Wood Refinishing in Tower Grove
Victorian brick homes from the 1880s alongside Craftsman bungalows from the 1910s and 20s — wainscoting, chair rails, and original doors that define every room. Sue Wheeler has worked here for decades.
Tower Grove is one of St. Louis's most architecturally mixed neighborhoods — Victorian brick homes from the 1880s and 1890s sitting alongside Craftsman bungalows and four-squares from the 1910s and 20s. What they share is original interior woodwork: wainscoting, chair rails, original doors, and millwork that defines each room.
The Tower Grove area also includes some of the most intact original exterior woodwork in the city. Front doors on these houses were built to last — solid wood, raised panels, often with transoms and sidelights. They've lasted. But they need maintenance.
Sue Wheeler has worked throughout Tower Grove for decades. She knows both the Victorian stock on the east side and the bungalow blocks closer to the park.
What We Do Most Often in Tower Grove
Tower Grove projects often center on room millwork — the wainscoting, chair rails, and door surrounds that give these houses their character — alongside door refinishing for both interior and exterior doors.
Door refinishing
Both exterior and interior doors in Tower Grove homes are frequently original, frequently painted over, and frequently worth restoring. We remove, hand-strip, and refinish in our shop — returning the door ready to hang. For south- and west-facing exterior doors, we discuss finish durability and UV protection so the work lasts.
Room millwork
Wainscoting and chair rail are defining features of Tower Grove's Victorian homes. When these surfaces are painted over or worn, refinishing them is a room-level transformation — not just a touch-up. Baseboards, crown molding, picture rails, and window casings are all part of this scope.
Interior door surrounds and casing
The millwork around doors in these houses — the casing, the plinth blocks, the head detail — is often more elaborate than the doors themselves. We refinish them together so the result is visually coherent.
Historic District Status and Tax Credits
The Tower Grove East neighborhood is a Local Historic District. Qualifying rehabilitation work may be eligible for the Missouri Historic Tax Credit (25–35%). Properties individually listed on the National Register may also qualify for the Federal Historic Tax Credit (20%).
Millwork and door refinishing can qualify as Qualified Rehabilitation Expenditures when the work is compliant with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards. Sue's hand-strip method meets that standard.
EPA note: Tower Grove homes built before 1978 — the majority of the housing stock — may contain lead paint in finish layers. EPA RRP regulations apply. Sue Wheeler is EPA Certified and handles lead-safe procedures on every pre-1978 project.
From a Tower Grove Client
"We had wainscoting throughout our first floor that had been painted over so many times you couldn't even see the detail anymore. Sue stripped it by hand and refinished it — we had no idea how much was under there. The dining room looks completely different now."
— Homeowner, Tower Grove
Get a Free Estimate for Your Tower Grove Home
Sue Wheeler answers every call personally: (314) 367-6054
She'll look at your doors, your wainscoting, your millwork — and tell you what it will take and what it will cost.
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