How to get a very high quality finish on very old woodwork many times repainted?

[teaboyjim]

I've got a terraced house that's turn of the century circa Edwardian and all of the woodwork is original.
Which is the best way to get the best paint finish on all of the woodwork in terms of stripping off the old accumulated layers of paint including runs etc

 

[teaboyjim]

Is my understanding correct that retail "nitromorse" is not as strong as "trade" or "commercial" grade nitromorse.

 

[mattylad]

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[teaboyjim]

Clever

 

[foxhole]

Heat gun is quicker but need a good mask, likely to be lead in the older layers of paint.

 

[mattylad]

The handrail on our bottom stairs dates back to being part of the ark, it had since been covered with approx a zillion layers of paint.
Er indoors spent ages sanding it down by hand & using a vibrating sander but got right down to the wood.

We are considering just smoothing it out and varnishing the bare wood, warts n all.

 

[Tigercubrider]

I use a paint stripper called sysnstrip which is pretty nasty but works
About £30 per gallon

Wear ppe

 

[mikeey84]

Honestly, unless it's something special, I would rip it out and replace.

I've spent too any hours sanding and filling battered skirting.

However I've had good results with the Fuze products if you cover them in a thick layer, and then cover it with cling film and leave it overnight

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I'd avoid using heat guns on any paint containing lead - your mask will most likely give you zero protection from lead fumes. On renovation projects paint is often removed in situ using either chemical poultice or sanding (with appropriate vacuum extraction, class M or better to handle potentially toxic dust). I have been involved in removing woodwork in the past which went out for chemical stripping, was returned and reinstalled. A lot of work

 

[teaboyjim]

I'd avoid using heat guns on any paint containing lead - your mask will most likely give you zero protection from lead fumes. On renovation projects paint is often removed in situ using either chemical poultice or sanding (with appropriate vacuum extraction, class M or better to handle potentially toxic dust). I have been involved in removing woodwork in the past which went out for chemical stripping, was returned and reinstalled. A lot of work

What's your view about "replacing woodwork" to get that new finished look?

 

[Tigercubrider]

Personally an old house needs "old" woodwork. Either the original or truly accurate copies. A diy shed architrave, mdf or timber won't look right compared to original.

Some old properties can look ok with modern woodwork but only if the quality is high.
Obviously if a floor is to be carpeted, then you can get away with modern boards/sheet.
I would ensure that any old boards removed were shoved up the loft to use elsewhere in the house.

I paid a guy £1100 to sand and finish about 40 sq metres of original parquet and it looks brilliant. It took him more or less 3 solid days. Consider either diy sanding with hired equipment or paying a guy. The time saved plus cost of new materials has to be born in mind.

 

[teaboyjim]

Personally an old house needs "old" woodwork. Either the original or truly accurate copies. A diy shed architrave, mdf or timber won't look right compared to original.

Some old properties can look ok with modern woodwork but only if the quality is high.
Obviously if a floor is to be carpeted, then you can get away with modern boards/sheet.
I would ensure that any old boards removed were shoved up the loft to use elsewhere in the house.

I paid a guy £1100 to sand and finish about 40 sq metres of original parquet and it looks brilliant. It took him more or less 3 solid days. Consider either diy sanding with hired equipment or paying a guy. The time saved plus cost of new materials has to be born in mind.

So how much was his day rate do you reckon and was he a professional French polisher?

 

[Tigercubrider]

He's a self employed floor guy.
He had a shed load of dust extraction kit and was able to work without a mask. When he'd finished, there was less dust in the living room/dining room (through lounge with doors) and hall. He put on (I think) three layers of sealant plus from memory sanding a good half dozen times inc adding dust to filler for defects.

I don't know what his day rate would be but getting on for £300 at a pure guess allowing a couple of hundred for wear and tear on a couple of grand's worth of kit, and sealant/consumables?

 

[teaboyjim]

That really looks a lovely job with a nice lustre. I can understand the amount of time it would have taken to get that looking like that. It looks like it's got a nice lustre

 

[Tigercubrider]

The stuff was "bonna " type stuff. That's a brand of products. Yes he did several grades changing down to finer ones and it does look pretty good.
All I do is wipe it over and use a shaggy duster broom