I have a very large pitch pine panelled timber ceiling with an old dark brown shellac finish in what was once an early 19th century Baptist chapel. The ceiling is a bit grubby, a mixture of grime, areas of white blooming and a few streaks of bare wood where past roof leaks have washed the shellac finish away. The general finish is a dull dark brown which is fine as it reflects its age and hides some of the blemishes but all the above faults are highlighted when the sun shines through the windows.
Any ideas on how to gently clean and restore this ceiling? I will be having scaffolding erected in 2017 to gain full access but I have already accessed a small area by ladder to take a closer look. Vigorous wiping with methylated spirits on one small area removes the stain so I believe this confirms that the finish is shellac. White spirit appears to remove the grime and blooming without disturbing the colour but I wonder if soapy water would be just as good?
Once clean, how should I restore? From what I’ve read, the bear wood streaks should be recoloured with shellac (I’m considering using Liberon Garnet shellac flakes) and if the rest looks a pit patchy after cleaning, it can be blended in with a light brush of Methylated spirit.
It all sounds a bit too easy and I fear I will make a complete mess of it so any advice is appreciated. The ceiling doesn’t have to be immaculate but a relatively consistent bloom free finish would be good.
One other point, the building is located at the seaside and the windows are original single glazed sashes so moist air, which I believe can cause the white blooming, could be a future issue. Should I also be considering some kind of sealer?
Any ideas on how to gently clean and restore this ceiling? I will be having scaffolding erected in 2017 to gain full access but I have already accessed a small area by ladder to take a closer look. Vigorous wiping with methylated spirits on one small area removes the stain so I believe this confirms that the finish is shellac. White spirit appears to remove the grime and blooming without disturbing the colour but I wonder if soapy water would be just as good?
Once clean, how should I restore? From what I’ve read, the bear wood streaks should be recoloured with shellac (I’m considering using Liberon Garnet shellac flakes) and if the rest looks a pit patchy after cleaning, it can be blended in with a light brush of Methylated spirit.
It all sounds a bit too easy and I fear I will make a complete mess of it so any advice is appreciated. The ceiling doesn’t have to be immaculate but a relatively consistent bloom free finish would be good.
One other point, the building is located at the seaside and the windows are original single glazed sashes so moist air, which I believe can cause the white blooming, could be a future issue. Should I also be considering some kind of sealer?
