Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-13

WHAT CAUSES PAINT TO PEEL?-Much
thought and speculation has been given to this
subject by painters and others, yet bur few
have arrived al a Satisfactory solution of the
problem. He who forms hasty conclusions is
apt to say il is the result of using poor stock
but closer investigation proves that to be
iallaCy in numerous instances. | will venture
the assertion that in nine cases out of ten,
moisture underneath is the primary cause In
the first place let us examine interior paintings
upon the wood finish. Paint very seldom is
found to peel, and why; because the wood
must necessarily be dry before the joiner can
make a suitable finish or smooth surface. But
| the plastered walls if painted before they are
thoroughly dry will peel, especially if sized be-
| fore painting with shell0c or glue Now for the
| exterior: n very general custom is in those Of
unSeasoned lumber and especially for the
| rough boarding, which may be covered with a
dry finish and primcd over with coat of paint.
| Still the dampneSS is underneath and must
come out, and it will come outward in hot
| weather; if it cannot escape through the paint,
| il will throw il Off Then again house may be
| back plastered or the walls filed in with damp
| brick, or the space between the walls may be
left with an open communication with the
| cellar, through which dampneSS will arise, and
| when the outside becomes heated, the wood alb
| serbs this dampneSS and it will find a passage
| through the paint, outwards. For an illustra
| ton let the undeTside of cellar trap door, or
| OF ceSSpoOl be painted and the top not, it will
not peel, but on the other, hand it, and
it will surely peel, no matter how dry the wood
may have been.
There are other instances of pceing which
can with difficulty be accounted for ; for in
| stance, the second time painting, after it has
| stood a year or two | have known it TO cleaye
| entirely from the wood. Now the only reason
for tins is, that the original primary coat did
not contain enough oil, or did not dry soon
| enough TO fill the grain and attach the pigment
| used, TO the wood firmly for it may he easily
| understood that if the wood abSOrbs las it will
do the larger part of the oil if it is slow dry
| ing, or the printing coat does not possess The
| strength 10 hold many additional coats of paint ;
| then again another fault is that Of letting the
| building go TOO long before repainting, and
| then loading on two or more coats, which of
course are attached TO the old one, which in its
| weakened condition is very liable to CleaYe off
| 10 the bare wood.
| The true method is, always in painting new
| work or very dry Old work, to oil first with raw
| linSeed oil having Il dryer, (and the best thing
| known IS the siccohast, an oil dryer, which has
| been thoroughly tested by the government
| chemist and adopted for naval vessels, and has
been in general use during the past five years
| have also practised this method for several
years, and find ii to add greatly to the durabili-
! ty of paint. Much has been said Of the difficulty
| OF paint peeling from spruce capboardS, but
| cannot speak from personal observation; and
| vet cannot understand why it should not adj
here quite as firmly to other wood if it be dry
| Pure linsced oil is the only sure foundation for
| any paint Cd6Wet-1i0ker.