apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

If you'd consider doing-it-yourself, there's a great product called Peel-Away. It comes in a tub. You just slather it on, leave it for a few hours. Come back and wipe the gunk and the paint off with it. It's incredibly easy and pretty safe to use. (I've got to cats. You just cover it with some plastic wrap while it's working.) I uncovered a painted-over transom window above my bedroom door with that stuff. I live in a pretty poorly maintained pre-war building, such a shame all the original character has been painted over...sigh.
Good luck with your doors!

After you strip a door you have to SAND a door, and seal a door. Personally I prefer using a heat gun for things that can't be removed easily (like a door frame) but even better is taking that thing off the hinges and getting it picked up by a dipping service.

I've used Big Apple Stripping, which is in the phone book, I think they work out of Staten Island. I understand a door runs around $250 these days, and that is SOOOOOOO worth it. It comes back sanded, leaving just the staining/sealing to you. They had free pickup and delivery last time I used them, and that was in Brooklyn.

Might just be me, but that seems pricey. how much does a new door run?
I also must confess to the snide smile: NY Strippers, indeed.

Hi AT and readers,

I just bought a brownstone studio that gets very little light because of the huge trees outside. The space has an original parquet floor which needs refinishing. I like the sophistication of ebony floors with modern furniture and white walls, but since it's so dark in there I am considering going with a pickled (bleached-out) oak finish instead. What do you think--tacky, or fresh? And would it be weird with parquet?

tiny, it will certainly lighten up your apartment. do the stripping and repoly before you move in. maybe go somewhere in between blonde and ebony, since the apartment is already dark and you're unsure just how light you want to go. Believe me, just stripping off the dark stain will lighten your place up immensely.

forgot to add that light parquet floors are nice. i didn't strip the dark floors in my coop before I moved in (and should have) -- did the bedroom alone. I've got a light honey blonde colored floor which could even be a bit darker. it looks amazing to see the grain and the new poly makes the floor gleam.

The real question is, how much do you like parquet? I honestly don't like it, but I never had the budget to pull up my floors and replace them with planks.

i would suggest you strip a test section yourself before paying a professional for the full job. remember not all wood mouldings and doors were meant to be exposed. some are made of lesser quality mismatched woods that are intended for paint.

Hi, I have a transom and french doors which are painted in the entrance of my bedroom. How can I strip the paint off? I have two children and three cats, are there any paint and glass strippers that won't harm them?

I would NOT recommend Big Apple Stripping. the owner runs a one-man show and his customers suffer for it. Twice he didn't show up and never called and I had hired workers to unhinge the doors and carry them down to the street. He is unprofessional, discourteous and does not know the meaning of customer service. There must be other options that are not such a big waste of time.

I need to find someone to refinish my exterior doors who will be professional and provide quality work at a reasonable price. Can you make a reccommendation for someone in Brooklyn?