Paint and Shellac

We’ve got an exciting few weeks coming up, as Bob is helping us to install a lot of new windows on our first floor. As part of that process, he’s also making us custom sills.

We got a lot of material a week or so ago, 8/4 vertical grain Doug Fir to be exact. And we’re slowly entering into a phase where Liz will be painting things with Lindseed oil… prior to them getting installed.

A few boards (L) for the exterior casing, and a large piece for a sill. We threw out a lot of the original trim, something that we now regret in hindsight. The original trim was old growth Southern Yellow Pine, which is markedly different from the SYP that you can get currently.

SYP is still available, but it’s primarily newer growth. And it’s planted/harvested faster, and a result of that speed is that the grain lines are more spaced apart. To match the tight grain lines of old growth SYP, you’d need to either find reclaimed lumber or go fishing in rivers for sinker pine.

We tried exploring these options, but it ultimately proved prohibitively expensive. And the closest we’ve gotten has been vertical grain Doug Fir.

As part of this process, Liz is figuring out the right formula for her stains/shellac. She wants something that works well with our floor, but it’s going to take a lot of attempts and a lot of variations and experimentation.

It’s a big push on the first floor, before the cold arrives. And hopefully a warmer winter, once these new windows get in.

Related:
New Linseed Paint
First Floor: Staining
Staining Problems, Backyard Work
Old Table, New Table: Work is Complete!