Cyclopedia of Painting/Practical Points on Painting

Do not expect the paint to do all the work. It won't.

No paint manufacturer can make one paint which will meet every requirement.

Judgment must be used as to the surface to be painted.

Never use a cheap primer. The priming coat should be of the best. It is the foundation upon which all subsequent coats must be built.

The best paint, if properly applied or applied over a surface not in condition to receive paint, will not give good results.

A successful painter is one who makes a thorough study of the work on hand and knows what is necessary to use in order to produce the best results. If oil or turpentine is needed, he should know when and how much.

Good results can not be obtained on poor lumber.

Moisture is the bane of the painter and paint manufacturer. Possibly more trouble can be traced to moisture than to any other cause of paint going wrong.

Paint will blister, peel and scale if the surface painted contains moisture.

Moisture is always present in improperly seasoned or green lumber. It is often present because of defective window casings, leaky down spouts and freshly plastered walls.

It is important that the foundation should have ventilators or windows, so that there will be a free circulation of air underneath the buildings to carry off the dampness. If this precaution is not taken, the dampness will go up through the space between the plastering and siding and the sun and warm air will draw it through to the outside, causing the paint to blister, peel and scale.

Mildew is another serious trouble. This is a vegetable growth and is always a sure indication of dampness.

​Do not be in a hurry with the work. Do not apply the paint too heavily.

A well-brushed-out coat of the proper consistency and plenty of time allowed for its hardening through will more than repay in the after effects for the time spent.

There is a difference between paint drying and hardening. Paint may dry in a few hours, but takes days to harden.

Light and air are essential to the proper drying of paint.

With inside painting, do not tightly close the room and expect the paint to dry. It won't.

Good results can not be had on an old surface unless it is put in proper condition to receive paint and the paint prepared and applied according to the condition of the surface.

Paint when struck with frost before it is dry wrinkles and loses its gloss.

Heavy dews on paint not dry also destroy the gloss.

There are certain times of the year when outside painting should not be done if satisfactory results are to be expected.

Do not paint too early in the spring, as the surface is very apt to be full of frost and moisture.

More complaints of peeling can be traced to early spring painting than to painting done at any other time of the year.

All paints and oils are much heavier in cold than in warm weather. If applied in a low temperature, there is apt to be too heavy a coating.

Painting should never be done in extremely hot weather.

Better and more uniform results can be obtained if the full amount of paint required for each coat is mixed at one time.

Prevent the paint from skinning over as much as possible by keeping the mixing keg covered when not in use. The formation of skin robs the paint of its drier.

​Paint must be kept of a uniform consistency to give uniform results.

Where japan is used, always get the best and use it sparingly. Never add japan last or after the mixture has been thinned down.

An excess of japan will keep the paint from hardening and make spongy work.

There are very few exceptions to the statement that boiled linseed oil should never be used for undercoatings.

Always use pure raw linseed oil for reducing paints. Insist on having the best. See that it bears the brand of some reputable oil crusher.

There are no substitutes for linseed oil.

An excess of oil in the middle coat on new work and first coat on old work will retard the hardening and cause the finishing coat to flatten out, also very apt to cause blistering.

Tacky Paint. This is more often caused through improper application of the undercoats than through any fault of the paint.

Paint, varnish, or a similar product applied over a glossy surface or a surface which is not hard dry is much more likely to remain tacky than if applied over a thoroughly dry, half flat or flat surface.

Some paint pigments are natural dryers, while others are non-dryers. The non-drying pigments, when used in painting, if not properly prepared and applied over a suitable surface, are very apt to dry tacky and remain so.

Varnish added to oil paint will cause the paint to remain tacky. Colors in oil mixed with varnish will not harden, but soften under exposure to heat.

Always prime a building before the plasterer commences his work.

Never second or third coat a building while the plaster is drying out. A building should never be tightly closed while the plaster is drying out.