bl8nde
stranger
Reged: 10/05/2009
Posts: 2
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I have a victorian granite flat loaded with traditional features. All the doors, surrounds and skirting are original. The problem is mainly in my hall where I have 8 doors which make it very very dark.
I am wondering if anyone has experience of lightening wood, I've read about bleaching. I am thinking about getting the doors dipped (although one is leaded stain glass so not sure if this can be done).
I have tried sanding down all the surrounds which was torterous and made little difference to the colour of the wood which is just a bit too dark. The doors and surrounds have a varnish on them which is a bit orangey for my liking.
My plan is to dip the doors to lighten them and then paint the door surrounds and skirting boards white.....is that a crime against interior design?! I quite like white painted wood and think it would brighten up the hall but am just not sure as once its done the way back to natural wood is very long....
Any thoughts or suggestions??
Thank you!!!
Edited by bl8nde (11/05/2009 16:42)
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houseenvy
Grand master
Reged: 02/08/2007
Posts: 3928
Loc: Room 101
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Hi Bl8nde, the obsession with bare wood doors in Victorian / Edwardian houses is a fairly recent one; soft woods such as pine would almost always have been painted or stained with a dark gloopy creosote type stain to make it look like a more expensive wood. If that's what you've got, it's very difficult to get off by sanding / heat gun as it goes very gluey, but dipping will remove it successfully.
You can have doors with leaded glass dipped, I'd just make sure your paint remover knows what they are doing and that the lead is fairly sound. Also, you should be aware that often doors look like they will be great once they've been dipped and all they'll need is a quick wax, but it's often not the case! Sometimes the wood warps and the beading and moulding of the panels pulls away from the door, sometimes you will uncover massive chips, the grain of the wood will be lifted by the dip mix, requiring lots of sanding back (and possibly filling), sometimes the door warps and no longer fits the frame etc.
I'd personally be inclined to paint the whole lot. If you really want exposed wood doors, dip them, but with a view that you are just giving them a good prep for painting - if they come out in good enough condition to wax, then that's a bonus. Also, I'd dip a couple at a time - we dipped two recently and it still took months to get them filled, sanded, primed, painted and rehung. I wouldn't want to have eight hanging around at once!!
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bl8nde
stranger
Reged: 10/05/2009
Posts: 2
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Hi houseenvy,
Thanks for your advice.
The varnish isn't the thick gloopy dark brown old stuff, I had to deal with that in my old flat and it was hellish!! This stuff is just a thin coat of normal varnish, its just a bit orange looking. The doors are in fab condition so I think they would come up very well dipped. Fully prepared for all the sanding that follows though!! I think I am going to try getting another light fitting installed in the hall and see how that does in terms of making it brighter, then perhaps try and decide about what if anything should be painted white!!
Ali
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