WHO? WHAT? WHERE?

Yeah, yeah, I know I’ve been the laziest blogger in town but the truth is the past 18 months have whizzed by in the blink of an eye, a sure sign of getting old so I’m told.

I’d like to think I’d done something useful with my extended blog holiday like saving the planet, finding a cure for cancer or learning how to speak Swahili.  However, my self-imposed cyber detox was just a case of real life happening – too busy being in the moment rather than living vicariously online posting photos of breakfasts, cats or outfits clearly not made for overweight, middle-aged ladies with wobbly bottoms.  By the way, here’s a picture of my breakfast in case you missed it!

Just like Golden Nuggets

So now that I’ve made that gigantic leap out of my PJs and onto the keyboard, what now?  At the moment I’m doing a Led Zeppelin and buying a stairway to heaven.  Well not exactly buying it, more like re-modelling the old one with a cunning plan to turn it from a nondescript suburban monstrosity into a model of elegance and refinement with a bit of stain, varnish and lots of elbow grease.

Two days into my project and I’ve begun to realise that a staircase transformation is going to take as long as Brexit.  I ripped up the old carpet expecting to find the previous owners had painted everything white but surprisingly, the treads are untouched and in pretty good condition.  Great!  A good bit of sanding should bring out the lovely grain in what I’m guessing is the original wood.

Stairs before sanding

Treads before sanding

And now for some stripping! Ensure front door is locked, curtains drawn and ansaphone is on before flinging caution to the wind and baring all.  Just kidding!  For those that wish to strip wood in the nud then good luck to you but as my wood stripping method of choice involves using Nitromors then I’m keeping my kecks firmly on.

Heat gun or chemical strippers?  Whatever floats your boat or in this case, leaves it paint free.  There are pros and cons to both but I guess I just like the sadistic melting effect that Nitromors produces on painted woodwork.  Accidentally drop it on your skin and it burns like acid which is why it’s so effective on even the most stubborn areas.  Brush it on then one cup of tea later, hey presto!  Lovely bubbly paint for you to scrape off.  What could be easier?

Nitromors - use with care

Actually let’s face it, stripping paint off wood is not easy or for the faint hearted.  Don’t do this at home unless you finish what you started.  Half stripped wood is like a cold kebab, unappealing in the cold light of morning unless you’re hungover.

Can I have a go?