I'm looking at a home built around the 1940s, and I've noticed that the ceilings in a couple of rooms are wooden but painted over in white. I'm not sure what lies beneath the paint. While I don't completely dislike the white, I'd really prefer the look of exposed wood instead. I've got some inspiration images I'm aiming for as well. At first, I thought about having a professional sandblast the paint off and then stain the wood, but I've heard this could be quite a project. The invasiveness of the job doesn't concern me since we'd tackle this before moving in. If budget isn't an issue and I'm considering hiring a pro, what would be the best approach to restoring the wood on these ceilings? Also, if anyone has experience with this, could you share what worked for you? Is there a less intensive way to get a similar result?
2 Answers
One thing to keep in mind is that you might not really know the quality of the wood underneath that paint. You could end up spending quite a bit only to find out it’s not what you hoped for and might just need to repaint it back. I'd suggest testing a small area first to see how it looks.
Honestly, have you considered just putting up new tongue and groove wood? It would save you the hassle of trying to strip the old wood and could give you a fresh look with less work.
Absolutely, I think starting with a small section is a good idea. If it turns out the wood isn't great, I can just paint it back.