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The Room I Can't Finish

Tags

bedroom bungalow did it myself gel stains molding sanding under $500 wood working

Project Details

Created by Chris Cardy

This is the 2nd bedroom in my house. Its a nice room with pretty windows and a big closest. Like all the rooms in the house I stripped off layers of wall paper dating back to the Bronze Age but in this room i've tackled the woodwork. Most of the woodwork in the house is mahogany or things that look like it so I wanted to remove the many layers of paint. The problem that I've run into is that the paint is deep into the grain and sanding seems to just push it in farther. I've tried the chemicals but besides shortening my life they dont seem to have the ability to get deep into the grain either. At this point I've removed about 95% of the paint but I'm hesistant to just let it slide. My thinking is that I've put so much effort into it so far that I don't want to ruin by not mustering the final effort but yet I cant seem to clean out that final 5%. If anybody has been in this spot before I'd love to hear their solution.

I've got the walls prepared for painting which I want to do before remounting the molding. I think for the molding I'm going to use a gel stain. I've just started using these and they seem much easier to use than traditional stains. The go on more consistently and are more forgiving. 

So, I think I just need that little push to finish the job and then I will have a whole new room to use. 

Comments

  • Sari on Sun, 29 Jul 2007 @ 9:58 pm

    I've had good luck with that last 5% of old paint with two different scenarios:

    1. toxic chemicals + ex-boyfriend's toothbrush

    2. heat gun + wire brush, razor blade scraper, or steel wool.  

  • Nuyor Kerr on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 @ 8:34 pm
    I spent my childhood stripping moldings. Seriously. I'm quite familiar with the leftovers in the deep grain and unfortunately found that chemical and steelwool WAS the only way to go. Never had success with the natural citrus products.
  • Chris Cardy on Sat, 04 Aug 2007 @ 12:09 am
    Sari and Nuyor- i've done both your methods. toothbrushes do work well, steel wool or brass and other metal brushes are too harsh. they do damage. the chemicial do soften it but dont actually raise it from the wood. see, the paint is lower than the grain of wood. its absorbed into the wood. that seems to be the trick.
  • LRockTheMixMasta on Thu, 06 Sep 2007 @ 4:09 am
    if you are staining dark it will be covered up pretty well. and if you are staining blonde then shame on you. the only way i know of is to get Klean Strip at Home Depot and they are the only place i can find it. it's turpentine-like consistency and dissolves the paint on contact. if it's paint set in a demple then you have to dig, that's just how it goes. but like i said, i have stripped 50 percent of our house's trim and a dark(ish) stain will absorb enough to look good. it's old wood so wringing your hands over idealism is only going to create headaches.
  • LRockTheMixMasta on Thu, 06 Sep 2007 @ 4:13 am
    i should have said more specifically Klean Strip brand paint "After Wash" not the gel stripper most of us are familiar with

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