Seaside Painting.

Manufacturer and Builder 9, 1893

A paper was recently read on this subject by Paul F. Brazo, before members of the Master Painters' Association of New Jersey. The author said:

I will relate what I have observed, experienced, and practiced for the past thirteen years on the ocean front at Long Branch. In the first place we have to contend with a great amount of dampness and fogs, which always leave a residue of salt on the surface of the work to be painted or otherwise treated. So it follows that we must bo on the alert to know that the work is perfectly dry; especially new work. It was only after I had several jobs badly blistered and spoiled that I concluded to seek a remedy, and my remedy was this: To leave all piazza ceilings, floors, and clapboards under piazzas and porches until ten o'clock, or later, in the day, if possible to do so. I have followed this rule, and have had no trouble in that direction since.

As to the salt on the surface of the work — where it was practicable, and the work was not to be hurried, I had it washed thoroughly a day or so before applying the priming coat. I then primed with pure lead, used thinnings composed of onethird turpentine and twothirds raw oil, with onehalf pint of good japan to the gallon, in shade of color as near to the finishing color as possible. My object in keeping the priming the same shade as finishing is that it makes the work more solid, and as the priming coat has to stand at least three days or more before applying the finishing coat, and as it generally makes its own color, or, in other words, the priming darkens, it follows where we put on finishing. there is just enough difference to be perceptible and comfortable to work over without showing brush marks, etc.

I have also observed that a combination of pure lead and French zinc is the best, using good japan and raw oil only as a binder. For finishing coats, the zinc and lead should be in the proportion of 25 and 75 per cent. pure lead—no pulp lead — as we have all the moisture on the surface that is necessary. At all times I use the French zinc, for the reason that it does not contain sulphur to such an extent as our Americ a n zinc, consequently does not bleach my coloring matter so quickly.

I particularly avoid using others or other earth paints, except in priming coats, for I have observed that all buildings where ocher was used as a stainer, no matter what grade it was, or what lead was used in combination with it on the sea coast, were in all cases attacked with the painters' worst enemy — mildew; particularly when painters were foolish enough to use boiled oil as a means of conveyance. On the contrary, I have observed that lead, zinc, chrome yellow, and their kindred pigments, with raw oil and japan as a binder are not molested by mildew, and that they wear longer, hold their luster better, and instead of bleaching in spots and mildewing, will wear uniform; in fact, grow darker in course of time, and in all cases give your customers good satisfaction.

I have noticed that all, or nearly all, of those who come here from the cities or from towns away from the coast use boiled oil, and that all of their work goes wrong in the first six months, and makes a difficult job for the painter who follows them to do good work.

A word about shellac work in our damp air may do some fellow craftsman good. Do not do any shellacking in the early morning. If you must do it in damp weather, or in the early part of the day, have your men take a piece of cheese cloth, dampened with raw oil, and rub dry, and the work will not turn white, as I see some of the cottages at present which I have been called in to remedy; that is if you cannot varnish immediately after shellacking, or if a shellac finish only is required.