Every old house has a few secrets tucked away under paint, plaster, trim, dust, and time. At Jumanji Historic Farmhouse, we keep finding them one layer at a time.
In this video, we are working around the side entry and the basement door, removing old layers of paint and getting a better look at what the original woodwork may have looked like. Inspector Vader, our Welsh Terrier, makes an appearance as usual, supervising the work and making sure we do not miss anything important.
One of the most interesting discoveries in this part of the house is the faux wood graining. Under the later coats of paint, we are finding evidence that much of the main-floor woodwork was originally finished to look like oak. The actual wood appears to be mostly poplar, which was commonly used because it was available, workable, and less expensive than high-grade hardwood. But with skill, paint, glaze, brushes, combs, and a good eye, a decorative painter could turn ordinary poplar into something that looked like beautiful oak.
Faux wood graining was a popular decorative painting technique in the 1800s and into the early 1900s. It allowed homeowners to enjoy the look of more expensive woods—oak, walnut, mahogany, and others—without the cost of using those woods throughout the house. The technique showed up in homes, churches, public buildings, and furniture. It was not just “fake wood.” Done well, it was craftsmanship. It was artistry. It was a way of making something plain look warm, rich, and refined.
I became especially interested in faux finishing during our years in Utah. Many Latter-day Saint pioneer homes and buildings used beautiful painted finishes. Out West, hardwood from the East was harder to come by, and many families built with the wood they had available—often pine or other softer woods. Skilled painters could then use faux graining to give those surfaces the appearance of finer hardwood. Some of that work is absolutely gorgeous. It is one of those old skills that deserve more appreciation than they get.
Finding that same kind of work here at Jumanji Farmhouse gives the house another layer of personality. It reminds me that the people who built and finished this place cared about how it felt inside. They were not just putting up boards and plaster. They were trying to create beauty. They were taking what they had and making it better.
There is also plaster visible in the background of this video, which is another reminder of how these old houses were built. Before drywall, plaster was the standard interior wall and ceiling finish. It took more labor, more skill, and more time. Like faux graining, it tells us something about the hands that shaped this house long before we came along.
In this project, we use a paint stripper called Peel and Strip to remove layers from the basement door. And yes, apparently saying “Peel and Strip” out loud caused a little confusion for someone who thought I was making a political statement. Oh boy. No politics here—just old paint, old wood, and a product name that sounds more dramatic than it really is.
As the paint comes off, the original finish begins to show itself. That is one of my favorite parts of restoration. You start out thinking you are just cleaning up a door, and then suddenly you are looking at the decisions someone made 150 years ago. A brushstroke, a color choice, a grain pattern, a piece of poplar made to look like oak—all of it becomes a conversation with the past.
This is why we keep working on Jumanji Farmhouse. It is dusty, slow, expensive, frustrating, and occasionally full of surprises we did not request. But every once in a while, the house gives us something beautiful back.
This side entry and basement door are one of those moments.
Watch the video here:
Jumanji Farmhouse: Side entry a hidden discovery.