Painting a mantlepiece - can anyone advise me?

[InmyheadIminParis]

Our sittng room has a wooden mantlepiece/fire surround. The shape isn't too bad, but the colour of the wood makes it look a bit 70s pine/tacky. I'm thinking about painting it (Farrow and Ball Old White??).

Has anyone else painted theirs or something similar?

I've got lots of questions: Do I need any special paint, given that it's so close to a fire? Do I need a special undercoat? Should I somehow take the thing off the wall to paint, or do it in situ?

ANY advice welcome!

Shamless bump

Or even shameless bump

Yes I did it, painted an enormous dark wood neo-gothic horror in F&B old white or some variation of white, and it looked fantastic!

It was done in situ, using their normal wood paint, but it did get blackened over time where the smoke rose in the middle of the surround, nothing too alarming though. We did have great big fires!
I would not think that the paint would react very differently than the varnish/wax that is on your mantelpiece at the moment?
Perhaps it would be worth phoning them and ask which quality they recommend for this type of job.

Oh how I love MN. Thanks catherinedenerve - very good to know that I won't have to take the whole thing off the wall.

Did you dive straight in with the wood paint, or use a primer first?

From drab to fab; A bit of sugar soap + gratty spongy thingy + moderate elbow grease, then some white matt water based emulsion that was lying about, then 2 coats of oil based wood paint.

Can't even believe I remember all this.

You're clearly a painting wonder-woman.

I'll follow your instructions to the letter. Thanks again!

(fingers crossed emoticon)

I've bought the paint... hope to do it this weekend if we don't have friends over. I'll let you know how it goes!

Any update yet?

Yes! Or rather, kind of. When I was getting ready to paint, I realised that I'd picked up the wrong colour, or rather, the right colour but not a gloss . Not usually so dosy. So, I've taken it back and ordered the right one - it'll be in this week. Everything's ready - masking tape in place!

I'll report back.

or rather - dosey!

Hi!
A message from bossy boots;
You're going to do a first coat in a water based paint, right? It makes the job a lot easier.

Inmyhead - you may not want to do it in Farrow and ball gloss anyway as it is 95% sheen, much too shiny for a fireplace, I would use Estate eggshell.
You should also use an undercoat or else it may peel off in places.
All F & B paint is now waterbased, they don't make oil anymore.
Good luck hope it goes well.

Don't worry ms.denerve, I've followed your instructions to the letter, and the undercoat is on. I'm ready and primed! Just waiting for the gloss...

But after reading isgrassgreener I'm now scratching my head wondering if I should go for the estate eggshell instead. Oh decisions, decisions!

I've gone for F&B Blackened, a grey-white which I thought would look quite good in a gloss as it would help the colour not to look too flat/dull. hmmm...

Which finish did you use guru catherinedenerve?

Oh goody. I love it when people do what I say.

We used eggshell for woodwork. But, (gets her F&B colour chart...), Blackened...oh smart colour, should look v.v. nice in either. Gloss is quite a pain to apply though. Is other woodwork in the room gloss?

Update: still waiting for paint to arrive... But have changed order to Estate Eggshell- can always gloss over it if it doesn't look okay!

finally picked up the paint today. Ordered it though Homebase (5 mins away) to save driving 30 mins to the F&B shop. Bad move. I suspect it would have been quicker to make it myself than wait for Homebase's ordering 'service'.

Done! At long, long last. Looks wonderful though. V. pleased. Thanks for all your help Mme Denerve and others.