Refinishing new window trim

11 years ago

Hi, I'm Caroline, an occasional lurker, normally found at the Kitchen Table, and a tiny bit on the Home Decorating, and Windows forums.

I'm trying to fix a Tragedy in the Making. A three-week living room refurbishment is now in its 5th month. The new Marvin windows are installed, but the bare pine wood interiors of the two windows must be refinished ASAP. They're calling for snow next week.

The trim I ordered is all wrong - and non-refundable. I have to make lemonade out of these lemons.

Since time is running out I thought I'd have the contractor install the off-color trim and then next summer I could refinish it.

How much hard labor would be involved to re-stain and finish medium reddish oak trim into a darker, but not quiet espresso, finish? Would I be better off to pull it off next summer and put properly stained trim in?

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Comments (5)

rwiegand
11 years ago
Stripping and refinishing is a ton of work, I'd do it to save good old woodwork (and often have), but for new stuff pulling it off and replacing it would be a lot easier and faster. Unless you have a lot more time and patience than money I'd get and install the correct material.

Donning Nomex suit-- You could experiment on some scrap with a topcoat of a colored finish to see if you could just add more finish to get to the color you want. Polyshades is a dirty word on this forum, but it or something like it might accomplish what you're trying to do without throwing out a lot of trim.
bobismyuncle
11 years ago
I guess I don't understand why it can't be done right the first time? Is this stuff pre-finished?

There may be a way to get there without stripping. You can add color with glazes or toners. The former is brushed or ragged on, the latter, usually sprayed. If you know what the existing finish is and can get a compatible top coat, one of these techniques might work, since you are going darker.

But I agree, if you can cut miters to length, it would be a lot less expense and time to remove and replace rather than strip and refinish.
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jeff-1010
11 years ago
going from a light stain to a dark stain is easy. i don't know what kind of finish is on now, but most can be re coated on top of new stain without a lot of drama. but you should find out the current top coat on these parts, so you know what to prep for. let me know.

using an extra dark walnut stain on top of reddish oak color will start you off to your espresso color.
zagut
11 years ago
"I guess I don't understand why it can't be done right the first time?"

Those are my thoughts.

Why go through the extra effort?

Wrong trim? Eat the loss if it matters to you. Or put up what you don't like and complain about it.
Deborah lippitt
last year
Mine were done right the first time..24 years ago...Now they need help! I'm going to paint a couple (maybe) and refinish the rest and there is PLENTY to do!