To paint or strip?
Our brownstone coop in Prospect Heights is in desperate need of sprucing up of our stoop and front doors. The doors are original (circa 1860) and have gobs of paint on them. Here’s my question: If we are trying to be preservation-minded, should we strip or paint? I’ve scoured the forum and can’t find a…
Our brownstone coop in Prospect Heights is in desperate need of sprucing up of our stoop and front doors. The doors are original (circa 1860) and have gobs of paint on them. Here’s my question: If we are trying to be preservation-minded, should we strip or paint? I’ve scoured the forum and can’t find a definative answer. I recall reading that original houses had painted (black) doors; any input is appreciated.
strip the doors to sharpen the details. You can then determine the original finish based on the species of the wood. If it is mahagony or black walnut it was probably varinshed. If it is pine it may have been a paint grade door. Paint the doors for the highest UV protection.
I had the same issue; my doors were painted, very damaged and ugly and I decided to get them stripped to clean up some of the old paint, repair them, and repaint. My contractor did one door and it was a mess underneath — a patchwork of 100 years of repairs, some not too good – like someone who scorched them with the improper use of a heat gun. The doors had lots of gouges and the bottoms had dry rot. Bottom line, you might not like what you find under there, so I would test a small part of the door. Ultimately I decided to paint them over again, replace the trim around the glass and get new painted doors in the next year or so. I like painted doors, unlike some people who are nuts for the natural wood look. But my point is that the doors might have been made to be painted and/or even if they were made to be natural, they may not be in good shape underneath. That might guide you.