Timber frames - oil or paint?

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amepluie

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Topic # 236363 29-May-2018 23:19

Hi - I want to rip the wall paper and paint the house to 'modernise' a bit... (80s house)

now I've been told that the door frame/window frames are rimu - so just wondering if it's worth keeping the timber look or paint over with (most likely white)

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Reply # 2025228 29-May-2018 23:20

What would you prefer?

insane

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Reply # 2025234 29-May-2018 23:41

I sanded, primed, and then painted mine all white with Dulux aquaenamel, and am very glad I did. But that's because it works well with my now light grey walls.

Hard to say without knowing what you like and what wall colours and curtains you've chosen etc.

tdgeek

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Reply # 2025260 30-May-2018 06:50

If the rimu was in great condition, well worth checking it out. Strip and sand a length. Do they have samples of stain? If so, pop it on. What are the doors? Painted walls, Rimu door frames and a non rimu/wood door might look odd.

Personally, white is modern, goes with anything, and has a clean look.

mdf

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Reply # 2025261 30-May-2018 07:15

I think it's a crime to paint over Rimu. But just a personal opinion.

If you wanted to keep the wood look you'd varnish (amber) or polyurethane (clear). Stain is more to colour wood than finish it.

Jase2985

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Reply # 2025262 30-May-2018 07:18

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are they already painted? its gonna be one hell of a job stripping the paint and cleaning them up before you paint them.

tdgeek

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Reply # 2025263 30-May-2018 07:22

mdf: I think it's a crime to paint over Rimu. But just a personal opinion.

If you wanted to keep the wood look you'd varnish (amber) or polyurethane (clear). Stain is more to colour wood than finish it.

I do agree, but it seems the doors are not real wood?

tdgeek

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Reply # 2025264 30-May-2018 07:24

Jase2985:

are they already painted? its gonna be one hell of a job stripping the paint and cleaning them up before you paint them.

If an 80's house, it may have oil based paint, in which case a heat gun is great for that. But if its acrylic, a heat gun wont work it will just burn it and not take it off. Paint stripper goop works well but unsure on acrylic. Sanding them back, ouch

timmmay

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Reply # 2025265 30-May-2018 07:32

You'd have to be VERY careful stripping the paint - one slip and you have a big gauge. Someone may have filled and painted for that reason.

I'd just paint it a nice clean white.

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cshwone

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Reply # 2025266 30-May-2018 07:37

The other thing to bear in mind is that the current wallpaper may be hiding wall imperfections so getting a good base to paint the walls will be hard work.

An alternative is to repaper using a paintable anaglypta.

I get mine from Graham and Brown in the UK. Last lot was ordered Sunday and delivered Friday. Even allowing for the hefty 50 pounds per order delivery it was still significantly cheaper than the likes of Guthrie Bowron.

scuwp

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Reply # 2025321 30-May-2018 08:34

On the door frames it's personal choice as to what 'look' you want. Yes it will be a lot of work to restore natural timber but if that's the look you are after it's worth it. Also great for resale. There are plenty of products that can help remove paint but at the end of the day it still requires a lot of patience and elbow-grease.

Painting walls after stripping paper can be a big job, but again if that's the look you want...

You can expect to need some plastering work and you also need to seal the wall typically with pigment sealer (they don't call it "pig" sealer for nothing - it's horrible stuff!), then paint away.

Figure out how much time you expect it to take, then double it.

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reven

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Reply # 2025402 30-May-2018 10:07

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Im of mixed opinions. 1 its rimu it seems wasted to paint. But I hate the raw wood look on skirting/architraves/doors/ceilings.

I recently renovated my 80s house, had dark stained skirting/architraves/doors. I painted them white or replaced them and painted white. No more wallpaper (easier to replace the gib and insulate than strip most walls). I added paneling to most rooms (plywood v groove (looks like tounge and groove)) with a nice dado rail. Thats painted white too. Replaced the spindle banister with a pine square one (also white).

Chances are Ill keep all that stuff white while im here (next 30-50 years probably). just repaint the walls different colours as styles change (most rooms are different colours, I got tired of everything grey at my old house).

amepluie

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Reply # 2025823 30-May-2018 18:15

Hi All - thanks for all your replies :)

So yes my personal preference is to paint them white (currently it is oiled I think - looks like decent condition to me).

But because they're in good condition I just wondered is it better to keep them (as knowing it will be harder to 'strip them back' later on down the track).

But again - I think it will look odd with painted walls and then wooden frame look... so have really mixed feelings.

Below are the pictures..

mdf

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Reply # 2025849 30-May-2018 19:07

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Clearly just one guy's opinion, but I think you're nuts to paint beautiful wood like that. Painted walls and varnished trim looks good IMHO, though earth tones for the painted walls will admittedly work better.

I'd suggest starting by painting the walls and seeing what it looks like. You can always paint the trims after. Alternatively you could try covering them with a low tack white masking tape (perhaps on one wall) to evaluate the look temporarily?

If you try masking, invest in some decent low tack (low stick easy peel off) stuff and don't leave it sitting in the sun for weeks. #learningfrommymistakes

scuwp

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Reply # 2025876 30-May-2018 19:46

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Yeah I am with mdf on this. It would be a crime to paint that timber. Get some natural/earthy paintwork going and some brownish tone carpet and that place will be rocking with that brickwork.

Dump that purple crap like right now! (IMO)

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Fred99

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Reply # 2026015 30-May-2018 22:47

I'll third that.

The orange-ish rimu would probably look better with wall colour that wasn't so neutral / cream. I'd probably get rid of that brown aluminium front door too - or get it reglazed, possibly painted, and lose the security sticker.

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