georgian staircase restoration

Sensitive restoration of a Georgian stair case in a period proporty in Hampstead, London.

300 years of paint has to be burned off using heat guns. Carbon filter masks are essential while working and good ventilation is required as much of the older paint, particularly the primers, were lead based.
The mahogany handrail was made from one piece of wood that would have been steamed and painstakingly bent into shape.
Some spindles had to be removed on the sharpest bend and on the final furl to allow us to actually get in and work.
Blotches of red lead paint used as knotting to prevent bleed through and discolouration of the paint.
High and awkward to get to nosing required a tower scaffold.
After the heat gun, paint stripper and wire wool is used to clean and start to really bring the wood into focus.
The stripping revealed where the original spindles had been anchored before being cut out at some point
Some of the scotia moulding was worn and damaged it needed remaking and forming from two component resin filler. Dark oak filler was used to match the final tone that the staircase was to be stained.
The staining process beginning with the nosing and working inward.
Risers were to be painted white later.
Burnt Umber acrylic up onto each spindle to give the decorator something to 'cut' down onto & define the line in white.