Internal doors, skirting boards, architraves, and built-in features in interwar and Victorian homes have often been coated with incompatible products over decades. Oil gloss followed by water-based gloss — or trade satinwood applied over chalky old finishes — are the most common combinations.

Sound finishes are deglossed to create a key for new paint. Flaking surfaces are stripped back to bare wood. The correct primer is applied: oil-based if applying oil topcoat, water-based bonding primer if using water-based satinwood.

Timber fascias, soffits, garden gates, and external trim in coastal properties face salt air exposure and frost damage. Foxglove Decor treat exterior timber restoration in Sunderland coastal properties with additional primer stages.

Preparation is thorough: stripping where paint adhesion is poor, sanding smooth, and priming with oil-based wood primer. Two topcoats of exterior gloss or satinwood provide durable finish.

Some hardwood features are finished with stain and varnish rather than paint, bringing out natural timber colour and grain. We assess the wood condition, strip to bare timber if needed, and sand to the appropriate grit.

We then apply stain in your chosen colour and finish with varnish or sealant appropriate for interior or exterior use.

Stripped hardwood requires careful handling before finishing. Sanding sequence (coarse to fine grit) is critical. Bare wood is primed immediately to prevent moisture absorption.

We use appropriate primers and finishes for the timber type and location. For door painting as part of a larger interior project, see our door painting page.