Expert: Eileen Cronk - 4/2/2008

Question
I inherited a hoosier cabinet with the name w.b. trumbo co on the back.I cant find any info on the co except its in louisville KY.Iwould like to know about how old the cabinet is. Also it has many coats of white paint which has many cracks, not the wood but the paint. What would my first step be is it best to strip or just paint over it.

Answer
Hi Bob
Nice to hear from you.
All I could find on the company besides where it was located was that it was in business in 1914.
Also found this article that only a Hoosier owner would be interested in.

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2006/03/26/features/home_garden/doc4424decc37794...

Not much help with that, but I can certainly offer some advice on part two of your question.
First off, a lot of these Hoosiers were made "paint grade". That is the piece was made to be painted and it was painted in the factory.
A lot of Hoosiers were made of lovely wood and were never made to be painted.
Unfortunately a lot of them got painted over the years by their owners.
The excitibg part here is..you don't know which yours is until the paint is removed.
It sounds like this cracked white paint needs to be removed even if you just want to repaint.
Theres just no way to get a good paint job over this.
So your first step is removing the paint.
And you will know in very short order if you have a paint grade Hoosier or maybe if your lucky a solid oak one.
The paint grade Hoosiers do not command the high prices that the oak (and other lovely wood) Hoosiers do.
Get back to me if you need stripping instructions
Regards
Eileen