Handyman Guide > Painting Woodwork

After painting the walls and ceiling of the room, do the woodwork. Use a good quality interior trim paint. Enamel is very popular for this work because it dries with a high gloss finish and without brush marks.



The interior wood trim does not necessarily have to be painted. It can be stained and varnished if it is good enough to warrant this extra attention.

The Surface. Woodwork that has never been painted should first be sanded down until the surface is smooth. Use No.1 or No.2 sandpaper, dust the surface, and give any knots a coat of orange shellac. Green wood contains considerable sap and such wood should go unpainted until seasoned. If that is not possible, give the entire surface a coat of orangc shellac.

First Coat. When these steps have been taken, prepare the first coat of paint. Thin the first coat with raw linseed oil or turpentine, depending upon the condition of the wood. If the wood is dry and absorbs paints quickly, use more linseed oil and less turpentine for thinning. If, on the other hand, it is green and only moderately porous, use turpentine and little if any linseed oil.

Second Coat. After the first coat is dry, fill cracks and nail holes with putty. Do as neat work as possible, to make subsequent work easier. Allow the putty to dry for about twenty-four hours, then sand the entire surface of the wood with No.1 sandpaper. Dust the wood carefully and be sure to remove all traces of putty and dirt. Apply the second coat of paint and when it is dry, sand with No. 0 sandpaper. Add a third, and even a fourth, coat for best results. Each coat should be sanded before brushing on the following coat.

OLD WOOD TRIM

Old wood trim that requires freshening and a change of color should first be washed with warm water or a small amount of benzine on a clean cloth. Do not use benzine if there is an open fire in the room. After the wood has been cleaned and all holes filled with putty, sand the surface with No. 0 sandpaper. After dusting, apply the first coat and allow it to dry. Sand this coat with No. 0 sandpaper and apply the second coat. Trim which has been previously painted will require only two additional coats.

Enamel can be applied directly over an old finish if the finish is still in good condition. Clean the old paint with a cloth and some benzine, and sand with No. 00 sandpaper. This must be done in order to remove any rough spots in the paint which would appear through the enamel. Next, apply a coat of enamel undercoater, and when this is dry add two coats of enamel. You can improve the surface by sanding the first coat of enamel with No. 00 sandpaper. An enamel brush, with soft bristles and a beveled tip, is best suited for applying enamel.

Continue to Stains and Stain and Varnish



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Elements of the House - Building Materials - Lumber - Molding - Kinds of Wood and their Characteristics - Plywood Wallboard - Roofing Materials - Concrete - Mixing Concrete - Cement Mortar - Concrete Forms - Concrete Blocks - Cinder Blocks - Bricklaying - Fieldstone - Anchoring in Masonry - Soldering.

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Painting
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Heating
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Electricity
Definition of Terms - Ohm's Law - Alternating and Direct Current - Sources of Electrical Power - The Electrical System - Overloading the Circuit - Rewiring - Reading a Meter - Precautions - Fuses - Types of Cord - Splicing Wires - Replacing Plugs and Switches - Home Lighting - Electric Motors - Signaling System - Transformers - Burglar Alarms - Repairing the System - How to Install a Bell System.

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