President James A. Garfield House

President James A. Garfield’s home, located in Mentor Ohio, was purchased in 1876, four years before being elected President of the United States. Garfield raised his large family on the vast estate and “put my boys at work and teach them farming.” He conducted much of his successful and precedent-setting “front porch” campaign at his home, which was named Lawnfield by the reporters. During a major renovation conducted by the National Park Service, the exterior and interior of the main house were restored.

On the exterior, The Dependable Painting Company chemically removed all existing layers of paint down to the original yellow pine boards. Approximately 1,500 gallons of stripper was spray-applied by our painters who were fitted with chemically resistant protective gear. After hand scraping, the wood surfaces were washed and then neutralized to remove all traces of the chemical. The painters allowed the wood to dry and then power sanded. A primer and two finish coats of paint were then applied. The new shake shingle roof was installed, which was painted red to match the 1880’s color scheme.

Beautiful white oak was used for wood wall paneling, the staircase, windows, doors, and the baseboards. The existing shellac finish on these natural wood surfaces was cleaned and revived using special conservation techniques. Our team installed 10 different wallcoverings, which were replicated from old photos and samples found by the Park Service.