Door Update
Recently, I posted about this door. It is the kitchen to basement door. Out of the 496 doors in the house, I became fixated on ONE being restored. And this was the worst. I tried the infrared stripper. That took too long. The stripper is really good on flat surfaces but not so good when it comes to non-flat. Then I tried a heat gun. That took too long, too.
So I glopped on paint stripper. Which I have been using for over forty years. But…drum roll, please…I did something I have never done before: I let it sit for 48 hours. And the result? ALL the paint came off effortlessly. (The left side of the door is sill wet from the stripper).
Mike asked about what brand I used. I have been using this for decades. Not that long ago it was $25 a gallon. Sigh. (And, NO, Biden isn’t responsible for this.) Note the 15 minutes FAST. That is vital. They also make a not-so-fast version. Which is a waste of money. I have never had luck with environmentally sound strippers. I do carefully dispose of the Clean Strip residue.
After the stripping is done, I will sand down the door. Then amber shellac it, as it was originally.
Ross excited.
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Glad you found something that worked faster, the old standby. It’s a beautiful door, it will be exciting to see it in place.
Well done, Ross… and easier this time! Those strippers sure shed a lot.
Nice job Ross! One tip that I have learned to clean up and get into all the grooves of the wood moldings is to use sawdust or wood chips. (Go to a pet store and get a bag of cheap wood chips for hamster cages!) Spread them on top of the wet stripper that has done its work softening the paint and varnish and then using rubberized gloves to scrub them into the corners. There is no damage to the wood and the chips soak up all the stripper and gunk for easy removal.
I wondered what you were using. Unfortunately they have either changed the formula or that particular Kleen Strip isn’t available in California.
I am looking at a product called Smart Strip by Dumond. You use it in conjunction with a laminated paper, I guess to keep it moist and away from the air so it doesn’t dry out. It can work anywhere from an hour to 24 hours. I hav a vintage armoire my Mother painted with I’m assuming oil based enamel in the early 60s. Then it was painted with tempura paint around 1970 for a high school play and nothing has been done to it since. I did wash one door and the tempura mostly came off but there is the enamel underneath. So I’m going to try this clean strip and paper to see if that will take it off. I would rather not use a paint gun or sander as I think the finish is only veneer.
I am excited to see this door stripped and then restored with shellac. (I just *LOVE* shellac and will be restoring the armoire with shellac.)
This kitchen to basement door, is it the one that used to be in the library and was relocated to the kitchen? I can’t remember what you said about all of the doors. If not and it fits in the library, would you put the restored door in the new library opening and get another door for the basement access in the kitchen since it is, well, a basement door from the kitchen.
I just checked and that particular paint stripper is unavailable in California. There is a California formula which reviews indicate is worthless. There is a spray can version that is available…for $30 a can.
I think I’m going to try the Smart Strip stuff with the laminated paper and see how that works. The doors are flat so it should work and thankfully the Armoire is only painted on the outside as the inside is lined in cedar. If it works, great. If not, I may be paying an arm and a leg for as many cans as it takes to strip the paint. I’ll still have to sand a little but I’m hoping my Mom just painted over the original finish and didn’t sand it or anything.
That door looks amazing!
How wonderful is that?— A stripper that really works!
That is an amazingly beautiful glow up on the door! I have had good luck with CitrusStrip and Smart Strip. But I am.not doing anything with nearly the age or layers you are dealing with. I do know as we moved around the country, in different climates, they don’t all work the same. Heat, humidity or lack heat , definitely made a difference. Got use what works for you! But I am jealous of your infrared stripper. Has anyone used the PaintShaver Pro?
Ross…does the Cross House really have 496 doors or does it just seem like it looking at the restoration process. I don’t remember that many doors being there but that has been 50 years ago! You are amazing.
I just counted, Louis. There are actually 7,391 doors.
Hahaha better keep those doors apart, they multiply so much.
Beautiful! I love all your updates!
Amazing! Yeah! 🙂
Can’t wait to see the end result!
Thanks, Ross!! I understand what you mean about the non-flat surfaces being a pain; the carvings on rosettes is the worst! I am hoping to start stripping the dining room this fall, and there are a lot of places there that my cobra won’t want to go; I will try Klean Strip and see how it does! Maybe ol’ Joe will open the pipeline back up before then, and the price of stripper will have dropped!
When you left the Klean Strip on for 48 hours, did you cover it with plastic or anything else or just glopped it on and left it? We’re in process of stripping many paint layers off 32 windows worth of 1897 trim and the heat gun takes way too long!