Period woodwork in Ramsey
In older houses, woodwork often carries decades of paint, drips and opened joints. We fill, sand back runs and make good before anything new goes on. Natural timber can be stained, varnished or oiled; treads and handrails are sanded evenly so stain takes without blotches.
Ramsey has 60 listed buildings. In a listed home, ask the council before stripping any historic finish from doors or panelling.
Around 410 homes in the town date from 1919 to 1939. Interwar doors and staircases may be solid timber under several coats of paint, and Graham will tell you at the visit whether stripping back to natural wood is practical.
Modern homes and painted trim
At least a quarter of Ramsey's homes date from 2000 or later. New homes often come with plain white woodwork, and a change to eggshell, or to the wall colour, makes a big difference. A darker trim also works, as with the Dulux Night Jewels 2 we used in Fulbourn.
New softwood doors and skirtings are primed with Zinsser first, so knots do not bleed through. Stairs get a clear protective coat where they wear.
Ramsey at a glance
- 30 milesby road from our Landbeach base, about 42 minutesOSRM routing
- 13%of properties were built before 1919VOA Council Tax stock
- 9%date from 1919 to 1939VOA Council Tax stock
- 85%are houses rather than flatsCensus 2021
- 60listed buildingsHistoric England
- 66%of homes are owner-occupiedCensus 2021
How we approach woodwork staining & varnishing
We clean grease from around handles, sand old gloss so the new coat grips, and fill gaps between skirtings and walls. Stains are tested on a hidden area, such as the underside of a tread, before going on everywhere. Light sanding between coats gives the smooth finish. The full method, products and FAQs are on our woodwork staining & varnishing page.