Old Oregan (i think) Skirting Boards

[Perthite]

Hi,
I have scrounged 10 inch wide skirting boards which I plan to use hopefully natural colour and clear finish. The boards are from different houses and are carry a lot of paint from many years.
The only way I can get the paint back is to use the "solver" caustic paint twice cleaning the gunk off with a high pressure water cleaner. Sounds great huh but the couple of boards I have done so far have a very bleached look....naturally.
Is there a way to get the natural colour back ? I think not and anticipate staining them but being a novice am open to any suggestions.
About 15 years ago I paint stripped architraves which promptly went black so I used a paint which is painted on and let to dry and then a further coat of a different colour was used. Before it dried the top coat was rubbed with cloth or hessian to make a woodgrain finish....it doesn't seem to be around anymore or am I just not looking in the right places ( bloody computer) please any ideas will be appreciated.

[la Huerta]

i have used old skirtings and weatherboards and the only way to get them back to original easily is to plane them, a hand power plan works ok depending on the moulding on the top of the skirting, if it is a straight angle then plain that too, but if it is a detailed one then you will have to use striper or something, when planing the boards you only want to just take a skiming of the surface to remove the paint...try a small piece first...let me know how you go...

[hmckid]

I had the same issue with some Aust Red Cedar 8 inch moulded skirting boards that had a number of coats of paint on. I ended up using a heat gun (judiciously) and scraper which removed the paint and then sanded them back with increasingly finer grits. The end result was the grain and colour came through very well, but beware of those old paints and using a heat gun as they often include lead and hence you must mask up properly and do it outside. I take it you've got plenty of time too!

[JB]

1. the couple of boards I have done so far have a very bleached look....
Is there a way to get the natural colour back ?

2. I used a paint which is painted on and let to dry and then a further coat of a different colour was used. Before it dried the top coat was rubbed with cloth or hessian to make a woodgrain finish

3. (bloody computer)

1. Maybe they just look bleached 'cause they have no finish on them. Give them a light sand and wet them and see how they look.

2. Yeah there was some real rubbish on the market in the 80s :D

3. Couldn't agree more.