You want me to PAINT it?!?

[Bill Grumbine]

Good morning all

Yesterday SWMBO and I were scoping out some more work that needs to be done on the house. Those of you who have been here know that there is a lot. We are in the process of installing central vac in our early 1800s stone farmhouse. We are forced to be a bit creative, since the builder did not include raceways for piping in the walls. :D In fact, the builder did not even anticipate subsequent owners doing things like adding electricity, central air, central heat, satellite TV, etc. Imagine that!

To avoid a critical joist being cut on two floors, we need to put some sweeps in the pipe that bring it out of the wall and back in on both floors. This is not a problem, as the second floor is receiving a built in bookcase, and the main floor a built in hutch for the dining room. The carcases will conceal the sweeps. We had already agreed the bookcase would be painted, and probably poplar.

However, when I asked her what kind of wood she wanted her hutch made from, she said, "painted"! Well, I don't have any painted wood over in the barn. I really don't want to use poplar for this, as I think it is too soft. I hate the idea of painting maple, but I am not sure what alternatives I might have here. Not only that, I've got to come up with a color now too (although I suspect she will have some input there).

I am thinking of going with a paint/natural combo (with approval of course!). Someone posted something like that just before the end of the Pond I think, and it looked pretty good. It was cherry and paint, if I recall. Does anyone remember?

Bill

[Ted Shrader]

Bill -

I agree that poplar is probably too soft. With the low prices of wood in your area, I recommend soft maple or cherry. What ever is cheapest.

What kind of paint finish? Washed, glazed, Hammerite^® :) , regular old paint?

Good luck,
Ted

[Jim Izat]

Hey Bill,

Soft maple sounds like a pretty good alternative, it's price is probably comparable to popular up your way. It should be hard enough for that application, especially if you use hardwood. It's usually significantly cheaper and harder than the sap that everybody prefers. If you're going to paint, color won't matter.

Jim Izat

[Bob Sheppard]

Bill-- Have you thought about using MDF for the painted parts? It takes paint very well, is fairly easy to machine [if you can stand the dust] ,and is pretty cheap. My local lumber yard stocks it in 3/4", 1", and 1-1/2". I wouldn't use it for shelves that are more than 24" or so, but it might be something to think about. Good luck.

[Dale Thompson]

Bill,
I've been told that a VERY VERY light coat of any paint will bring out the grain. Well--I had a professional painter who proved it to me. It does work. However, you have to have a lot more talent than I have to make it work. Given your talent, however, it should be no problem. Good luck.

Given my talent:(

Dale T.

[Scott in Douglassville, PA]

Hey, Bill -

If you want paint with visible grain, hardness, and cheap, I'd think about ash. Otherwise, I'd be all over the MDF...

Scott

[Garrett Lambert]

Hi Bill

I know you're looking for advice on wood, but since your house is historic, thought I'd remind you about milk paint, a finish much used and loved in that era. And, it goes on pine very well. Just shellac any knots a couple of times before painting.

Cheers, Garrett

[George@Colonel's Workshop]

Good Afternon Bill,

I agree with ash, especially in your setting. The bold grain pattern could be made somewhat less dramatic by using an aniline dye instead of a heavily pigmented oil paint. You'd get the texture of grain and the color/shade you want.

[Todd Burch]

Bill, I prefer the look of Milk paint. This is two thinner coats of milk paint on pine, with ony a wax finish on top. Wife doesn't like it because it's not easy to dust, but what does she know... :D

Anyway, if you put a sealer on it, the color darkens quite a bit, but it still looks good. GO FOR IT!!

Todd.

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Hi Bill,

I made a cherry table last year with a poplar base. I painted the base with milk paint, soft maple would be my recommndation if you wanted another wood to go with and your heart didn't get too twisted up colouring the wood.


The milk paint was simple and easy, I posted my process some time ago on BP but if you would like I could repost the text along with the table..

take care,
Jim

[Tom Sweeney]

is an excellant idea. That looks great Todd!
Jim your table looks great also -love this edit feature - by the time I posted my reply yours was there.

Also a while ago Norm did a hutch or bookcase or something & It turned out beautifull. I forget the specifics but I want to say it was cherry with a williamsburg type green painted inside surfaces.
Jim's table is sort of the idea I had in mind for this treatment

Hope this helps

[Craig Howard]

Hi Bill,
I do a lot of paint grade stuff at work. We use birch ply, poplar and soft maple depending on the application. Two sprayed coats of an oil primer and it's smooth as silk. As for the natural/paint thing..... Hard maple looks good.

Craig

[Garrett Lambert]

NM

[Bill Grumbine]

Thanks everyone, for your comments and suggestions. I might just bring myself to use a combination of MDF and wood. We'll see...

Todd and Jim, beautiful tables! Jim, I remember yours from the Pond now. I showed them both to SWMBO, and she likes them, and I am working on selling her on the idea of milk paint. It will fit right in with the age of our house.

More to come...

Bill (sick as a dog in Kutztown)