Part 5

=Operations.=--To prepare the walls, make a size of glue and water, then give the walls a coat of a very weak solution of the same. To make a paste, take two pounds of fine flour, put in a pail; add cold water, and stir it up together in a thick paste. Take a piece of alum about the size of a small chestnut, pound it fine and throw it into the paste; mix well. Then provide about six quarts of boiling water and mix while hot with the paste until the whole is brought to a proper consistency. This makes an excellent paste, and fit for use when cold.

=Cleaning Paper-Hangings.=--A very good method to clean paper-hangings is that used oftentimes in cleaning the margins of prints. Cut into eight pieces a quartern loaf two days old, and after having swept all the dust from the paper-hangings, commence from the ceiling downward, and somewhat lightly rub the paper with a downward stroke with one of the pieces of bread. Continue this round the room, and then commence lower down in the same way till the whole of the surface of the paper has been gone over. The bread will from time to time get dirty, and it should be cut off as often as required. Care should be exercised not to rub the paper with a cross or horizontal stroke, only with the perpendicular movement of the hand or the paper may peel off the walls from the joints. With careful manipulation, paper will look almost as good as new.

=Varnishing Paper-hangings.=--When papers are hung in places where there is much passing, they are subject to greater wear than in an ordinary room, and varnishing is resorted to, to make them more durable, as it prevents soiling; they may also be cleaned with a damp cloth, and are not in wear so likely to be damaged by rubbing off the wall. Halls, lobbies, staircases, and offices are sometimes varnished for durability, but as a rule the appearance is not improved. The paper must be sized twice, the first being dry before the next is applied, when the varnish is laid evenly on. It is necessary to size the paper twice, as the first time may not effectually cover it, when the varnish would stain the paper as badly as if oil had been applied. The size necessary for sizing the paper before varnishing should be clean and transparent. Parchment cuttings boiled down in water and strained will make excellent size for this purpose. Before it is cold it should be either strained through calico, or poured off, leaving the bits at the bottom. A patent size is sold for this purpose, but parchment size is the most reliable. Use clean brushes for size and varnish.

=A Paste that will Keep Well.=--A correspondent writes to a journal this formula for a non-poisonous paste that will keep well in hot weather: Wheat flour, 1 ounce; powdered alum, ¹⁄₂ drachm; water, sufficient, or 8 ounces; oil of clove, or wintergreen, 3 or 4 drops. Rub the flour and the alum with the water to the consistency of milk; place this over a moderate fire, and stir constantly, until the paste drops from the wooden paddle in jelly-like flakes, and has the appearance of glycerite of starch. While the mass is still hot, add the essential oil, and pour the paste into an earthenware pot or open jar. In the course of about an hour a crust forms on the top; pour gently on this an inch of water, more or less. When some paste is wanted, decant the water, take out the quantity needed, and put some water again on the remainder, repeating the operation each time. Paste may be kept in this way for months, and will never be troubled with flies.

USEFUL HINTS FOR ESTIMATING COST OF WORK AND MATERIALS.

All surface painting is measured by the superficial yard, girting every part of the work covered, always making allowance for the deep cuttings in mouldings, carved work, railings or other work that is difficult to get at.

Where work is very high and scaffolding or ladders have to be employed, allowances must be made.

The following rules are generally adopted in this country in the measurement of work. Surfaces under six inches in width or girt are called 6 inches; from six to 12 inches, 12 inches; over 12 inches measured superficial. Openings are deducted, but all jambs, reveals or casings are measured girt.

Sashes are measured solid if more than two lights. Doors, shutters and paneling are measured by the girt, running the tape in all quirks, angles or corners. Sash doors measure solid. Glazing in both windows and doors is always extra. The tape should be run close in over the battens, on batten doors, and if the stuff is beaded, add one inch in width for each bead.

Venetian blinds are measured double. Dentels, brackets, medallions, ornamented iron work, balusters, lattice work, palings or turned work should all be measured double. Changing colors on base boards, panels, cornices, or other work, one-fourth extra measurement should be allowed for each tint.

Add five per cent. to regular price for knotting, puttying, cleaning and sand-papering.

For work done above the ground floor charge as follows: Add five per cent. for each story of 12 feet or less, if interior work; if exterior work, add one per cent. for each foot of height above the first 12 feet.

It is impossible to give prices for painting that will be reliable in any one section of this country for more than a month, as the cost of materials and labor is continually varying, but we offer the following hints, which may assist the workman to make a fairly just estimate of work:

For plain colors on wood--

First coat, per yard, $-- 2 coats, add ” 4-5 3 coats, ” ” 1¹⁄₂

Now, by this rule, if the first coat was 10 cents, two coats would be 18 cents, and three coats would be 25 cents. This is a simple method and easily understood, and is adapted to any sort of plain painting or graining.

Graining, with one or two coats of good varnish, is worth, at this writing, from 65 cents to $2.00 per yard, and marbling from $1.50 to $2.75 per yard.

Marbling mantels is worth from $5.00 to $20.00, according to style of marble and beauty of finish. All of the above prices are based on the understanding that the workman furnishes all tools and materials.

Transcriber’s Notes

Missing and incorrect punctuation has been fixed.

Due to space restrictions, the data originally in a remarks column in the table has been restructured into footnotes in the text version.

Page 8: “in cold whether” changed to “in cold weather”

Page 29: The 2 sentences beginning with “The materials and tools used” are missing words in this and later editions and have been left as per the original.

Page 52: “wollen cloth” changed to “woolen cloth”

Page 54: The sentence beginning with “The tint used” has an incomplete word in this and later editions and has been left as per the original.