On outside work, boiled oil is generally used in about the proportion of 1 gallon to 2 gallons of raw oil.
105. Care in Painting.—In painting woodwork, putty should not be used until after the first coat of paint or varnish has been applied. There are two reasons for this. In the first place, if putty is used on dry wood, the wood is liable to absorb the oil from the putty and leave it in a dry and crumbly condition. Then, also, the oil from the putty soaking into the wood will stain the wood dark, and this stain may be seen through varnish. For this latter reason, putty should be put in cracks and holes with a putty knife and not with the fingers, as otherwise the oil from the putty will get over the fingers and thus be transferred to the woodwork, where it will show as a dark stain if the wood is varnished.
Due care should also be taken in painting woodwork that has knots in it, as otherwise the turpentine in the knot will be sure to discolor the paint in course of time. To avoid this, the knots should be coated, or killed, with a coat of shellac before the first coat of paint is applied. The shellac prevents the turpentine in the knot from soaking through and discoloring the paint.
106. Cost of Painting.—The cost of applying paint on general interior and exterior work will average about twice the cost of the materials, while for very plain work, done in one color, the cost may be taken at about 1½ times that of the materials. For stippling, the cost will be about the same as for two coats of paint. For varnishing, the cost of labor will be about 1½ times the price of the varnish.
The following figures represent fair average prices, for various classes of work, and have been adopted by the Builders’ Exchange of a large eastern city:
107. In staining hardwoods with open grain, such as oak, chestnut, ash, etc., it is customary, when a varnished surface is required, to stain the paste filler with oil colors so as to secure the desired tint and then finish with three or four coats of varnish. The staining adds about 5 cents per square yard to the cost of varnishing.
When it is desired to color the silver grain, or medullary rays, revealed in quarter-sawed material, the usual plan is first to stain the material with an oil or an aniline stain that permanently affects only the silver grain. Afterwards, the paste filler colored to the desired tint is applied, and this, on entering and closing the open grain, buries the first stain, but does not cover that over the medullary rays. This, as in the previous method of staining, adds about 5 cents a square yard to the cost of varnishing.
Another method of treating oak, chestnut, and ash is to stain the wood to the desired shade with an oil stain of the proper tint. This stain is applied with cheesecloth to an even surface, and, after puttying, one coat of flat varnish is applied. This process costs about 25 cents per square yard.
For silver-gray effects, the addition of aluminum bronze to the oil stain will give a pleasing effect. This costs about 28 cents per square yard.