The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Theory Of Decoration
Plaster should be allowed to dry out thoroughly before painting, as the lime in fresh plaster will attack paint applied to it. It is often washed with solutions of soap and alum as an additional precaution. The paint used differs very little from that used on woodwork.
Enamel is usually applied over oil paint, and has a very hard and durable surface. It may be left glossy, or sandpapered to give a dull surface. Some of the finer enamels dry naturally with an eggshell or semi-gloss finish.
Varnish is the appropriate finish where the natural grain of wood is to form part of the decorative effect. Before applying it. in the case of open-grained woods, such as oak and chestnut, a paste filler should be used, rubbing it well into the pores of the wood and wiping off the surplus. Several coats of varnish should be applied, each one being allowed to dry thoroughly and rubbed with sandpaper or pumice before the next is applied. The number of coats used and the detail of application varies with different makes, and the manufacturer's direction should be carefully followed.
Stains are used under varnish. Oil stains are the safest and easiest to apply, but alcohol and acid stains are also used, and often produce beautiful effects. Alcohol stains have the advantage that they can be used over old varnish, though great care must be taken in attempting this. Some stains are sold mixed with varnish, and are easily applied by the amateur.
Graining is a method of using paint so as to imitate natural woods. One coat of paint is applied over another, of different color, and partly scraped away while still moist, with metal brushes and other tools. The effect is never satisfactory, and is now little used, though formerly very popular.
Glazing is a method used extensively to produce an antique effect. The last coat of paint is laid on thinly over paint of another color, and partly wiped off before it is entirely dry so that very little remains on the flat surfaces, but more in the hollows of the mouldings. Any combination of colors may be used, but in Colonial reproductions the under coats are generally white and the glaze is yellow or brown.
Furniture is painted or varnished in the same manner as architectural woodwork, but usually with more care, and the best grades of materials should always be used. More coats are applied, each being rubbed to a dull finish. Where the natural grain is to show, the better grades are usually shellacked and waxed, the wax being applied in several coats and well rubbed and polished.
Lacquer is a type of enamel finish, the best examples of which are produced in the Far East. It is very expensive, as a large number of coats are applied, each rubbed down by hand. The best lacquer is very beautiful and durable, but most commercial imitations are very inferior in every respect.
