It never seems to matter how fast paced or chic the world gets, when it comes to house restoration, there is a large percentage of Americans who still choose the stunning beauty of real wood. All across the nation, there is a emerging trend of purchasing an 19th century property, such as a 19th century Victorian 2-level dwelling or an Arts and Crafts bungalow with a massive front porch. Often these dwellings can be had for well below current housing prices because they need to be brought back to their former glory and renovated.

A word of advice: it is imperative to stay as true to the original charm of the home as possible and this must include the use of real wood.

In an older home, wood can be found in many areas of the home  including the fireplace surround, the wide planked hardwood floors, the staircase, the wood porch balusters, the ultra wide baseboards, the super ornate corner crown molding  and of course, the antique decorative corbels. Why on earth would anyone want to rip out parts of an old home and replace them with particleboard, PVC and MDF boards? It may take a little longer to refinish the wood in your charming old house, but it will be well worth the labor and time.

One of the most intimidating jobs of working on wood in an old house is stripping away the numerous layers of paint to arrive at the natural beauty of the wood. Here are a few tips to make it a little easier:

•    If you are even wondering about the presence of lead in the old paint, hire a painting pro. It is very common that old paint is laden with heavy lead and you must be careful.
•    There is a relatively new product available in most paint stores that is a non-caustic stripper. It actually breaks the bond between the paint and the wood, and will make the task of removing thick layers of old paint a lot less work.
•    It is critical to always wear chemical resistant gloves, protective glasses and work in a well ventilated area.
•    When you have finished and ready to stain your newly exposed wood, take the time to wipe all wood parts down with tack or cheese cloth to remove any tiny bits of sanding dust, dirt or even stray hairs.

Door moldings, hand carved mantel surrounds, acanthus leaf corbels, stair newels, and even the balcony can be made from the most amazing woods. Many heritage properties of the Georgian and Victorian eras were fitted with oak, cherry, mahogany, pine and maple woods. Some can be used in very simple but effective ways, such as for hardwood floors and other solid woods are intricately carved to create the most stunning fireplace mantels and window frame mouldings.

Your newly purchased home comes with a past and part of that fascinating history is the real wood that has stood charmingly in your homestead for many decades, maybe even 100 years or more. Honor the legacy of your heritage property and allow it to stand proud for 100 more years.

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yard-maintenance