The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Care And Repair Of The House
If much painting is being done the brushes may be left suspended in the paint or in linseed oil to keep them in good condition. To keep the oil from getting fatty, a little turpentine may be added from time to time. The brush can be suspended by drilling a small hole through the handle near the top of the ferule or binding, pushing a straight piece of wire through the hole, and resting the ends of the wire on the edges of the pail or container. Some brushes are made with holes drilled for this purpose. The bristles of the brush should be completely submerged in the liquid, but the ends should not touch the bottom of the container, as the weight tends to bend or curl the ends of the bristles and ruin the brush.
In general a varnish brush may be suspended in the varnish in which it is used and may be cleaned by washing it first with turpentine and then with warm water and soap.
Brushes used with whitewash or calcimine should simply be washed thoroughly in clean water and hung up, bristles down, to dry.
4. METHODS OF APPLYING AND BRUSHING
The paint should be worked well into the brush before it is used. Dip the brush about 2 inches into the paint several times and scrape it each time on the edge of a stick held over the paint pot. The brush should not be dipped too deeply into the paint, as an over supply on the brush will spatter and run down over the handle.
When applying the paint, dip the brush and slap it against the inside of the pot to remove excess paint.
Hold the brush lightly but firmly. Use a free and easy stroke, letting the wrist do most of the work. In applying the paint make two or three quick, light strokes to transfer most of the paint to the surface before it spatters. Then quickly spread the film to hide the surface and follow up with uniform strokes to smooth it off. Do not brush the paint too much in an effort to obtain smoothness. If the paint has partially set, this will roughen the surface and do more harm than good.
Exterior Application.
In exterior painting it is customary to start at the upper left-hand corner and work across the top to the opposite end. A convenient width is covered at one time, and before stopping for the day the belt should be completed to leave a straight line across the house, usually at the bottom of a shingle or siding course. This method may necessitate shifting the ladder more but will eliminate vertical joints in the painting.
When near the end of the house, brush only from the end toward the center, otherwise the paint will be scraped off on the corner of the house and run down or make a thick film along the edge.
