Stripping woodwork?

[mistressploppy]

We've moved into a Victorian house and I've a yen to strip all the woodwork and stain it a traditional darkish brown (it's painted white at the moment)

DH and I are shit at new to DIY so I think we'd be getting someone in to do it, sending the doors off for dipping etc.

Is it a massive job? Anyone done this? Are there lots of evil chemicals involved? (am pregnant, due early Feb)

Yes, there are evil chemicals involved, including the likelihood of lead based paint. You should certainly not be considering doing it whilst pregnant.

Sending doors for dipping is easy.

Hmm, yes, I vaguely remember the smell of Nitromors from my childhood...I wouldn't be doing it myself, but I suppose just being in the house is a bad idea.

Y'know there is nothing traditional about stripped wood

Woodwork would have been painted, unless you were a peasant

I know, Sibling, but it's a very late Victorian house and is really more Edwardian/Arts and Crafts than high Victorian. I don't like the stripped pine look, hence the stain-to-look-like-hardwood plan

I am also a bit of a peasant, as it happens

OH YES YES!! SEND THOSE VERY OLD DOORS AWAY TO B DIPPED /STRIPPED >AND DO READ THE SMALL PRINT ON THE CONTRACT U WILL SIGN > OLD DOORS =OLD WOOD OLD GLUE OLD JOINTS HEY OLD EVERYTHING!!! SO >WHEN OLD DOOR COMES OUT OFF SOLUTION AND OHMAGAWD WHAT DID I SIGN ? CHOOSE CARFULLY! CHECK CONTRACT 1ST OTHERWISE IT COULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE

We have that stain on our panelling on side of stairs in the hall. It is very, very gloomy.

Hijack - will we have to strip that off before painting it white or can it just (just ha!) be sanded and primed and painted?