Historic Paint Colors for the Victorian Home: Part One

For more information about historic paint colors for your Victorian or Arts and Crafts era home, please visit the Historic Design Consulting Website today!

To view part two of the Victorian Paint Colors post, click here!

I was asked recently if I used colors from the historic color collections of major paint manufactures such as Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore during my paint consults.  My answer was no.  In fact, I really don't know much about these "historic" lines of paint colors because I have never had much use for them.   

Unlike many of today's colorists and consultants, I do not rely on someone else to research historic paint colors and select which ones I might want to use.  Instead, I do the research myself and use the same tools homeowners and painters did in the 19th and early 20th centuries.  These tools include a collection of original brochures with sample paint chips, advertising and commercial literature.

Below is a ca. 1900 paint brochure from the Masury Paint Company with some of its sample chips:

Here is another, somewhat older example from the Breinig's Ready Made Paint Company:

When helping my clients select interior and exterior color schemes I start with the colors found in brochures like these and other period documents.  I then match my selections to chips in the fan-book of a modern paint manufacturer or send custom-mixed sample chips that match the period originals.  My clients or their painters can then go to their local paint supplier and have them mix as much paint as needed.

Why go to all of this effort to pick out a few paint colors?  Our specialty is providing paint schemes for Victorian and Arts and Crafts era homes and businesses. The color palettes should be appropriate for the a building's age and style while still reflecting your tastes.  Although several modern paint manufacturers advertise "historic" color collections, they often narrow the selection to paint colors they consider most suitable to contemporary tastes. This means some historic shades and tones might be left out. By relying on period documents I can be sure that our historic color selections are accurate and faithful to 19th and 20th century color palettes. 

For more information about a color consultation for your home or business, check out the Historic Design Consulting website.

To view part two of the Victorian Paint Colors post, click here!

Handmade Step Back Cupboard

Each year The Landing holds an event called Early Minnesota Trades when the site invites a number of people to demonstrate authentic 19th century manual trades and crafts. For the past three years my fellow woodworker at The Landing, Kevin Alto, and I have been joined by our fellow members of the Society of American Period Furniture Makers to make a woodworking project.  This year, under the direction of our fearless SAPFM leader Mike Siemsen of the Siemsen School of Woodworking, we built a typical, 19th century step-back cupboard resembling those once found in farmhouses across the country. It proved to be quite an undertaking for a weekend’s worth of work but we are all pleased with the results.

It seems every workshop needs more space to stow tools and help keep workbenches clear.  In our case we needed a place to put wood planes where they are easily accessible and can be viewed by visitors.  We also wanted a place to hide 21st century items like water bottles, nylon bags and our good friend Dave Winter’s Dremel (Dave is the site’s old- time instrument repairman and wood carver).  Our new cupboard fits the bill quite well.

 The cupboard is made of white pine using the usual dovetailed case construction.  The face frame was made using mortise and tenon joints and attached with glue and square pegs.  The shelves are set and nailed in dadoes and the back fitted with  1x4 ship-lap boards. 


Since high-style furniture would be out of place in a workshop, our cupboard is rather plain but does feature a bit of stylish ornament.  It is topped off with a nice crown consisting of a graceful cove and bead.  The bottom is fitted with a dovetailed skirt with an cove planed along its top.  Kevin and I finished our new piece with a couple coats of milk paint.

Like all our projects at the Landing the cupboard was made by hand using tools and 19th century techniques.   This gives our furniture a distinctive look that sets it apart from modern, machine made furniture.

Why Use Hot Hide Glue?

Years ago in elementary school I remember being warned not to eat my glue because it was made out of horse’s hooves. I thought this was an odd thing to tell someone since I couldn't imagine any reason to eat glue in the first place regardless of what it might be made of. Many years later I learned that my classmates weren’t quite correct.   We used good old Elmer’s white glue, or polyvinyl acetate (also called PVA), which is a chemist’s concoction and contained no hooves. However, there was a time glue was indeed made from hooves, skins and other bits of connective tissue so I suppose my classmates weren’t completely off-base.

Today I use traditional hot hide glue almost exclusively both because it’s use is historically accurate to the 19th century and because it has several advantages over modern PVAs, polyurethanes and epoxies. It is reversible, cleans up easily, is non-toxic and essential for repairing antique furniture.

Hide glue is rendered from connective tissue and other parts of animals that contain lots of the protein collagen. The treated hides and other parts are boiled in large vats of water, the nasty scum skimmed away and the reaming accumulation collected and dried. During the 19th century the glue was usually shipped in small blocks but today is broken up and sold in granular form. I keep mine sealed in an air-tight container: an old mason jar.






Here is some granular hide glue up close. Since hide glue can be re-heated and re-used it once was the responsibility of the shop apprentice to gather up all the waste bits of glue and return them to the glue pot so nothing would be wasted.






The granular glue is soaked in cold water over night until the water is absorbed. The usual ratio of glue to water is one part glue to two parts water. Thicker or thinner glues can be cooked for certain occasions. I use a cast iron glue pot which is actually two pots in one: a smaller pot which holds the glue/water mixture and an outer jacket pot that holds water and functions like a double boiler.

I place the glue pot on our shop's wood stove until it reaches about 150 degrees. Despite being made from the skin and tendons of farm animals the hot glue has almost no odor.





Once the glue reaches the correct temperature it will become viscous, have the consistency of egg whites and can easily be applied with a brush.





One disadvantage of hide glue is its short open time. That means it sets up quickly so large glue-ups must be planned and executed quickly. Here I am doing a simple glue-up of a small table top. I apply the glue liberally to both surfaces with a glue brush. It is important to use plenty of glue and not to clamp so firmly that all of the glue is squeezed out. Sometimes urea was added to the glue to increase the open time (it is also added to liquid hide glue which you can buy in bottles) but this can weaken the glue if too much is used.

I sometimes clamp when using hide glue (especially when its cold) because it can thicken and gell so you don't get a tight joint. In this case I rubbed the joint until it just began to stick and then quickly clamped the pieces. As you can see it can be a messy process but excess glue can easily be softened with a damp cloth and and then scraped away with a knife. I have dedicated an old, dinged-up chisel to the task of scraping away the gluey mess. Be sure the surfaces are warm. If they are too cool the glue will shock, or gell, and the joint will not be tight.

So, why use hide glue? Its greatest advantage is that it is reversible. Heat and warm water remove spills and messes. Reversibility is particularly important when restoring or conserving antique furniture because any work that you do can be undone later on with no damage to the piece. Epoxies, PVA and and polyeurathane glues often cannot be satisfactorily removed and can leave residue. This residue cannot be dissolved by fresh glue meaning later glue-ups might not adhere to the old glue and result in a weak joint. Old hide glue can be scraped away quite easily or reactivated with heat or fresh hot hide glue. It is very strong and (depending on the grade of glue) creates a bond that rivals that of modern epoxies. It is also compatible with stains and finishes. Since modern glues can leave residue in wood pores there are often spots and blotches when finishing. Hide glue can even adhere to glass!

Like all glues, it does have some weaknesses. It is not resistant to water, although some additives can be mixed in to make somewhat more resistant. It does not fill gaps well, meaning close-fitting joints are essential. I am convinced that most of hide glue's poor reputation comes from failures attributable to poorly fitting joints rather than problems with the glue itself. Left-over glue will deteriorate quickly if left in the pot so it is best to make just enough for your project and throw the remainder away if not used within a few days.

Even though it is all-natural and non-toxic I cannot recommend eating hide glue. But, if on a dare, make sure it is hot hide glue and not the stuff in the bottle. I hate to think where the urea might come from that is added to keep it liquid. Bon appetit!

The Berkeley Plantation

In his book Architecture in the United States, Dell Upton proposes there are two themes in American architecture: The classical, which is “regular, ordered, modular, symmetrical, balanced,” and the picturesque, which is “less obviously ordered, asymmetrical, less obviously unified, often accretive.” Upton’s views echo those of E. K. Rossiter and F. A. Wright, who wrote in their 19th century guide to house painting “There are strictly speaking but two great styles of architecture, the underlying principals of which are based upon construction. One is the classical style, based upon the lintel as its chief constructive feature, and the other the medieval Gothic in which the arch is used to span openings.” Several of my posts have focused on the picturesque (see my posts below on the Cummings house and the LeDuc). In this post I will venture far from the frozen tundra of my native Minnesota and examine a wonderful example of the Neo-Classical Georgian style in tidewater Virginia.


During the 17th and 18th centuries younger sons of English peers and less prominent gentry families found it increasingly difficult to establish themselves financially and socially. Primogeniture favored the oldest sons, who were able to inherit titles and estates, leaving second and third sons with little aside from land grants in the American Colonies. Many royalists also felt threatened during the English Civil War and Interregnum, leading some to emigrate to the colonies where they sought to create a new, landed aristocracy in the wilderness.

An early example of this aristocratic migration to the New World is Berkeley Plantation. Berkeley was founded in 1619 on the north bank of the James River about 20 miles upstream from Jamestown, the first permanent, English settlement in colonial America. The estate was acquired by Benjamin Harrison III in 1691 and this mansion built in 1726 by Benjamin Harrison IV. Later inhabitants of the estate included Benjamin Harrison V, a governor of Virginia and signer of the Declaration of Independence, and William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison, both of whom would become president.

Constructed with bricks fired on the plantation, the building was designed in the Georgian Style. The Georgian Style reflects its classical heritage, where symmetry and order are the rule. The front of the house is perfectly balanced and centers on a pedimented, 8-panel front door (sadly obscured by an ugly, steel storm door). The bricks are patterned in the Flemish bond, where courses are composed of alternating headers and stretchers. Brick was favored in the Middle Colonies and the Flemish bond was characteristic of Georgian style.


The cornice features heavy molding and dentils, which are more prominent than those found on the more refined Federal Style homes of the early 1800s. Try to ignore the ugly, aluminum storm window!


The gable end also shows the characteristic classical pediment with heavy, projecting molding and dentils. Also common on grand Georgian homes in the Middle Colonies are paired interior chimneys.


Berkeley Plantation is open daily for tours during the summer and is located at 12602 Harrison Landing Road, Charles City VA 23030, which is just off of Route 5 between Richmond and Williamsburg, VA.

How to Repair a Split in a Wood Door Panel

A common problem with older wood doors is split panels. Wooden panels were typically fitted into grooves plowed in the door rails and stiles and left to float so they could expand and contract without binding and splitting (for a primer on making wooden panels, see my last post). However, varnish, wax and dirt can build up over the years and stick the panel in place so it isn’t able to expand and contract. Since the wood can’t move, stress builds up and the panel eventually cracks and splits. This common problem usually isn’t a difficult repair and can be done by any homeowner with a few fix-it skills. Below is a step by step outline of the repair process.

This white pine exterior door was built in a Minnesota millwork shop around 1863 and hung in the rear entrance of the LeDuc House in Hastings, MN (for pictures and a description of the LeDuc, see my post below). The exterior side of the door is very weathered and one panel has failed, leaving a large split which lets water and drafts into the building.

The interior side of the door is in good shape, although it appears the LeDuc family owned a large dog which badly marred the lock rail.

The first step is to remove the bolection moulding around the panel. The safest way to accomplish this is to use wooden shims. I use a razor blade to score the varnish and gunk between the moulding, door and the panel and then slowly push wood shims under the length of the moulding. Work slowly and carefully since the thin strips of moulding are fragile and can easily break. The card stock under the shims keeps them from abrading the old varnish.


Continue to slide more shims under the first ones until the moulding begins to lift. Once it is lose, carefully use a small pry bar to pry the moulding up. Be sure to place the end of bar near nails as that will put less stress on the molding. You can also slide shims under the back edge of the moulding. The trick is to keep even pressure along the length of the piece. Be sure to number the pieces as you remove them so you can return them to their original position.


Once all the moulding on both sides has been removed, gently clean the edges of the panel using mineral spirits or naptha and a soft cotton rag. Use 0000 steel wool if the dirt and grime are especially thick. Once you are done, carefully scrape away any remaining gunk and allow the panel to dry completely.


The next step is to open the split as carefully as possible. This is necessary because glue will not adhere to dirty, oily or decayed surfaces. Exposed wood oxidizes and erodes over time leaving a poor surface for gluing. Years of dirt, grime and gunk also make good glue-ups difficult. Once you have opened up the split you can use strips of cloth with solvent, dental instruments, small knives and 220 git sandpaper to clean the surfaces. BE VERY CAREFUL AND DO NOT REMOVE TOO MUCH WOOD!! If you are sloppy and sand or cut away good wood along with the dirt and grime you will not be able to close the joint completely and get good glue adhesion.


A close-up of the cleaned split which is ready for gluing and clamping.


One difficulty in gluing up a door panel is clamping it. To do this you need to glue wooden blocks on both sides of the panel along the split. Be sure to place the block on areas that will be covered by the pieces of moulding once they are replaced. I use a hot glue gun to do this because the hot glue really binds the blocks to the panel so you can clamp firmly. Once you are done the blocks can be removed easily and cleanly with a chisel because hot glue has very poor shear strength.


I used a syringe to inject glue into the crack and a bit of a shim to spread a good amount of glue on both surfaces of the split panel. I clamped the panel tightly and cleaned up any squeeze-out with a damp cotton cloth.

Once the glue set up I removed the clamps, blocks and replaced the pieces of molding using new cut nails. Be sure that the panel is floating in its grooves so that it able to move and will resist splitting in the future. Since this door was so badly weathered the split did not close up as tightly as I would hope despite clamping it quite tightly. To make the split less obvious I used colored wax matched to the stain to hide the crack.

Although you can still see the split, it is now less obvious, closed and weather tight. The key to maintaining exterior wooden doors is regular maintenance. Be sure to repair splits, refinish regularly and care for your doors as problems arise. If neglected, problems will worsen making repairs more difficult and less successful.

Read more >> Options >>

Raising Wood Panels the Old-Fashioned Way

I have been asked a number of times about raising wood panels while working in the cabinet shop at The Landing, a living history museum in Shakopee, MN. So, I thought I would bring my camera to the shop and give a quick primer on raising panels for doors, drawers and paneling.

I used a piece of scrap pine from the firewood box for my demonstration. This piece turned out to be horribly mushy and prone to tear-out (see my discussion of the advantages of closely grained wood below) so the results are pretty embarrassing. However, what matters here is the process and rather than the results. One advantage of 19th century woodworking is that there is always a wood stove nearby to consume all your miserable mistakes so no one will ever know what horrible things you have done. That is, unless you are stupid enough to show them to the world on the internet.

First, I marked out the panel using a slitting gauge. Some people use a regular scratch gauge to lay out the dimensions of the raised field and then scribe the lines with a square and lay-out knife. I prefer a sharp slitting gauge because it is faster but still leaves a nice, deep mark like a knife would. Just be sure the edges of the panel are joined straight and smooth or your lay-out lines will be a mess.

I also scribed a line along all four edges of the panel. This way I will know how far down to plane the bevel so that it will fit snugly in grooves plowed on the edges of rails and stiles of a door, etc. In this case I am making a simple panel with a straight bevel planed to the edge. In other cases you might want to plane a rabbet around the panel so that the bevel does not extend completely to the edge. Rather than flat, bevels can be dished slightly with a round plane.

Next I roughed out the panel with a wide chisel. When you are removing lots of wood it is fastest and easiest to use a chisel rather than a plane. This is true even if you are using a rabbet or dedicated panel-raising plane, as both panel-raisers and rabbet planes need to be set fine for cutting across the grain on the ends of the panel.

The one thing always to remember is to work across the end grain first!! Even when you are working with sharp tools on good stock, there will be some tear out. If you work the end grain first, any tear out will be planed away when you are working with the grain down the sides of the panel.

After roughing out the bevels, I work the end grain using a wide rabbet plane to smooth and refine them. Be sure to use even strokes and be careful around the sharp edge of the raised field. I often use a smaller chisel to shape the bevel near the edge so I have some leeway when using the rabbet plane. A wide rabbet is perfect for this sort of work since the blade is skewed (good for working across grain) and the iron is slightly wider than the plane body so you can work right up to the sharp edge of the field.

The last step is to smooth and refine the the bevels on the long sides. Work with the grain on both sides of the panel. Again, the rabbet plane is ideal for this job since it allows you to flip the plane around and work with the grain on both sides. Planes with fixed fences force you to work with the grain only on one side and against the grain on the other. Use a cabinet scraper for final smoothing so you have a sharp edge where the bevels meet that runs at a 45 degree angle.

There you have it! Hopefully yours won't have the awful tear-out and ragged edges!

Old Growth Timber

Old growth timber is one of those terms you run across on occasion but almost never hear defined. For the cabinet maker and timber frame carpenter old growth timber is the ideal medium for strong and stable furniture and framing. But what exactly is old growth timber?

Once upon a time in the forest primeval white pine and other trees grew close together in dense stands of timber. Since light was scarce under the thick canopy of leaves and pine boughs, young trees grew slowly but very straight as they strove to reach the sunlight far above them. Since there wasn’t much light near the ground, trees expended little energy growing branches and leaves low on their trunks. As a result the trunks of old growth trees were not covered with knots and produced clear lumber when milled.

The slow growth means growth rings were very thin, so the wood is very dense and stable. Another product of slow growth was a much higher percentage of fine heartwood. White pine was especially straight grained with little wane (i.e. the natural taper to a tree trunk) because the trees grew straight up to reach the sunlight of the canopy above.

In comparison to lumber sawn from true old growth timber, lumber today less dense, straight grained and much more liable to twist and warp. Below is a cross section of the sill from an 1882 depot from Chaksa, MN. This example has up to 20 growth rings per inch and is quite heavy and dense. Much pine harvested today has around 6 to 10 rings per inch and is far less dense in comparison. Anyone who has sorted through a pile of twisted, wracked and warped lumber at a lumberyard or supplier can appreciate the qualities of the old growth timber. It is little wonder that even some the most hastily built furniture from the 19th century survives with so little warping, splitting and decay.


Since virtually all of the old growth timber was harvested in the eastern U.S. and most of the remainder is now protected, old growth is now salvaged from building demolitions and remodels. A fair amount is also being recovered from lake and river bottoms where logs sank during the 19th century. Unlike the 19th century, when it was used for the most mundane purposes, old growth is scarce and expensive and used only for special projects.

Read more >> Options >>