Expert: Jamie Yocono - 9/1/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Jamie,

Im hoping you can give me some advise on a fireplace I want to update in a new house I just purchased.  The fireplace is a light wood color and really dates the look of the living room.  I am planing on painting the wainscoting around the room a crisp white color.  Also I'm unsure of the type of wood the fireplace currently has. I would preferably like to paint the fireplace a dark wood stain, but I'm unsure that the fireplace will take the stain and how to do it. If not I would like to at least paint the fireplace a white color.
Ive included a link to a picture of the fireplace.
Any help would be much appreciated :)

http://s388.photobucket.com/albums/oo329/Kobes41/?action=view¤t=Picture038



ANSWER: Hi Amanda,

Thanks for sending that picture, it's really helpful in trying to answer your question.

My first impression would be to paint the fireplace white to match the wainscoting. I like the cohesiveness of that, but it sounds like you're sort of against that.

If your heart is set on staining, know that it's a big job.  You will need to strip the existing finish off the fireplace. It's a messy job, involving stripper, rubber gloves, and lots of newspaper. If the fireplace is ornate, you may have to do a little scrubbing with a wire brush to get the finish out of the ornate areas.

Once you've stripped the finish off, you'll have a clean wooden surface that can take your stain. That's also a little messy, but the good news is - staining is pretty easy, and good results can be achieved even by beginners.

After you've stained the wood, you'll want to apply a good coat of protection, probably a satin varnish. Buy a good brush, this will make all the difference in the world. You might want to slightly thin the varnish a bit, so it flows better. How much, and with what? I suggest you ask the paint professional where you buy your supplies. But my best tip - spend $10 or $12 bucks on a good brush.

I never believed that brushes really mattered before, but once I painted with a good brush. well, I became a much better painter. It's worth it.

Last thing - there is something called an opaque stain, which is more like a paint. It can go right over your light wood, without stripping off what's there. You basically paint in on, and it darkens the wood, while still allowing the wood grain to show through. I've used a product like this many years ago, on a ceiling beam, and it worked fine. I would thoroughly question the salesperson at a dedicated paint store (not at the big hardware stores - their paint departments are sometimes lacking in people with answers) about opaque stains.

Ask if you can thin the opaque stain, so it flows better. (I remember it seemed really thick and hard to use.)  And ask about gel stains. I haven't used a gel stain over a previously varnished surface, but I suspect that a gel stain might work too. I don't use them,  so I can't give you much information about them. But I've heard good things about what they do.

Good luck, write back if you have more questions.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Jamie,

I really appreciate it.  If I was to just paint it white, what type of paint should I use and is preping the wood necessary?

Thanks again,
Amanda

Answer
Amanda,

I'm not a paint expert, but I would think you'd want to use a satin finish paint. That way, if the fireplace gets a little "sooty" over time, you can wipe it down easily. A friend of mine who is a painter swears that oil based paints are far superior to latex, but I feel like latex would be fine for your situation. It's not like it's going to get a lot of wear and tear.

You might even want a slightly tinted white - not necessarily beige or eggshell, you can stay pretty close to white. But white will show every speck of dirt and blemish there is, so maybe just a tad off-white would work better.

I suggest going to a good paint store and asking them what they would do. Honestly, those painting professionals really know their stuff. I would think that with  a quart of paint and a good brush, and a few hours of your time, your fireplace will look fabulous. Remember, a good brush will possibly cost more than the paint. But if you clean it well, you can use it many, many times. It's worth it.

Good luck, I hope this helped,

Jamie in Las Vegas
www.wooditis.blogspot.com