Tips For Women House Painters

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31107, 9 July 1966, Page 2

Tips For Women House Painters

<By

STELLA BRUCE)

“Don’t do it,” a kindly neighbour will warn as you survey the peeling paint on your house. “Leave it to a professional—or at least to your husband.”

Certainly I do not advise you to go swinging among the guttering, but there are certainly parts of the exterior of your house that you can paint as well as anyone —the doors and downstairs windows for example—as long as you take the job seriously. There is nothing mysterious about getting a professional finish—provided you tackle the job in a professional manner. Most important: prepare your surface properly. At least half the work in painting should be, done before you open the j paint tin.

Do not paint on a damp day or in a temperature of less than 50 degrees. Scrape off all flaked paint, sandpaper thoroughly, and stop up any cracks and holes. Cellulose fillers for hairline cracks are easily mixed and do not shrink. Manufacturers now produce an efficient liquid stripper which outstrips anything a blowlamp can do. Always follow instructions to the letter. If you are using various coats of paint, make sure they are made by the same manufacturer. They will then be chemically suited to each other.

Two ideas when painting windows: you can overlap the paint slightly on to the glass to prevent water soaking into the putty and clean off the excess later with a razor blade, or you can put

strips of transparent adhesive tape around the edges of the windows, which will stop any paint going on to the glass. Before you start, dress properly. You would be surprised how many painters are distracted from the job for fear of dirtying unsuitable clothes. Provincial Press Features.