Traditional Paint & Finishes

Think of them as Proven Technology, not outdated techniques

In building as in other aspects of modern life, we've been conditioned to think better living through chemistry is the answer.

In reality, a great deal of the modern wonder products you find at your home "improvement" warehouse are poor substitutes for the original technology. Many materials were in short supply during World War II and industry adjusted by inventing new hydrocarbon based chemical substitutes. These products don't last, but they're cheap to produce and easy to apply so they've overtaken the industry.

Quality made traditional products are still available and will work in harmony with the techniques and products used originally on your building.

We strive to use the best traditional products available when appropriate. They're usually more expensive upfront, but in many cases will outlast their modern analogues by decades.

Linseed Oil Paint

Breathable Protection without Plastic

Have you ever gotten caught in a rainstorm and resorted to one of those cheap plastic ponchos? You probably remember the wildly unpleasant humidity buildup inside. That's what modern paint does to your wooden building.

Look carefully at the label on the cans of plastic paint at your local warehouse store and you'll notice they call themselves "coatings". They're designed to encase your wood in a vapor proof barrier. Of course the problem is wood, like your skin, is a natural material and needs to breathe off moisture vapor or it will decay. Also as soon as this coating is punctured or cracks, it fails.

Linseed oil paint avoids this. Much like a raincoat built with a modern breathable fabric, it's molecular structure waterproofs wood while still allowing it to breathe.

Pressed from the seeds of the flax plant, linseed oil has been used for thousands of years. Mixed with ground pigments to produce vibrants colors, it produces a beautiful finish that will last for decades.

It can be used for interior or exterior purposes, and applied to any sheen desired.

While there are several brands available, SBC prefers paint from the fine folks at Heron Paint, the only commercially available linseed paint still produced in the U.S.A.

Spar Varnish

weatherproof armor against the elements

Spar varnishes are stolen from the shipbuilding industry, where as the name implies, they are used to weatherproof the wooden spars used in sail rigging. Usually concocted of various proprietary blends of tung nut oil, linseed oil and natural waxes, quality spar varnishes give wood an incredibly durable rich finish.

Spar varnishes will give you the deep lustrous finish seen on the "brightwork" of luxury yachts. It can also be applied in a satin finish.

Don't confuse true spar varnish with the plastic goo marketed as the real thing at your warehouse store. It's unpleasant smelling, unrepairable, failure-prone, and has an ingredient list that looks like a lab report from a Superfund site.

SBC has an affinity for the official varnish of the French Navy, Le Tonkinois.

If you prefer the Dutch, Epifanes makes an equally reliable product.

Interior Finishes

Beautiful, Durable Interior surfaces

You'll be amazed at the difference quality natural finishes can make in your home or building. Linseed putty and paint, natural oils, and lime and casein based finishes have a beautiful depth unmatched by synthetic imitations without the chemical fume smells.