
Using a wide natural-bristle brush, Thomas paints on a thick coat of commercial stripper, then lets it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, waiting for the surface to turn from glossy to dull.
Step 2 Strip the old finish Photo by Wendell T. If nothing comes up, it's an oil-based polyurethane or varnish. But if the finish softens and doesn't come off, it's a water-based polyurethane. Thomas assesses the finish on an inconspicuous area, such as a door edge (below), by rubbing it with denatured alcohol. Step 1 Test the finish Photo by Wendell T. Here's a look at how he strips, seals, colors, and varnishes to give vintage woodwork a fresh face. But at this house, an earlier refinishing left the door panels blotched and uneven, so Thomas's only recourse is to remove the existing coatings and get back to the original material. In such cases, if the finish is intact, the best way to revive it is with a simple cleaning. These finishes also helped to hide lesser-quality or poorly matched woods. But in the late Victorian era, when this house was built, says Thomas, "The middle class who bought these places wanted their rooms to look like they'd been paneled in mahogany, a wood within the means of only the very wealthy." As a result, most woodwork was given a dark finish that obscured its natural grain and color. Karen and Kevin's place is filled with fine woods-solid bird's-eye maple, quartersawn oak, and cherry-that today are considered quite valuable.
#Easytime wood refinishing tv
The couple's home, a TOH TV project, has some glorious but long-neglected woodwork. Wood finisher John Thomas is doing just that at the 1904 brownstone in Brooklyn, New York, owned by Karen Shen and Kevin Costello. If you have an old house blessed with artful millwork, you can always breathe new life into it with proper cleaning or refinishing methods.
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