Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-03

t&BSaACHN IneSe are Items TO Which the
- average homebuilder pays little
attention and knows less about than any
thing else that enters into the construction
OF his home. 1t seldom occurs to the aver
age man that there Is a great difference
IN the quality OF painting material
and a still greater difference be-
tween the different ways in which it
can be put on. 1t is safe to say that one
homebuilder out OF every five has TO re-
finish and repaint different parts Of his
home within two years after il. completion.
The exterior paint blisters off. the Single
stains run and the interior finish wears
off on much handled places. such as the
stair balustrade or the pantry door. Still
with poor painting jobs on every hand.
many homebuiders go ahead using their
own judgment, which is often poor or in
fluenced by designing people. with the usual
results. There is an old saying that Elk
p]erience is the best teacher and fools will
learn and no other" It will be the object
OF this article to point out a few of the
common mistakes Of homebuilderc while
painting and decorating their homes.
Starting with the outside. about the
first thing that shows up defective ma
terials or workmanship is the stained
shingles. II the material was Of a cheap
or inferior quality, the remedy would have
been a better grade Of material. but IL
sometimes happens that when using the
very highest grade Of shingle stain the re-
suits are unsatisfactory. The failure to
stay on is then a matter OF poor work
manship. II is best to first dip the shingles
about three-quaraters Of their length and
then after they are laid and have been on
the building for a month or two. give them
another good coat on the outside of the
same stain. Even then il is best TO use a
little darker shade Of stain than the color
desired especially in the green stains. for
the very best grade Of single stain will
tade a little, The shingles should be bone
cry when they ere dipped so that they will
absorb as much Of the stain as possible
ana the last brush coat should not be put
on until five days after a rain storm on
them' This Is quite an important point.
Tor II the shingles are not dry they will
not absorb the required amount Of stain
and the little that they do stays near the
surface and will soon be washed off.
A man who built a very large home en-
urely covered with shingles had a very
peculiar experience which illustrates this
N''N O. b1AAA al Il ldLlFI
wet season. Within two years after the
building was complete. the north side of
the house had no stain whatever on II
the shingles having resumed their natural
color. On the south side of the house and
under the porches and directly under the
%corniee and other protected places. the stain
was as bright as when new. The sun HAD
dried out the shingles where they remained
exposed TO Ct, but they had remained wet
on the shady parts Of the house not under
cover before being stained. on this house
the shingles were not dipped, but merely
brushed after being put on.
For all exterior wood work nothing bUt
the best lead and oil paint should be used.
The material for the pSinting and finishing
Of a home is such a small item Of cost
compared with the cost Of labor that there
is little excuse for using anything but the
very best Of materials Every house should
be painted at least three good coats. in
Guiding the printing coat. The wood work
should be as dry as possible, for the paint
win clinch to it better when perfectly dry
than II damp. II the wood work is actually
wet. the paint viii hardly hold at an and
win blister off later IN The printing coat
should be put on as fast as the wood work
Is put up II il Is dry In order TO keep Il
so. The second coat should then be put
on. leaving about a week between each.
several weeks would be better. The third
coat can be put on shortly after the sec
ond coat but q would be better 10 wait
until one summer season had had a chance
t1 thoroughly dry out the wood work and
oils from the previous coats Of paint be
fore applying the third coat After the