Brown paint / varnish

[JohnArmer]

Hi all

I have been cleaning up a cupboard door in one of the bedrooms here: it was very shabby brown varnish, covered in paint splatters etc (not by me, I hasten to add). I was originally going to paint it white, but I thought I'd have a go at cleaning it as I suspect it is the original Victorian finish, untouched (unlike the rest of the woodwork in the house).

The upshot is that it has actually come up pretty well. I used balsamic turpentine and it looks pretty good. I also got it to fit and close properly which it has never done in all the time I've lived here - the house has moved a fair bit I think, historically.

So, the purpose of this post - the bottom rail of the cupboard has been painted (badly) in white gloss and I'd like it to be brown to match the rest of the cupboard. What should I use? There are also one or two other bits on the cupboard itself that could do with touching up a bit.

Excuse the mess, I'm decorating this room!

 

[RBailey]

Sorry, no sensible answer, just to say it looks a nice job on the cupboard.

For the colour I would ask SWMBO, I've learnt that it is far to risky to make independent thought :lol:

Cheers,
Richard B.

 

[worms]

It's all personal preference of course, but I wonder if the current set-up doesn't look better than it would if the skirting line was broken by a dark-stained section? Is the cupboard floor stepped-up to match the top of the skirting or is it level with the floor? To my eye it looks very traditional as it is!

I think the original wood will have been stained and then given a coat of shellac (which after 100 or so years is normally very difficult to remove!). When this issue has been discussed on here before, Farrow and Ball Mahogany has been suggested as a way of painting new timber to blend in with the original stained woodwork ( https://www.farrow-ball.com/paint-colours/mahogany ). I've no experience of having tried this, though, so don't blame me!

 

[wobs]

It's all personal preference of course, but I wonder if the current set-up doesn't look better than it would if the skirting line was broken by a dark-stained section? Is the cupboard floor stepped-up to match the top of the skirting or is it level with the floor? To my eye it looks very traditional as it is!

This is what I have done on a similar cupboard. Except I made the skirting board hinged with detatchable hinges to I could get heavy items out of the bottom. The skirting continues from the rest of the room, so is the same colour.

 

[JohnArmer]

IWhen this issue has been discussed on here before, Farrow and Ball Mahogany has been suggested as a way of painting new timber to blend in with the original stained woodwork ( https://www.farrow-ball.com/paint-colours/mahogany ). I've no experience of having tried this, though, so don't blame me!

This is exactly the sort of tip I'm after! The board under the bottom of the cupboard door isn't skirting, it's just a plain board with a simple bit of moulding. And the finishing moulding strips at the sides just go down to the floor and looks rather strange with a white band at the bottom of it. I haven't really got much to lose Worms, I'll just strip the bottom, paint it mahogany brown and if it looks odd I'll simply paint it white to match the rest of the skirting. I won't blame you!

I believe you can use pure alcohol to spread shellac to cover blemishes which I will try on an unobtrusive bit.

Thanks for all the comments!

John

 

[worms]

I haven't really got much to lose....

Perhaps you've not yet seen the price of the F&B paint!

 

[JohnArmer]

I might get away with two tester pots!