The perils of decorating

[michael]

Just picked up a copy of a Cassell work handbook 17th edition printed in 1953 entitled ‘House painting and decorating’

It certainly sounds like a hazardous job.

Here’s a few of their tips for paint stripping mixtures:-

Mixture 1. Use ½ lb of corn flour and ½ lb of china clay. Soak both in water and then thoroughly mix adding more water until 1 gallon of paste is produced.
Then dissolve 3lb of 98% caustic soda in 1 gallon of hot water and allow to cool.
Mix this with the paste and a cheap paint remover will be obtained. After removing paint wipe over with dilute acid to neutralise the alkali

Mixture 2. Pearlash and soda or potash and lime made into a paste and spread on with an old brush but these mixtures are messy and without special care will burn the hands or discolour the nails. After paint has been removed rinse the surface with cold water and when dry brush over with common vinegar.

Mixture 3. More effective mixtures are made by mixing slaked lime and carbonate of soda with water and adding paste powder? or soap and chalk.

Mixture 4. One part each of methylated spirit and acetone added to 1½ parts benzene with a little beeswax produces a volatile remover

The book also states that it is advisable to use one or two homemade tools for paint stripping in addition to a stripping knife such as a pointed piece of hard wood shaped like a butchers skewer and another piece of hard wood with a chisel shaped end. These enable the operator to reach quirks and corners and to get a perfectly clear surface. I will also need pieces of pumice stone cut into shape with an old saw. These are used with water to do the sanding down

For plaster fillers they suggest Parian or Keene’s cement or Plaster of Paris mixed with alum water or with a third of its weight of dry whiting and clean water

For wood fillers they suggest 2 parts common putty mixed with 1 part of paste white lead. (that’ll do the hands a lot of good)

Once I’m ready to paint and decorate, I think I’m going to need another mortgage for the following tools:-

Washing off or scrub brush
Two knot white bristle distemper brush
Black bristle dusting brush
Sash tool (another kind of brush)
Bevelled or ground sash tool
Oval paint brush
Ground varnish brush
Hog hair flat brush
Hog hair fitches
Black bristle ready ground varnish brush
Brush with cripple attached or self bridled brush
Paint can
Paint strainer
Palette board
Badger hair softner
Hog hair stippler
Sable writers
Sable liners
Putty knife
Palette knife
Broad stripping knife
Chisel knife
Shave hook

I then need to make up my own paint using pigments and a good base. Again they suggest white lead.

I’m off to B&Q’s then

 

[Penners]

You seem to have missed one item from your shopping list:

A comprehensive first-aid kit.

 

[Moo]

My word - doesn't that make one grateful for things like today's wallpaper paste, polyfilla and nitromors!
But printed in 1953? I don't remember my mother having such a cornucopia of equipment (and she was an obsessive decorator!). I suspect it was a trade publication, aimed at the budding professional.

 

[michael]

I don’t think it was a trade publication Moo.
The book begins by saying:-

“The object of this hand book is to provide clear instructions on executing ordinary painters and paper hangers work. With a little practise, a careful man or woman should be able to do most of the work here described with good results, especially if he is not tempted to make short cuts which so frequently lead to failure……”

It goes on to say:-

“Painters work has three principle objects – sanitation, preservation and decoration. Unfortunately the first is frequently ignored, the second misunderstood while the third is often a misnomer. No successful painters work, however plain, can be done without adequate preparation.”

It continues:-

“As regards painters plant (equipment), a start could be made with two pairs of steps or short trestles, a good stout 9”plank, to pails, two coarse sponges, a washing off brush and a two knot distemper brush” but then goes on to recommend all the equipment listed in my first post.

Different times eh?