About Old Growth Finishes

Built on Craft. Rooted in Story.

I’m Corey Carson, founder of Old Growth Finishes and my passion for old homes started long before I even knew what restoration was.

As a kid, I spent summers in New Hampshire at a house that seemed to breathe with history. I didn’t know then that it was an 18th-century cape, or that the exposed beams, wide plank floors, and quiet hum of aged wood would stick with me for life. What I did know was that I loved the way the house felt, especially in the summertime, when the humidity would bring out the deep, sweet smell of centuries-old lumber. That smell still takes me right back.

Later in life I found myself drawn to buildings with character, homes that told a story. I didn’t want cookie-cutter. I wanted craftsmanship. Structure. Soul.

Eventually, I came to live in that same old New Hampshire home that had shaped so many of my early memories. It needed love, real love. The kind that doesn’t come in vinyl siding or a trip to HomeGoods. So I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

I taught myself the trades one by one: timber framing, traditional masonry, natural insulation, and most deeply, historic painting and finishing. I learned how old homes were built to breathe, and how the wrong materials can slowly choke their spirit. That’s when I discovered linseed oil paint and other natural finishes. I saw how they protected not only the wood, but the health of the home and its people.

Old Growth Finishes was born from that journey. Rooted in restoration. Refined in execution. We bring a topnotch level care and craftsmanship to every project—whether it’s a modest antique cape or a multi-million dollar home. We create finishes that last and spaces that feel truly finished.

— Corey Carson
Owner & Craftsman
Old Growth Finishes