Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-02-14
CHEAP PAINT FOR FENCES AND
BUILDINGS

The many inquiries we receive on this sub
iect induce US to give the results of any expcr-
iments we make or which come under our OBJ
servation. Having had occasion recently to
erect and paint board fence about three hun
dred feet long, the following mode was adopt-
ed. The fence was made of six horizontal
boards, besides the cap, nailed TO red cedar
posts, and to avoid expense, the buards (of
nearly clear stuff pine) were left mPidned.
The expense of planning both sides by ma
CHI ne driven with steam, would have been about
FIVE dollars.
The paint applied was made like common oil
paint, ground water-lime being used for the
pigment, not on account Of any virtue ii may
possess from its properties as cement, but be-
cause of its chedpness, costing about half cent
pound. 1t may possibly, however, be much
better than some other paints, as fence coat
ed once with il in mixture with oil three years
ago, appears as perfect as the day il was APP
piled. In order to give it warmer tint, 10
correspond with the buildings adjacent, small
portion of Bra DON Red was added. A single
coat Of this paint was then given 10 the fence,
the rough boards retaining enough 10 be equal
10 three ordinary coats on planned boards
About nine gallons of oil were thus consumed
costing about eleven dollars. The pigment
was valued at fifty cents; and about four days
were occupied in mixing and applying 1t, a,
six dollars COST the whole surface on both sides
and the posts being painted. The total cost
was nearly eighteen dollars
The expense Of this application, as compar-
ed with using white lead paint, applied in two
coats on a planned surface, is as follows: Two
coats of white lead paint are estimated to cost
fifteen cents per square yard. There were on
both sides of this fence ard on the edges OF the
boards, over l72 square yards, which at 10
cents each would amount TO about 500. Con.
sequently eight dollars was saved in painting,
and five more, at least, in planning, if done in
the cheapest manner, making thirteen dollars
additional, which would make white lead near
ly double the expense of the mode adopted.
barn, thirty by forty feet, and with an av-
erage height of sides equal to eighteen feet
would present an entire surface of 275 square
yards TO paint which, in the manner we have
described, on new unplaned pine siding, would
cost little less than thirty dollars. A coat oil
whilewash may be applied for less expense
than FIVE dollars. Two coats of white lead
would cost forty-one dollars, besides the ex-
pense of planning
There is no excuse for any farmer in moi
giving at least one coat of lime-wash occasion
ally to his out-buidings, if he cannot afford
anything better.
| A limited trial of the Brandon paints, man
ufactured at Brandon, VT, by the Brandon lror
and Car Wheel Company, gives very favor
able opinion of them. Experienced painter
who have used these paints for US, pronounced
the Brandon Red superior in character to We
netan Red, and Brandon Yellow as decided
better than Yellow Ochre; while at the sam
time they are furnished at only two cents pc
pound.
We have tried many experiments and see
others try them, with those cheaper paint
known as WaSheS, of which a mixture OF lin
and water forms the basis. They are man
times cheaper than oil paints, bnt still they ar
,casheS, and more or less liable to be washe
Off or 10 scale off. White-wash of lime j:
however, always valuable in its various modif
cations and applied every two or three year
10 rough fence and and out-buildings, serves
most valuable purpose in preserving the woo
from decay and from moss, being worth man
, times their cost But oil paint alone will Ell
, dure unchanged and unaffected, all the chang,
Of moisture and exposure.-C Country Gent
man. H-l