Period homes throughout the country offer some of the most beautiful and intricate examples of heritage design. Unfortunately, these creative gems are often hidden away during “renovations” when home owners opt for the seemingly “easier” task of painting over the existing finish rather than stripping it back to the original moulding. Thankfully there is a way to uncover these hidden treasures with a modern day stripper – simply, effectively and with minimal fuss. With a host of paint-stripping products and myths in circulation, we decided to pitch one of the strangest myths against one of the best known strippers on the market to reveal all…

Round 1 – Peel Away 7 Squares Up To Porridge

In the right corner, we have ‘porridge’, yes the hot breakfast cereal enjoyed by millions in the winter months, and in the left corner, Peel Away, the all-in-one paint and varnish removal system. While Peelaway 7 arrives cool and calm with it’s accompanying blanket and scraper, the porridge is busy warming up on the hob at gas mark 5. We felt that if we were going to give porridge a fighting chance, we would opt for one of the finest by selecting an organic premium brand from one of the local supermarkets.

Application of the peelaway 7 was quick and easy while the porridge tried to wimp out early by refusing to stick to the fireplace, perhaps a little too much milk. After a gentle re-heat and some sweet talking the porridge was ready to return to the ring.

Round 2 – The Reveal

After a night of snuggling together under the provided ‘peelaway 7′ blanket, we remove the covering to see exactly what the two methods have achieved through the dark hours of the night. It doesn’t take long to see that while peelaway 7 was getting hot and busy under the blanket, porridge was getting cool and do we dare say, sticky.

It seems at this stage that ‘Peel Away’ has the advantage with sections of the original fireplace clearly visible while porridge has left us with a sticky cold mess.

Round 3 – Peelaway 7 Declared The Winner

After a quick clean up, it’s clear to see that although porridge has a reputation for being good for the digestive and circulatory systems, it’s clearly not as effective for tackling layers of paint or varnish. The clear knock-out winner in this challenge is the Peelaway 7 paint and varnish removal system. To rid the fireplace of the last layer of lead-based paint we applied PeelAway 1 – the following morning we were back to the bare metal with no need to scrap in any of the detailed areas.

Do it yourself

If you’ve always wanted to restore a period fixture or piece of furniture but have been afraid to tackle it with sandpaper and a scraper, Peel Away offers the perfect solution. Depending on the age and type of paint or varnish involved, Peel Away paint and varnish removal systems can help to restore all types of plaster fixtures, metal fireplaces, wooden fixtures and furniture to their original detailed glory.

Peel Away 1 Paint Remover offers the best solution for older lead-based paints and is able to remove up to 32 layers of older varnishes and paints in a single application. Peelaway 1 is widely used by the trade as well as the marine and automobile industry.

For modern paints and varnishes Peel Away 7 paint stripper offers a safe and easy way to remove up to 20 layers of modern paint or varnish in one go. Peelaway 7 is a versatile product and can be used to remove paint from wood, brick, masonry, fibre glass and metal.

Many a back garden becomes a no-mans land over the winter, but thankfully this period of dormancy is coming to an end. Now is the ideal time to start preparing for the approaching spring and summer seasons.

Features of the garden that tend to get a raw deal over the winter period are the wooden fixtures and fittings such as sheds, garden fences, decking and wooden patio furniture. Exposed to the ravishes of wind, rain, snow and frost, the once warm, vibrant shades and tones of exterior wood have dulled or turned to a lifeless green or grey.

If you’re heading out to the garden for the first time in the next couple of weeks and are looking to restore exterior wooden features back to their former glory, here are some superior quality, environmentally friendly products to consider:

• Exterior Wood Oil – UV Resistant and water repellent in 3 coats, this exterior wood oil is resistant to weathering and the bleaching effects of the sun. Perfect for garden furniture, decking and other exterior wooden surfaces, this exterior hardwood preservative offers unrivalled protection and performance. It is recommended that a coat of clear wood preservative is applied to the wooden surface before this product.
• Osmo Wood Stain and Protector – Ideal for all exterior woodwork. This oil based product, that also contains natural waxes is available in a range of colours and can be used to maintain the natural appearance of exterior wood. Using this product retains the original appearance of the wood texture and grain.
• Osmo Country Colour – Perfect on all wood types, new or weathered, rough or smooth, Osmo Country Colour can be used to renew previously stained, weathered or discoloured wooden surfaces ensuring further protection for many years to come. A range of colours are available. This product gives the look of a  paint and covers over the texture and  grain of the wood to leave a smooth finish.
• Spray On Fence Stain – Provides a quick and easy solution to stain and protect your fence or shed. Economical and easy to use, spray on fence treatment can extend the life of garden fence panels and sheds by protecting against the damaging effects of weathering. This product can be quickly and easily applied with an affordable hand pump spray system or by paint brush.
• Wood Preservative – An all in one solution for the treatment and prevention of damage from wood rot and fungi on timber. Wood preservatives can be left as they are or over-coated with oil or one of the above products when dry to achieve the desired finish.

Revitalising tired, external wooden items can be a job that many wish to avoid, however in a matter of hours, these surfaces can be treated to look like new again. Before grabbing a tub of Creosote, (a product soon to be outlawed because of its high toxicity and environmental impact) it is worth considering the newer, safer and environmentally friendly products now available. The natural oils and waxes that these products contain offer far superior protection and will bring tired looking sheds, fences, decking and patio furniture, back to life and ready for the summer season and beyond once again.

This process isn’t just about the cosmetics of making wood look good for another summer, it’s  a maintenance program that will help to protect your investments and help prolong the life of garden sheds, fences and decking for many years to come.

If you’re unsure of what you need, contact Wood Finishes Direct whose team are on hand to offer guidance and advice on what products are suitable. No matter what the job, whether interior or exterior, big or small, they have it all.

For many years now the words ’sustainable’ and ’sustainability’ have been banded around, especially in farming and fishing. With increasing pressure to recycle, restore and use environmentally safe products in a bid to save the planet, many people are beginning to ask what they can do from a sustainability point of view when building or restoring a house or home.

Back in early 2008, such a challenge was given to TV Presenter Kevin McCloud, the face of the Channel 4 program ‘Grand Designs’.

Kevin’s brief was simple; to design and build a sustainable house, using traditional materials and techniques along side cutting-edge 21st Century technology which underpins his green principles – Simple!

The house was built at the Excel Centre in London as part of Channel 4’s Grand Design Live exhibition and incorporated sustainable products and materials from around the country. The build included everything from the day to day throw away materials such as glass bottles and newspapers, environmentally and user friendly Tung Oil from Wood Finishes Direct in Kent and the latest echo technology from a host of suppliers from around the country.

To read more on the project, the suppliers and the materials used, visit the Grand Designs Live: The House That Kevin Built web site.

Whether looking to design and build your own home from scratch or to simply renovate or give a room a face lift, this program shows that with the right products and materials, great things can be accomplished with minimal impact on the environment.