Period joinery and listed homes
On a listed house, stripping original paint or varnish from joinery may need consent, so check with South Cambridgeshire District Council first. Often the better course is to clean, key and refinish what's there, filling splits and dents along the way.
Beams and worktops suit Osmo oil, which soaks in and can be refreshed later. We oiled beams this way at the Old Telephone Exchange in Fulbourn.
Stairs, doors and skirtings in family houses
About 34% of Fen Ditton homes have at least four bedrooms, so long staircases and plenty of doors are common. Old orange varnish can be sanded back and restained, or the timber primed and painted in satin or eggshell. We agree a way up and down while each section dries.
Bare pine and knots get a Zinsser primer first so resin doesn't bleed through the paint. Our internal door painting page covers doors in more detail.
Fen Ditton at a glance
- 5 milesby road from our Landbeach base, about 8 minutesOSRM routing
- 94%are houses rather than flatsCensus 2021
- 32listed buildingsHistoric England
- 64%of homes are owner-occupiedCensus 2021
How we approach woodwork staining & varnishing
We protect floors and nearby walls, wash off old polish and grime, and sand evenly so the stain takes without patches. Colours are tested on a hidden area first. Varnish goes on in thin coats with a light sand between them. For painted work we prime knots with Zinsser, undercoat, and finish in satin or eggshell. The full method, products and FAQs are on our woodwork staining & varnishing page.