woodwork - Grannys Tips

Why old pine knots stain white paint and how to seal them

August 22, 2026 by Dorothy Baker

Nobody rolls white satin straight onto old pine any more: here's what goes over the knots first (and it costs almost nothing)

Those mysterious ginger-brown rings appearing through your fresh white paint weeks after decorating aren’t a painting failure—they’re pine knots bleeding resin. Professional decorators have used one cheap, simple solution for generations: shellac knotting solution. Here’s exactly how to use it.

Why wall emulsion scuffs on skirting boards and door frames

July 26, 2026 by Dorothy Baker

I painted my skirtings and door frames in my wall shade with the same tin of emulsion just to save money: three weeks late...

A homeowner’s penny-pinching decision to paint walls, skirting boards, and door frames with a single tin of wall emulsion backfired spectacularly when a routine vacuum cleaner knock revealed why this approach violates basic paint chemistry. The solution exists, but it requires understanding the crucial difference between wall paint and woodwork paint.