That Brown stuff ...

[womble69]

Paint actually.

I've stripped back paintwork to find that the initial layer is a thick sort of dark brown goo. It's obviously paint of some sort, but it's still sort of tacky.

I know that it's at least 50 years old, possibly more (this house may be 1930's. but I'm not sure). I came across the stuff before in another house that I know dated from the 1950's.

I'm just curious really. Nitromors will get it off (a heat gun just makes it yuckier still). What on earth is it/was it? It seems to have been very popular at the time. But still tacky? Even under 10 or more layers of modern gloss?

Weird.

 

[JohnD]

it might be Graining. This was a technique for applying paints on poor-quality timber like pine doors to give them the appearance of varnished oak or mahogany. It can look quite good. It is often brownish. If it is very old it might be a linseed oil or other made-up paint that for some reason has not hardened, or has been affected by an incompatible paint put on top of it. Paint that has been applied too thick, or over wet undercoat, sometimes has a soft layer under the surface where it has not oxidised.

 

[Robbie uk]

It will almost certainly be Scumble. This, as JohnD says was used to do figure graining. It was painted over oil based undercoat and firgured using graining tools, brushes and even feathers to acieve the look of any type of wood that you liked. This was done whilst it was still wet and then varnished afterwards to seal it. My grandfather and father both did it very well. You dont see much of it anymore.
When stripping it off it turns like treacle and sticks to the scraper and shavehook. It is still better using a heat gun rather than Nitromors in my opinion.

 

[womble69]

Thanks.

It really is disgusting stuff. I'm finding that now it's exposed to the air, it's drying a bit, although it's still a bit gloopy.

 

[Robbie uk]

Depends what you intend to do with the finish. If its to be painted again, wait till its dry and give it a good rub down. With some of the scumble glazes it can bleed through the oil paint so use a sealer like Zinsser Bin or knotting. Undercoat and top coat as normal.