Evening star., 1941-01-18
Successful Painting
In Cold Weather
EsEasi|y0btained
Thinning With Turpentine
Rather Than Linseed Oil
Brings Good Results

With the constant increase in
year-round building activity, much
Of the prejudice against painting
In cold weather is necessarily being
overcome. If a moderate degree of
common sense is employed there is
no very good reason why painting
in cold weather should not meet
with success equal to that obtained
at any other season of the year.
In some instances-and climates
winter painting may prove to be
even more successful than summer
painting.
The old argument that cold
weather hinders the drying of paint
may be, in a measure, offset by
using one of the special rapid
drying paints obtainable. 1t was
formerly a common practice to di-
Lutte paint-which is naturally
thicker or more viscous in cold
weather-with linseed oil to make
for easier brushing. This, in itself,
was the cause of great part of the
failures in winter painting. But
additional turpentine reduces the
consistency so that the paint may
be more easily applied and this in
turn makes for more rapid drying.
Depends on Temperature.
The amount of turpentine added
depends upon the temperature at
the time of painting. The consis-
tency of the paint should not be
diluted beyond it's ability to retain
proper body and hiding power. A
competent painter is able to de-
termine the amount of turpentine
needed for best results. Turpentine
evaporateS quickly and leaves the
proportion of pigment virtually un-
changed, whereas surplus linseed
oil, when added for this purpose,
leaves the paint film undesirably
soft and slow in drying.
Proper surface preparation. of
course, should preface all winter
painting jobs. In the first place
select day to begin painting when
there Is every indication of fine,
clear weather ahead, and when the
temperature is not below 40 degrees.
Check on the condition of the old
paint film if the house is not a
newly finished building.
Remove Old Paint.
IT the surface is rough and peel
ing 1t should be brushed vigorously
with stiff brush to remove all the
old fllm that will readily crumble
away. Sometimes the entire surface
needs scraping with a scraper. or
even needs going over with a blow
torch-if the painter is an expert
In the manipulation of blow torch
and there are no local fire laws
which prohibit its use. Even the
cleaning away of the old paint
coating with a good paint remover
Is sometimes necessary.
1t is advisable to shorten the
number of hours in a day's wor:,
when painting in winter. From 10
IN the morning until 3 in the after
noon is good schedule to maintain
This should allow for the frost or
otner moisture to be absorbed by
the morning sun. Wiping over with
oenatured alcohol is also a good way
70 remove surface moisture. The
emperature will not, as usual
thing. drop low enough by mid
afternoon to cause inconvenience
When a marked drop in temperature
occurs or an approaching storm is
apparent painting should imme-
diately be suspended until the
weather again becomes suitable
incidentally the painter should fol-
low the sun as he works, painting
the eastern side of the house in the
morning, the southern and northern
exposures at midday and the western
IN the afternoon.