Hello, my name is Jeff Alger.
I’m taking a Master’s class in Instructional Design at Boise State University. My group’s project is to develop training that teaches people how to strip the wood trim inside their house and ready it for refinishing (I’m not kidding, that’s our actual project!). The first step we have to do is find out why people don’t refinish their own interior trim. So, we developed a survey to find out.Can I ask the DIYers on this board to take a couple minutes and answer the following questions? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Jeff
Do you know how to prepare wood trim for refinishing?
If so, where did you learn how to do it?
Have you ever refinished wood trim or furniture before?
If you wanted to refinish the trim in your house, would you consider doing it yourself?
If not, what would you say the biggest barrier to doing it yourself was?
Replies
survey
Do you know how to prepare wood trim for refinishing? Yes
If so, where did you learn how to do it? Off the can/bottle, plus logic and common sense.
Have you ever refinished wood trim or furniture before? Yes
If you wanted to refinish the trim in your house, would you consider doing it yourself? Yes
If not, what would you say the biggest barrier to doing it yourself was? If pieces of existing trim are broken during removal, matching the pattern can be a real challenge unless there is sufficient motivation (e.g. historical restoration) and budget to do so.
Survey
You may want to incorporate OSHA RULES. Stripping lead based paint ! Asbestos recognition and removal ! Black mold and its removal. Knowing your limitations and when to contract a restoration out to qualified, licensed and certified firms.
There is more to it than just diving in and creating a health risk.
I consider paint to be a finish and like to have the trim in my house painted. So I've answered your questions in that vein. If you mean varnish or some such thing to be the finish, you really ought to say so.
• yes
• two places: first was a custom furniture shop where I worked during my high school years. second place was helping my father refinish much of an old wood sailboat...... also during my high school years
• yes
• yes
• but I wouldn't do this.... I mean, I wouldn't want to do it. The trim in my house is butt-ugly. I'm going to rip it out and replace it. After that, sure I'd repaint it myself.
Yes to all questions. Stripped three floors of pecan stair railing and spindles with friends in a townhouse on DuPont Circle in D.C. in the 60s and learned from them. I too prefer painted trim in my house and have repainted some of it myself. Biggest barrier to DIY is the very high crown molding in the stairwells which freaks out my wife when I get up on a ladder. (Despite over 400 freefalls and years of rock and ice climbing, she still goes nuts when I get up a ladder or a tree.) Good luck on your project.
A survey for DIY Woodworkers
Thank you all for your responses. They were a great help!
Survey
Jeff
Keep in mind you're asking pros and tradesman here - these are not typical answers from folks in general -
SA
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