Thanks for the ideas.
I'm inclined to think that shellac was used in my house. In the main
rooms, the paint strips off pretty easily, making me think that the
wood was coated first. The bedrooms seem to have been painted from day
one, just very poorly painted from day two (and so on, with about
fifteen more coats.)
ds
If it is shellac, it should still dissolve easily with alcohol even
after all these years. You could try under the paint in an
inconspicuous spot if you really want to know.
For what it's worth, lacquer was not yet in use in 1910 before WWI, and
the only non-natural-resin varnish that might have been available was
phenolic-resin varnish. Alkyd-resin (polyester) and urethane-resin
varnishes did not become available until the 20's and 30's.
Josh
largecorp wrote:
> Thanks for the ideas.
>
> I'm inclined to think that shellac was used in my house. In the main
> rooms, the paint strips off pretty easily, making me think that the
> wood was coated first. The bedrooms seem to have been painted from day
> one, just very poorly painted from day two (and so on, with about
> fifteen more coats.)
>
> ds
"largecorp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, folks,
> I have an old (1910) bungalow, slowly going through and stripping paint
> off of pretty much everything. My question is NOT what COULD I use for
> finishing the old Douglas fir trim, but what do you think they really
> did use, back in 1910?
>
> Any thoughts?
Pop off a few chips of paint and find out what's on the bottom.
"Andrew Barss" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Andy Dingley <[email protected]> wrote:
> : On Thu, 11 May 2006 06:28:26 +0000 (UTC), Andrew Barss
> : <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> :>But shellac was known back then as spirit varnish, so it might be
> shellac.
>
> : Really? Shellac has never been the same thing as spirit varnish and the
> : 19th century US references I have made this distinction quite clear. Was
> : it common practice for carpenters to confuse the two ?
>
>
>
> There was an article in the last 2 months in one of the main American
> WW mags (Fine Woodworking, maybe) which discussed older finishes
> (in the context of repair), and noted that
>
> a) shellac was rarely used by itself as a finish (until the
> relatively recent advent of french polishing), and was more
> typically mixed with other resins, and
>
> b) the term 'spirit varnish" (often just as "varnish", which is confusing,
> since in the modern
> era "varnish" is almost always oil varnish) referred to any number of
> combinations of alcohol and resins, including shellac.
>
>
> I may be misremembering, and can't locate the article at
> the moment; I'll try to locate it and post a followup.
>
Seems that anything with a "spirit" - alcohol, spirit of turpentine -
solvent, and a resin - e.g. sandarac,copal - is often referred to as a
"spirit varnish," at least of late. This to distinguish them from
curing-oil types which may contain the same resin.
http://www.classicalvarnish.com/DreamHC/Pagina6.html
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/don/dt/dt1677.html
"largecorp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, folks,
> I have an old (1910) bungalow, slowly going through and stripping paint
> off of pretty much everything. My question is NOT what COULD I use for
> finishing the old Douglas fir trim, but what do you think they really
> did use, back in 1910?
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Ds
>
Several possibilities - BLO (boiled linseed oil), Shellac and the old
standby - milk paint.
Bob S.
Fly-by-Night CC <[email protected]> wrote:
: In article <[email protected]>,
: "largecorp" <[email protected]> wrote:
:> I have an old (1910) bungalow, slowly going through and stripping paint
:> off of pretty much everything. My question is NOT what COULD I use for
:> finishing the old Douglas fir trim, but what do you think they really
:> did use, back in 1910?
: If you look in reprinted bungalow house plan books, they often mention
: that the interior woodwork is finished with varnish.
But shellac was known back then as spirit varnish, so it might be shellac.
-- Andy Barss
Andy Dingley <[email protected]> wrote:
: On Thu, 11 May 2006 06:28:26 +0000 (UTC), Andrew Barss
: <[email protected]> wrote:
:>But shellac was known back then as spirit varnish, so it might be shellac.
: Really? Shellac has never been the same thing as spirit varnish and the
: 19th century US references I have made this distinction quite clear. Was
: it common practice for carpenters to confuse the two ?
There was an article in the last 2 months in one of the main American
WW mags (Fine Woodworking, maybe) which discussed older finishes
(in the context of repair), and noted that
a) shellac was rarely used by itself as a finish (until the
relatively recent advent of french polishing), and was more
typically mixed with other resins, and
b) the term 'spirit varnish" (often just as "varnish", which is confusing,
since in the modern
era "varnish" is almost always oil varnish) referred to any number of
combinations of alcohol and resins, including shellac.
I may be misremembering, and can't locate the article at
the moment; I'll try to locate it and post a followup.
-- Andy Barss
On Thu, 11 May 2006 06:28:26 +0000 (UTC), Andrew Barss
<[email protected]> wrote:
>But shellac was known back then as spirit varnish, so it might be shellac.
Really? Shellac has never been the same thing as spirit varnish and the
19th century US references I have made this distinction quite clear. Was
it common practice for carpenters to confuse the two ?
In article <[email protected]>,
"largecorp" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have an old (1910) bungalow, slowly going through and stripping paint
> off of pretty much everything.
Oh yeah, forgot to mention. Some rackingfrackin previous owner painted
all the woodwork in our c.1918 bungalow too - what a B**** removing it
from all the built ins, crown moldings and window trim!
--
Owen Lowe
The Fly-by-Night Copper Company
__________
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
Corporate States of America and to the
Republicans for which it stands, one nation,
under debt, easily divisible, with liberty
and justice for oil."
- Wiley Miller, Non Sequitur, 1/24/05
In article <[email protected]>,
"largecorp" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have an old (1910) bungalow, slowly going through and stripping paint
> off of pretty much everything. My question is NOT what COULD I use for
> finishing the old Douglas fir trim, but what do you think they really
> did use, back in 1910?
If you look in reprinted bungalow house plan books, they often mention
that the interior woodwork is finished with varnish.
--
Owen Lowe
The Fly-by-Night Copper Company
__________
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
Corporate States of America and to the
Republicans for which it stands, one nation,
under debt, easily divisible, with liberty
and justice for oil."
- Wiley Miller, Non Sequitur, 1/24/05