I do hate doing things wrongly. I always have [Edit - I mean "I've always hated doing things wrongly", not "I've always done things wrongly"!]. In particular, on this house I have wanted to "do it right" and, mostly, I think I have succeeded. I'm going to live in this house for years and I hate the idea of continuously seeing something I did wrongly and thinking "I wish I'd done that better". There have been one or two places where it's not perfect and I've persuaded myself to live with them as they "add character" (great excuse for old buildings).
Now, I've just painted something wrongly. I've been using satin finish paint on the woodwork in the new extension and it looks very nice. It's a cream colour which is basically the colour of the old woodwork and it sets the doors off nicely against the white of the plaster. I've done both sides and the frame of the door from the kitchen into the extension (see previous picture) and I had done one and a half sides of the door into the utility when I ran out of paint. So, on Tuesday at a local well-known store, I bought a second tin after some considerable searching for the right type; I returned home with my prize and continued the task, finishing off the first coat on the half finished door, and then doing a second coat on the side I'd already done as it looked a bit thin. For good measure I did the door frame and also some touch up in a few places on another door frame. All seemed well until I went to wash the brushes; I was sure that satin finish paint is washed in warm soapy water but, to my horror, I found that nothing happened apart from a mess of globules. Check the tin - "clean brushes in white spirit" - so, out with the white spirit and still I didn't catch on.
Later, I checked my work and found that it hadn't dried. This was odd as satin finish is quite quick drying. Looking at the door I suddenly realized. It was still glossy. With a sinking heart I checked the tin. "Full Gloss." All is explained. B****r!
I could leave the one side in gloss but I just don't like gloss paint internally; if I do leave it, then I'll forever look at it and be reminded of my own stupidity. There seems nowhere else to go but back to the store and buy a tin of the correct stuff, and then forget that Tuesday ever happened. Apart from wasting my time and £11 for the paint, I still have the issue of whether I have any use for that paint and, if not, what do I do with it?
5 comments:
Personally, I like high gloss on woodwork because it is easier to dust, but nothing wrong with satin. Are you using oil or latex paint? I'm in the states, and never encountered latex paint that wasn't washable with water and soap no matter is gloss level. I've only read that oil-based paint needing mineral spirits. Was the original satin paint you bought oil or latex based? And how about the gloss paint, which was that? That might be the reason its not drying or beading up.
Also as to your question about what to do with the tin of full gloss you don't want -- full gloss is very good in moist environments like bathrooms or kitchens because its easily wipe-able. Do you have woodwork you could use it on in there instead? If its latex paint, you can also let it dry with the lid off. Once hardened, you can throw it out in your normal garbage, it is not toxic once dry unlike oil-based paint.
Well, I've decided to leave the door with one gloss side as I really don't have the time to re-do it (yet).
I don't recognise "latex paint" as a product sold in the UK. The paint I'm using is either solvent based (clean brushes in white spirit) or acrylic water based (clean brushes in warm water and soap). The acrylic water based paint has very low VOCs and so is much better for the environment. Both are fully washable when dry.
Oh ok! I think its just a matter of names :) Acrylic paint is sold as latex paint in the US. Were both of your paints acrylic or was that glossy one a solvent-based paint? I think leaving is until later is a good idea, its probably only something you will notice or unless someone is looking very close. You should share a picture and see if your readers can tell?
Hi there! I just discovered your blog and it's fantastic - we have a 100-year-old house in Canada, and we're running into some of the same issues you've had. Those lath and plaster walls...
Paint that has to be washed with spirits is usually oil-based, and higher VOC, unfortunately. I learned that when I had to re-plaster and re-paint our bathroom ceiling. But as Kelly said, that high-gloss paint will be great in a room like the bathroom or kitchen; on top of being easily wipeable, it will protect the plaster from the moisture of all that steam.
Post a Comment