ONE’S OWN PAINTING

Evening Star, Issue 19796, 21 February 1928, Page 2

ONE’S OWN PAINTING

TIPS FOR HOUSE OWNERS Very often householders who have had their weatherboard homes oiled when they were built find that, as time goes on, the oiling is unsatisfactory. It calls for constant touching up under the best of conditions, and if the timber has not been properly seasoned sap oozes through to the surface, and the appearance is spoiled. Green hardwood, in particular, contains a certain amount of citric acid, and this acts strongly against paints, oils, and varnishes. PAINTING AN OILED JOB, In such cases it is frequently desired to have the walls painted instead of oiled. This is a job that calls for some knowledge of the special conditions arising, and it is rather a tedious one, for the surface needs to he gone over five times. This proves expensive if labor has to be employed. So it is often tackled by the head of the house himself. The first thing to be done is to re-

The first thing to be done is to remove all the sap with some, sharp instrument. A plane blade is probably the best thing to use for this. It has a certain weight of its own that helps in the taking off of the accumulation of sappy matter. This is essential to the making of a finished job. Next the walls need to be gone all over with a mixture of lime water. This is to kill the chemicals in file oil. These two things done, a commencement may be made with the painting proper, and three good coats should ho given. The effect is a transformation, and the paint makes n job that will last for fire or six years without further attention. PAINTING THE BATH.

The painting of the household bath is a, job that is at intervals required of the man of the house if the hath he a galvanised iron one. The first thing to be done is thoroughly cleanse and scrub the bath with hot water and caustic soda. Then tie up the taps to prevent drips, and as a reminder to the members of the household that it is not to bo turned on till the bath is dry. A good coat, or perhaps two coats, of some flat white paint should come next. This to make the “body” of tho white color. Then proceed to put on the, finq! coat of wdiite enamel. Have little on the brush. Try to make it go as far as possible. Work it in thoroughly. Then - it will not “weep.” Heat the enamel by standing it in a pot of boiling water. If it cools before the job is done, heat it again. Should a second coat be necessary let tbe first dry thoroughly, then sandpaper lightly to make a gripping surface and to remove any lumps. If vou pu on more than two coats it will chip. The object of making it hot is to avoid using turpentine in thinning. On using the hath._ cold water should be put in before boiling or hot water. KALSOMINING A BOOM.

To kalsomine a room is to paint the plastered walls with a cold water distemper. This fills the smaller cracks and freshens up the walls wonderfully. There are several brands on the market, and a variety of colors may bo obtained. A room 12ft x 12ft takes three packets of stuff, or a total of 7s or Bs, and would take a man a day. His wages would bo more than twice the cost of tho material The handy man can save money by making his own kalsomin© and doing the work himself. Here is a recipe: Take 71b of whiting and a. Jib packet of ground glue. Mix The glue fresh in boiling water, and tip tho whiting in. Be sure and cover up the furniture, lamp shades, etc., before doing the ceiling. If it is necessary to paint a newlybuilt brick wall (to make it match existing work), it is essential that it be treated with some mixture to “kill” tho cement before painting is commenced. Zinc sulphate is very effective for this. It is obtained in 91b packets, and 2-)lb are mixed to the gallon. After this, roat (bo wall with red lead, and finally pain), with two coats good oil colors. For painting on damp walls (o protect against further inroads of damp use first a coat of thick red lead and oil. This fills up the pores more permanently than paint, and gives a harder body. No tar should be used. Give a. second coat of red load paint, and finish with a coat of red oxide. Greasy walls arc often_ found in kitchens, and the home painter will find , that the grease will show through his kalsomines and cold water paints. To remove this eyesore treat it by washing it over with very thin lime wash before proceeding with the room. _ Alternatively it may be treated witlp caustic soda* and then twice sized before _ the kalsomine is put on. Providing it is not too deep-seated, the first mentioned will prove successful. A SPECIFICATION. _ A good specification for painting work usually contains clauses worded as follows;—“ Knot, prime, stop, and paint with three good coats of genuine white lead and oil paint. All work to he thoroughly dry between each coat, and the last and finishing coat to he in party colors as directed. All nail holes, cracks, etc., are to be carefully stopped with putty and rubbed down before the various coats are put on. All paint to bo mixed on tho job. White lead to bo Champion’s and all oil Blundell and Spence’s, or other approved brand, and brought to the job in sealed containers (to prevent fraud). “All panelling to he cleaned down, prepared for, and given two coats of oil stain of an approved shade, and well varnished with two coats of Harland’s first quality copal varnish. Fibrous plaster ceilings to receive three coats of approved distemper. Drop _ cloths to he used when painting _ internally. Ironwork, downpipes, spouting, etc., to receive two coats.’’ Sometimes the oil to bo used is specified in detail as follows: —“ Best quality linseed oil only to be used (Blundell and Spence’s or other approved brand), to be pale in color, transparent, free from smell, and sweet to taste.” HOW TO STAIN A FLOOR. A job required in the home in these days is the staining of floors—whether the area surrounding the carpets or linn, square, or the whole of the floor of the room. In a new house the floors of the best rooms,are usually laid in hardwood and prepared for staining; hut in the older houses the floors are of Baltic pine. One of the cheapest floor stains is “Vandyke Crystals.” These may he obtained at the paint shop, and a, 3d packet goes to two quarts of water. It may he applied with a, brush, and when dry is finished with two coats of raw linseed oil. The whole may then he beeswaxed.

For superior work cere should be taken to select an oil varnish product in preference to a. spirit stain. There are well-known makes obtainable, _lt is a groat advantage to hove something that will retain a permanent gloss and will not show' scratches when furniture is moved along the surface.— Australian ‘Homo Beautiful.’