After testing the wood to match a new finish against, it appeared that the old wood had a shellac finish but was significantly darker than the new wood. After reading through the book on wood refinishing, it seemed like using dyes would be the way to go for matching the color. The book recommended dyes from WD Lockwood.The dyes can give me flexibility with trying both applying to the wood vs. tinting the shellac. Luckily after Googling them, it looks like there are still in business with a store in Soho.

Before work, I head over to WD Lockwood’s store off of Canal street. The store is cluttered with cans and envelopes full of dyes. After I get someone’s attention I look through a book of colors to pick out some dyes. The purchase is finished by typing out the labels on the envelopes of dye using a typewriter. It’s great a place like this still exists in NYC. I would have thought a place like this would have been bought out years ago.

When I get down to Wildwoods I start experimenting with the different finish options. I try some wood with dye applied directly to the wood followed by shellac over the dye. It seems like the best approach is to start with washcoat of boiled linseed oil or tung oil. Then a coat of amber shellac followed by coats of shellac containing some dye.

After I get the finish coats tested, I move to the next project of working on the downstairs bathroom. I’m not looking to change the layout of the room, but instead just remove all of the finishes added through the years. Taking stock of the room there’s a pink textured paint on all of the walls. The walls also seem to have had a sheetrock piece added around the bottom part of the room. The tub is an original clawfoot tub but the toilet and sink appear to be later additions. The ceiling is plaster and there’s a built-in cubbard that is painted white.

I start with scraping off the pink texture and it flakes off really easily since the paint is already cracked and detached. The problem is that as the paint comes off it takes the top layer of the plaster veneer off exposing the plaster scratch coat. The veneer coat seems way too soft and looks like it may be gypsum instead of lime plaster.

I move on to see what type of wood is used on the build-in. Some of the hinges look original but the hardware for the handles look like a 50/60s replacement. I remove 1 of the doors and put on a bunch of stripper. I start scraping but notice that the wood is flaking off. I realize that the front of the door has a sheet of particle board nailed to it. They must have refaced the cabinet doors.