Oiled beams and natural timber
Beams often carry years of dust, wax or smoke, so they are cleaned and sanded before any oil goes on. Osmo soaks into the grain and hardens there, which gives a natural matt look and can be topped up later. The Telephone Exchange project has photos of the finished beams against white walls.
Most of the village's oldest houses were timber-framed, and in some the frame shows inside. Old and newer timber rarely take colour the same way, so we test the finish on both.
Doors, staircases and skirtings
Nearly a third of Fulbourn homes have four or more bedrooms, which usually means a long staircase and a lot of doors. Treads, spindles and handrails are sanded evenly so stain takes without blotching, then given a clear protective coat where they wear.
If you prefer painted woodwork, dark trims work well. The trim at the Exchange went in Dulux Night Jewels 2. For listed homes, of which the parish has 56, check before stripping any historic finish.
Fulbourn at a glance
- 10 milesby road from our Landbeach base, about 17 minutesOSRM routing
- 9%of properties were built before 1919VOA Council Tax stock
- 4%date from 1919 to 1939VOA Council Tax stock
- 91%are houses rather than flatsCensus 2021
- 56listed buildingsHistoric England
- 66%of homes are owner-occupiedCensus 2021
How we approach woodwork staining & varnishing
We clean and lightly sand every surface, sand evenly before staining so old varnish does not leave pale patches, and test the colour on a hidden area first. Bare pine is primed with Zinsser before eggshell. Our Mirka sanders pull dust away at the pad, so the next room stays clean while the stairs are done. The full method, products and FAQs are on our woodwork staining & varnishing page.