TIPS ON PAINTS AND COLOURS FOR YOUR HOME

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019

Another fresh New Year is here….

Another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt, fear,

To love and laugh and give!

                                          

In this festive season, especially the approaching harvest festival always comes with lot of joy, as farmers look forward to reap their crop, sell and find their hard work giving fruitful results. Not only the farmers, but also the people who buy the fresh produce feel more joy to relish it. In south Indian villages, as a part of this festival, the makeover of the homes is mostly done at least with a white wash, if not other things. In cities also many give their homes a makeover. When taking up the work it’s better to know the importance of different paints used in interior decoration, how to mix a colour for painting, cleaning of painted surfaces and care of metal wall coverings.

Perhaps the most flexible wall covering is paint. The crust of painting depends upon the type and quantity of paint you choose. Paint used extensively as a wall finish is meant primarily for decoration but certain paints are used to preserve and protect the structural surfaces, especially those of wood and metal.  Paints relatively those of wood are easily applied and cleaned .The paint used for wall fabrics i.e finishes are;

Water paints and distempers

Emulsion paints

Alkyd paints

Multi coloured paints

Texture or plastic paints

                             

When choosing colour for a room it needs to be remembered that there are certain architecture and psychological aspects of colour. Thus colour can be substantially alter the apparent the size or shape of a room or add to its warmth, peace quiet and cheerfulness.

 The warm and dark colours are red, yellow and brown etc. Cool and light shades are blues green etc

Others colours can be divided into three groups by prang colour chart,

Primary colour: red, yellow and blue cannot be produced by mixing together any other pigments are known as primary or fundamental colours. Primitive people can produce primary colour in several ways. They could make colour by crushing stones or by drying and mixing clays.

Secondary colour: secondary colours are produced by mixing a primary colour in equal proportions Eg; yellow + red= orange

Yellow + blue = green, Blue + red = violet

Orange, green, violet are secondary colours.

Tertiary colours: Tertiary colours are produced by mixing a primary colour with a secondary colour and exact shape will depend on the proportions. Eg; red + orange = russet, burnt orange, coral etc .From the colour wheel such combinations as a trial colour “Scheme”” a complimentary, a split complimentary or analogous scheme can be chosen without difficulty.  Neutrals- black, white, grey cream etc are not shown on the colour wheel and can be used with any colour combination.

Mixing colour for painting:

When you mix paints, make certain to mix enough for the whole job, check your colour when dry under light in which it will be seen, keep the colour slightly lighter than the effect you want. Colours come in tubes or small cans. To change the colour of a lacquer, casein or an emulsion paint, combine two or three of the ready mixed coatings. To mix an oil paint add a little of the base paint to some of tinting colours and mix well. Then add to the large container, strain the entire lot through a wire screen or old stocking.

CARE AND CLEANING OF PAINTED SURFACES –WALLS

-         Remove light dust with a feather stick, wall broom or vacuum cleaner attachment, working from the bottom up as dust tends to wall at down ward edges.

-         Wash when necessary, with warm water and suitable detergent to remove heavily in grained or tenacious dust and dirt, this is important on low sheen surfaces as dry cleaning tends to force dust into surfaces.

-         When washing start from the bottom and work up wards, using a sponge or distemper brush, change the solution frequently.

-         Low sheen finishes especially emulsion paints may tend to ‘’polish up’ in isolated areas. Bad soiling is rubbed vigorously with a damp cloth. Clean such areas by very light scrubbing with a damp nail brush and a little of fine scouring powder when the dirt should be a removed without damaging the polish.

-         Never apply polishes or oil to glass painted surfaces.

-         Do not use harsh abrasive, strong solvents or strong soda solutions to clean paint work as the film may be damaged or softened.

METAL WALL COVERING:

Metals may used for their decorative and their hygienic qualities, metals such as copper and iodised aluminium are decorative and may be used for effect in halls. Other metals usually stainless steel in the form of tiles may used in kitchen where they present a durable, easily cleaned, hygienic surface in areas of splashing.

CLEANING OF METAL WALL COVERING:

-         Dust or wipe with a damp cloth

-         Polish is not necessary on these metals as they either do not paint or have been treated against it.

PAINT REMOVERS

Use of these (Chemical removers) may create falling of grain of wood or sand down. When dry, ‘Tri sodium phosphate “” makes a safe remover make up. A saturated solution in a pail of hot water, brush, or mop on to surface, or use commercial remover, neutralise with denatured alcohol. These do not raise grain. Repeat application, scrub in shifts, while solvent works, use a scrapper after ½ hour .repeat if necessary. If old finish is in good condition, has not scalded or cracked merely apply an under coat.

THINNERS: Paints may be thinned by adding the proper thinner. For water paints, casein or calcimine. Turpentine or benzene or lacquer thinner for oil paints etc. Remove lumps by straining through wire strainer or cheese cloth. The flow of paint can be adjusted with an additive according to warm or cold weather.