Hello once again period property hivemind!
I thought I would share my latest tutorial in how to refinish a windowsill in a period property. My goal here was to remove gloss paint and then stain the wood underneath to match the larger oak beam above which is more of a chocolate colour.
Step 1: start scraping off gloss paint, thankful that this should be one of the easier and simpler jobs you have to do:
Step 2: realise that things you thought were wood, are not wood, but actually colossal chunks of filler because whoever made the wood part measured it completely wrongly and then gave up:
Step 3: remove all the filler, telling yourself you will make it nicer without filler later on, maybe by splicing in some pieces of wood. Begin sanding:
Step 4: realise that whoever made this didn't actually attach the wood to the wall at all, and that it was held on solely by the filler you just removed:
Step 5: remove windowsill entirely, left only with filler:
Step 6: realise the filler isn't attached either, but is in fact just resting on a thin piece of plastic film that can easily be picked up and removed with one hand:
Step 7: you now have nothing there but plaster. decide "sod it, I'll just have painted plaster there and no wood. can always add nicer wood later". Proceed to sanding plaster to smooth it before filling/sanding more/painting:
Step 8: when sanding plaster, some weak parts become loose. Realise you have an ancient beam under there - feel happy. Then realise it's been eaten to death by woodworm - feel sad.
Step 9: after having a mild meltdown from the series of misadventures you have subjected yourself to due to your own hubris, have a cup of tea and beg the period property forum for guidance
Please help me complete my tutorial! Should I continue to uncover this beam, or just give up and re-skim it? Or are there any other options I am missing?
The face of the wood is almost completely obliterated by woodworm, the larger brown looking part feels slightly spongey - will move a bit if I apply pressure. The wood is not quite dust yet, still feels fairly solid in places, but aesthetically and practically, would it make sense to have this on show?
Any thoughts greatly appreciated - thank you in advance!
I thought I would share my latest tutorial in how to refinish a windowsill in a period property. My goal here was to remove gloss paint and then stain the wood underneath to match the larger oak beam above which is more of a chocolate colour.
Step 1: start scraping off gloss paint, thankful that this should be one of the easier and simpler jobs you have to do:
Step 2: realise that things you thought were wood, are not wood, but actually colossal chunks of filler because whoever made the wood part measured it completely wrongly and then gave up:
Step 3: remove all the filler, telling yourself you will make it nicer without filler later on, maybe by splicing in some pieces of wood. Begin sanding:
Step 4: realise that whoever made this didn't actually attach the wood to the wall at all, and that it was held on solely by the filler you just removed:
Step 5: remove windowsill entirely, left only with filler:
Step 6: realise the filler isn't attached either, but is in fact just resting on a thin piece of plastic film that can easily be picked up and removed with one hand:
Step 7: you now have nothing there but plaster. decide "sod it, I'll just have painted plaster there and no wood. can always add nicer wood later". Proceed to sanding plaster to smooth it before filling/sanding more/painting:
Step 8: when sanding plaster, some weak parts become loose. Realise you have an ancient beam under there - feel happy. Then realise it's been eaten to death by woodworm - feel sad.
Step 9: after having a mild meltdown from the series of misadventures you have subjected yourself to due to your own hubris, have a cup of tea and beg the period property forum for guidance
Please help me complete my tutorial! Should I continue to uncover this beam, or just give up and re-skim it? Or are there any other options I am missing?
The face of the wood is almost completely obliterated by woodworm, the larger brown looking part feels slightly spongey - will move a bit if I apply pressure. The wood is not quite dust yet, still feels fairly solid in places, but aesthetically and practically, would it make sense to have this on show?
Any thoughts greatly appreciated - thank you in advance!