Finishes and OptionsThe majority of our products can be purchased either fully finished or ready-to-paint. The latter, obviously, is a significantly cheaper option and allows those on a tight budget to achieve the look without the expense as long as they are prepared to invest a bit of time. We are always happy to give advice to anyone not sure which option they should choose and to assist with any questions on going down the DIY route. Hand painted We currently offer 4 standard paint options: Old White, Linen and Gustavian Grey, all of which have an antiquing glaze lightly dragged over them to soften the overall look and, more recently, Imperial grey which is lightly distressed to allow a deep red undercoat to show through in the areas that would naturally age more quickly. For those requiring a specific colour or paint type we are more than happy to oblige - all we ask is that you pay for the paint at cost. Read-to-paint Many of our customers are willing to have a go at finishing the furniture themselves, either because they get tremendous satisfaction doing so or wish to save money (or ideally both!). Many of our items are largely handmade from solid sustainable hardwood and therefore there will be irregularities that are a characteristic of the wood itself and the manufacturing process rather than defects. Please note that although we may have already applied a basic primer coat for you it should still be lightly sanded to remove any drips etc and there may also be some minor filling/sanding still required depending on the look you are hoping to achieve. However our designs are based on 18th and 19th century originals and a lightly distressed finish suits our furniture far more than a 21st century mass-produced and “formica-perfect” look! We recommend that the furniture is stored in the room where it will be used for a week or so prior to painting (the longer the better). This lessens the risk of the wood opening up or shrinking after it has been painted. Any cracks that do appear can then be filled and sanded prior to painting. Most of our customers prefer the slightly aged/distressed look and so this is unlikely to be an issue and can even be turned to an advantage. The painting system that we use at Scumble Goosie consists of: B) Making good of any small irregularities in the wood (not necessary if you require an “aged look”) using filler, sandpaper and then further spot priming as required. C) 2 coats of water-based eggshell paint (lightly sand in between) D) 1 coat of antiquing glaze (optional). This has the effect of gently aging the appearance of the paint to prevent it from looking too “modern”. An alternative aging method would be to use crackle glaze or “rubbing back” to expose other layers/colours and even the wood itself. Use candle wax in places to assist with this technique. E) 2 coats of water-based varnish (use a good quality water-resistant variety). On tabletops and other surfaces likely to get wear and tear we use 3 coats. Satin floor varnish is particularly hard wearing. The real beauty of the system outlined above is that it is easy to change the colour when needs dictate – simply lightly sand and start again from stage D! |
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Griffin Mill, London Road, Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2AZ | tel 01453 731305 |