The Dining Room Built-In: Baseboards!

A Damn Close Match!

173 is an interesting mix of architectural styles.  The city tax records show the house as "Old Style" which, when I Google it, shows pictures that are nothing like 173:

Years ago, I sent a picture to someone's blog (I wish I could remember which one) and asked people's thoughts about what kind of house 173 is.  The most frequent answer as Folk Victorian.  Which, I suppose is as good an answer as any.  Here's an exterior shot:

Boy, I'm straying from the point!  The point is, one of the architectural flavors of 173 is a kind of Mission-style baseboards.  They're a full 7 1/2 inches tall!  Here's a shot from a couple years ago, when the dining room was getting its hutch...

With that in mind, and wanting the built-in trim to match up with the rest of the trim, I put in baseboards that will match, if nothing else - at least in size and style.

That's just dry-fitted, obviously there was some sanding still to do.  To make the 1x8s match up, I had to round-over the top edge.  Of course I didn't have a small enough round-over bit for the router, so I ordered a set...

Turns out it's a good thing I got a 3-bit set, because I thought the round-over was 1/2", but turned out to be 1/4".  Another chance to use my router and my home-made feather boards, which I made on the cheap and without much precision!

You may be wondering why I'm putting such inconsequential points in this post.  I'll tell you why - this blog is important in helping me catalog the various products and techniques used here at 173, just in case I have to re-do something!  That brings me to the next point.  Ever since starting this project, I've been trying to find a stain combination that would match the colors already on the trim throughout the house.

Well....I haven't figured it out.  A friend suggested that if I couldn't match it, it would be better to go with a shade totally different that to be close but not quite.  I settled on a mix of two stains... 4 parts General Finishes Antique Walnut to 2 parts Georgian Cherry.

I gotta say this too...after using some pre-stain wood conditioner, the stain I used worked beautifully.  This was my first time using a gel stain, and I gotta say - I'll never go back to penetrating stain.  This stuff applied and wiped easily and evenly, although I had to be sure to work fast!  Anyway, it's not a perfect match, but it's in the same color family, so it doesn't look terrible next to the old trim, and I really like the color result!

So, all that's left is a couple coats of amber shellac, and the project will finally be complete!  With any luck, the next post will be the final reveal!