Updating your home (continued)

5) Paint over oak baseboards, trim, cabinets, etc.

Oak woodwork is so, so outdated, unless it is original quarter sawn oak from the 1800s or early 1900s. Oak has a tendency to make a house feel very dark and dingy. To brighten up the house or simply to update it, consider painting over the oak. This can be very, very time consuming and messy, and people like my grandfather would squawk "This is heresy," but the outcome will be pleasing now, in the short term, and more likely to stay in style, in the long run.

In case you are wondering what "quarter sawn" oak is, allow me please to digress for a minute to explain it. "Tiger oak" is what my grandfather always called this wood. Mom said it must be because the grain, in places, resembles the beautiful parallel stripes of a tiger. I googled it, and Mom was right. Quarter-sawing means cutting a log the long way, in four pieces, so that the tree rings will produce a vertical pattern with a  uniform grain. Cabinet makers have prized this method of cutting oak because it produces boards with a "wonderful medulliary-ray figuring," http://barnyardgazette.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-is-quarter-sawn-oak.html, or in other words, wood that resembles tiger fur. The face of a quarter-sawn oak board will not have the big, ugly, swirling grain of plain-sawn oak. Ever notice faces staring at you from ugly oak doors? I see weird images in the grain of cheap oak. The grain of quarter-sawn oak, however, is a series of lines that are close together and straight. Sometimes the grain is wavy and interlocked, but it is never the hideous, wavy, far-apart lines that drive a person like me crazy. The reason people stopped producing this beautiful wood trim for homes is that you will not get as many boards from the log, and the boards will be narrower than you would get with plain sawing, and that means the cost of the wood goes up. Cheap, cheap, cheap is the look of homes built after the second world war. The beautiful homesof the 1920s ended with the Great Depression in the 1930s and World War II in the 1940s. People no longer had money for a big house, much less a house with expensive wood trim.


http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS4HVpu8kFLAerkDh5MEhtmjlG7LQRtslMVX2BAvtMjuAdiXPSCRCOW-NQ6


http://www.blocktops.com/uploads/craftart/imageflow/Red.Oak.Open%20Grain.Plank.jpg

I would bet you do not need me to label the photos. You are sure to notice the color is better, too, with quarter-sawn oak, because people used a darker stain years ago, while oak today is all too often a lighter honey color.

http://www.amishhandcraftedheirlooms.com/images/quarter-sawn.jpg

Another way to look at this is to consider that quartering a log to reveal the best grain is the opposite of quartering an apple. If you quarter an apple, you get this:

http://www.ceskapozice.cz/sites/default/files/imagecache/full_size_content_image/apple_stars_c_blytheraw.com_.jpg

But if you regular-saw (cut in half the other way) you reveal the inner star of the apple:

There is no way to turn your ugly oak doors and trim into tiger oak, but you can paint the outdated wood. To start the big job of giving new life to old, boring wood trim, you will have to grab a pry bar and remove the baseboards and trim. Roll up your sleeves, consider investing in a mask, and begin the dusty job of sanding the wood. There is no just getting out of this step, because in order for the paint to stick, the wood has to be roughed up. If you leave behind any varnish or stain, the paint will not adhere. Sand paper can be purchased at any of the following stores: Lowes, Home Depot, Menard's, even WalMart or Target, the nearest hardware store, and many more. It is also relatively cheap. When doing baseboards, my dad said he would use rough sand paper. I would take that to mean you should use the roughest sand paper you can buy. This will make the job go much more quickly and efficiently. You might think an electric sander would be the quickest way to go. However, the boards are often too narrow for anything but old-fashioned hand work. If you have the money, and the oak is just that flimsy, cheap-looking 1980s junk, you might consider throwing it out and buying new woodwork. Even if you buy cheap pine that is already coated with white primer, it will look more expensive than grainy oak.

Next, after you have finished sanding, prime the baseboards and trim. Primer looks like a can of white paint, and it is just as messy. After you have finished priming, paint with an off-white/creamy white. Go with an eggshell or semi-gloss finish to make cleaning easier, as a matte finish will be much harder to keep clean. When choosing a paint, purchase one that is meant for painting wood paneling, baseboards, doors, trim, etc. Again, this can be found at just about any home improvement store. You can use either a paint brush or a can of spray paint (spray paint usually works better because you will not see any brush strokes).

Once you have finished painting, it is time to put the baseboards and trim back on the windows or where the floor meets the wall. Then you are done and can enjoy the fresh new look.

Here is an example where oak woodwork is acceptable because it is original to the house and is quarter sawn (we will not mention the hideous carpet):


Example of extremely ugly, unacceptable, outdated oak woodwork (be sure to note the stupid parquet floor, another el-cheapo shortcut):



Now it is your turn to decide...Which do you think looks better? Left (Before) or Right (After)? There is no question in my mind that "After" is elegant and will not go out of style.




6) Replace outdated hardware.

Brass door knobs are a thing of the past. They are ugly and outdated, but they are still seen everywhere. I do not need to post a picture because if you think about it, your own home is probably full of brass door knobs. If you have door knobs like the one show below, I want to see your house.

 To give your doors an update, consider replacing them with oil-rubbed bronze or pewter. If you want to replace door knobs in an old house with character, buy antique door knobs or replicas. House of Antique Hardware or Home Depot carry good replicas. Door knobs with back plates add lots of character, but most door knobs today do not come with back plates, so the only option is to buy antiques or replicas, but both can be very pricey. Most replicas start at $100 per door knob! If you are lucky, you can find some authentic ones for slightly less, but good luck.

Here is an example of a fantastic replica, but it is very pricey:



7) Replace outdated light fixtures.

Outdated ceiling fans or light fixtures (such as the lights above bathroom vanities) can really date a home. For an updated look, replace them with something more modern.

Here is an example of an outdated light fixture:



It is now almost midnight, and I must submit this blog. Next week, I promise to continue.

Admit it. You just cannot wait to see what a better light fixture would look like!

See you next week!!