xt751c1tg757 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt751c1tg757/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1930 journals kaes_circulars_241 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 241 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 241 1930 2014 true xt751c1tg757 section xt751c1tg757 COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
Extension Division
THOMAS P. COOPER, Dean and Director
CIRCULAR NO. 241
PAINTING THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE
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Lexington, Ky.
~ December, 1930
Published in connection with the Agricultural Extension work carried
on by cooperation of the College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky,
with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and distributed in furtherance
ofthe work provided for in the Act of Congress of May 8, 1914.

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 CIRCULAR NO. 241
Painting The Exterior of the House
By IDA C. HAGMAN
A new coat of paint or whitewash adds greatly to the
appearance of buildings and helps to preserve them from the
weather and from decay. A clean, tastefully decorated house
not only gives pleasure to those who live in it as well as those
who observe it, but is an asset to the owners because it increases
the value of their property, and to the community because of
its attractive, thrifty appearance. The shabby or unfinished
house is a source of embarrassment to those who live in it and
has a tendency to lower the morale of the occupants. ,
PAINTING
There is no cheaper way to keep buildings in good con-
dition than painting. It is not age that makes the roof leak
and the porch floor and steps decay; it is lack of protection
against the weather and fungi growth. Warmth combined with `
changeable moisture conditions is the most important factor
favoring decay in wood. Moisture enters the pores of the wood
of the unpainted house, or the house that is imperfectly pro-
tected from the weather causing the wood to swell, and shrink
when the moisture has evaporated. The swelling and shrinking
weakens the fibers of the wood. The first indication of wear is
the roughening of the wood. Then small fissures appear and
later cupping, warping, or twisting. Wood destroying bacteria M
and fungi enter the openings thus made and cause the wood to
rot.
All exterior metal parts of buildings made of materials
which are subject to corrosion such as gutters, downspouts, tin
roofs, ilashings and exterior hardware should be covered with a
protective coating of paint.

 4 Kentno/ny Extension Cncnlar No. 241 {
The frequency of painting wooden structures depends  · ta
upon the nature of the wood, the quality of the paint, and the I S6
skill of the painter. Many people in Kentucky think it advis- Z HY
able to repaint every three to live years. Tin roofs usually  ‘ Vi
need painting every two years, depending upon the kind of · hi
paint used. _ H
Paint may be purchased ready—mixed or it may be mixed I S
at home. Directions for mixing paint, for preparing surfaces, ._
and fo1· applying the paint are given in Farmer ’s Bulletin 1452,   it
"Painting on the Farn1." Good workmanship and reliable .
paints are necessary for permanent results. If directions are
carefully followed, the inexperienced painter, with a little prac- ‘ C]
tice, can do a very creditable job.
I w
WHITEWASHING .
Wliitexxtasli will brighten dingy buildings. It has the ativan- j ll
I tage of being cheap and easy to apply, tho it does not have as `C “
much permaneney or protective value as paint. However, it  
greatly improves unnnished barns, poultry houses, garages, etc., f·
and is frequently used on frame and brick dwellings. A white Q tl
washed house, farm buildings, and fences, in a setting of green
grass, trees, shrubs, and colorful flowers, make a pretty picture , I
which may be duplicated with comparatively little labor and S
money. v
0
RECIPES FOR MAKING WHITEWASH t
Common W7r.ifowaslt.*‘ In a clean wooden pail, keg or V
barrel, slake fresh quick-lime of good quality by adding clean i
water a little at a time. Slaking may be hastened by breaking
up some of the lumps of lime or by adding a little hot water. (
Wheii slaking is well started, add more water gradually to re- -
place that lost in the slaking process. If not enough water is
used the lime will become "scorched," and some of it will he t '
granular. On the other hand, too much water may retard or '
"quencl1" the slaking process. After the lime is completely l
slaked, add enough water to make a thick paste, cover the con- ·
*From Fa1·mer’s Bulletin 1452, "Painting on the Farm." I 1

 J Pomtiotg the Exterior of the House 5
mms  _ miner with boards to keep in the heat, and let it stand for
j the ( Several hours or over night. Then strain the paste thru wire
ldViS_ E ey gereen and thin it to brushing consistency with clean water.
muy  . Whitewash can be more easily prepared by adding water to
d Of _ hydrated lime that has been well protected from the air.
Hydrated lime, however, is not always available.
Pwd Special Whitewashest
eee, e One ounce of alum to each gallon of whitewash increases
l452’ i its adhesion.
lame ' One pint of molasses added to 5 gallons of whitewash in-
  4 creases the penetration on wood and plaster.
` Whitewash can be made fire resistant by adding 1 part of
~ water glass (35 degrees Baume) to 10 parts of whitewash.
l A gloss similar to that of oil paint can be obtained by add-
_VaH_ j ing 1 pound of cheap bar soap dissolved in 1 gallon of boiling
YC as j water to every 5 gallons of whitewash.
r, it i Weather-proof whitewash made according to either of the
etc., ( following Government formulas has greater wearing qualities
hite Q than common whitewash.
YGG11 1. Slake one-half bushel of quicklime with boiling water.
UU`? . Keep it covered during the process. Strain, and add 1 peek of
will salt dissolved in warm water. Boil 3 pounds of ground rice in '
water to a thin paste. Dissolve in warm water one-half pound
of Spanish whiting and 1 pound of clear glue. Mix these well
together and let the mixture stand for several days. Keep the
i OY wash thus prepared in a kettle or portable furnace and when
lfiml it is to be used put it on as hot as possible with a brush.
  2. Lighthouse whitewash
up _ (1) 62 pounds (1 bushel) of quicklime; slake with 12 gallons
F is of hot water. »
[ bg . (2) 12 pounds of rock salt; dissolve in 6 gallons of water.
I or (3) 6 pounds of Portland cement.
(Cl? (4) Pour (2) into (1) and then add (3).
Em]- _:°_;<;1 Kentucky Circular No. 128, "Building Plans for the Dairy
I Fa1·m."

 6 Kentucky Extension Circular N0. 241  
TO COLOR WHlTEWASH*   h
For cream, add 4 to 6 pounds of ochre to each bushel of ` “
lime.
For buff, add 6 to 8 pounds of raw umber and three or four S.
pounds of lampblack. .  
For brown, add 6 to 8 pounds of umber, 2 pounds of lamp- U
black, and 2 pounds of Indian red. tj
HOW TO APPLY WHITEWASH 3]
Before a fresh coat of whitewash is applied the wall should b
be free from dust, cobwebs, and scaly materials. Stilf wire or t il
bristle brushes are useful in preparing the surface. Whitewash
penetrates the cracks and rough splintered surfaces more effec- P
tively and covers large areas more quickly when applied by C
spraying than when applied with a brush. If a sprayer is used,
strain the whitewash thru a double thickness of cheesecloth to n
i prevent the nozzle from clogging or sending out an uneven . W
stream, resulting in irregular work. fz
A four—inch brush is easy to handle. Apply the whitewash I]
freely and rapidly with little pressure and do not "brusl1 out" P
as in painting. Care must be taken not to have the mixture too W
thick. If too thick, the whitewash tends to flake olf. Experi- la
menting may be required to get the right consistency. Two
coats of a thin mixture are better than one of a thick one. The . Sl
first coat shouldbe thoroly dry before the second is applied. W
Stir the mixture frequently while using. Avoid spattering. lf W
the surface to be whitewashed is very dry, moisten it before C
whitewashing. . K
li;
SELECTING EXTERIOR COLORS Oj
Many houses are poorly designed and often the inhar- g,
monious color combinations used on them tend to accentuate 3];
their defects. It is. seldom possible to change the design of the W
house but the well selected color scheme 1nay make bad lines and H,
poor proportions less apparent. It is important to use proper ti
color combinations on the well designed and well proportione