San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-01
USE Of PAINT
/ ONE Of BEST
/ INVESTMENTS
1t Keeps the Home Bright
and Protects Exposed
Surfaces.
NEVER AN EXPENSE
Wood Properly Protected
Will Last Almost
Indefinitely.
NEVER AN EXPENSE

If there is any one element more
necessary than paint-both inside md
outside-in the process Of making a
house into a home, it has not yet been
discovered.
SAll about us there are the "ugly
dpcklings" which might be transform
ed into beautiful homes and attrac-
tive rooms merely by the application
of the proper paint. A fresh coat OF
paint works magic, and there is nl-
ways the reflection that while the ar
tistic sense is being gratified in the
process, even more than beauty, there
is the utility to be considered. Paint
ing is not an expense-it is an in
yestment which gives definite tanSi-
bic return in dollars and cents. Wood
en- surfaces, left bare and exposed de-
teriorate through the action Of the at
naosphere, and the wood is subjected
within short time to cracking and
warping. Moisture seeps into the
pores of the wood, and shortly 1t be-
gins to rot. When properly protected,
wood can be made TO last almost IN
definitely, as may be seen from .he
Mount Vernon home of George WASH
ington. Built nearly $50 years ago,
the timbers in il are still sound be-
cause of the periodical application Of
paint.
Protects the Surface.
THE function of paint is TO close the
pores Of the wood, and to interpose
n nouabsorbative layer of material be-
tween the wood and the atmosphere.
For that reason, aside from the color
of the pigment, which is a matter of
choice. good paints usually have as a
base thick liquid known as linseed
oil, q product of flax seed. This oil
has the property of combining with
oxygen, and when dry forming a wa
terproof, gumlike substance, hard and
impervious to moisture.
Before the day OF extensively manu-
was often forced 10 mix his own
skill, sometimes more than he possess
ed, but at the present time, there is
no reason why any of the reputable
paint-makers should not be patronized
Cheap paints are more expensive in
the long run, for they do not last. and
after short time they chalk, crack
or peel. Good paint will last for years
and il will be wise economy that
dictates the purchase OF good paint
from a reliable firm. A gallon of
paint, when properly applied. will COW
err about $50 square feet of surface.
two coats. A method of computation
which will easily enable anyone ~
estimate the amount Of paint required
is as follows:
Measure the width OF the front OF
the building. and the width of the
rear: the length of one side end then
the length Of the other. Add these
figures, and then multiply the total
nv the number Of feet in the height Of
the building. The result will be rho
number of square feet OF surface. For
two coats of paint. divide this number
by $50, and the answer will he the
number of gallons required. IL only
one cost is desired. divide by GOO IN
stead of $50. Paint for trimming pur-
passes and cornices will require about
one-sixth of the amount necessary for
the body Of the house.
White Tint Best.
If the wood IN be nainted is new.
II is essential that the printing. o.
first coat Of paint. should be applied
without delay after the lrmber has
b~en exposed, to the air. All woodwork
should be brushed off with dust
brush or cloth tn remove tho fine dust
which may adhere. All resinous. san
nv spots in the lumber. particularlv
the knots. should be gone over with
coat of ,shellac varnish. ohrainnh'H
at any store carrying paints. The
orange or white tint is the best. The
application of this printing coat which |
isto be OF linseed oil. with a little |
tintiny Of some color added so that tha
proereSs Of the painting may more
easily be determined. does not require
so much skill as it does "elbow |
grease" Bearing in mind the fact
that the oil is TO serve as the base sor |
the succeeding coats-that it is to fill |
the pores of the wood--it is apparent |
WHY the printing coat should be we'll |
brushed into the wood.
esrhe priming should be allowed n
dry pnrfect'v before another coat is |
rnplied. This means more than that
tho paint shonld feel dry to the hands.
What actually happens during The
driving process Of rnint is that hut
very little Of the oil is evapo-ated. In
stead. the oil dries hy absorbing oxy-
gen from the atmosphere. this process
resulting in a new or,nound-hard
and proof. hut still having
measure Of elasticity. After the first
coat has dried for nine or ten DAYS.
It's then time n look r. the cracks.
holes and open joints. Putty. which
car be cheaply purchased IS used for
this purpose. and a prtty-knife. or n
sirnilnr iunlemen.. is utilized e.
smooth off thu surface. Tho wood is
now in condition IN receive the second
reat Of naint This coat should cover
the nriming -o'idlv and should be fair
ly we'll brushed out.
Another period Of ten DAYS shorld |
ensue before the final coat is applied.
Protection Against Fire.
The metal fabrics used in c6nnec- |
tion with cement stucco have |
proven more or less of a success.
In inanv Of the earlier structures
fhe metal fabric was not complete-
" imbeddcd in the cement. with the !
remit that the metal has rusted on, |
spd the cement stucco (which was
only three-nuarters If an inch