Page:Cyclopedia of Painting-Armstrong, George D (1908).djvu/404

396 of which must escape some place. If the building is tightly closed or is being dried by heat, the moisture will be largely driven out through the siding, causing the paint to break away, blister or peel.

Do not paint buildings having damp basements without first removing the cellar windows and ventilators so as to have a free circulation of air, thus drying out the under part of the building, otherwise the dampness will go up through the house between the siding and plastered wall and be attracted to the surface through the siding.

Do not paint near fresh mortar beds. The heat, moisture and fumes from the lime will be absorbed by the oil in drying, causing it to flatten out and destroying its life.

Do not paint in sultry weather or in a heavy, wet atmosphere, as the moisture from such conditions penetrates the surface to an extent that it takes several days of good drying weather for the building to again be in condition to receive paint.

Do not paint during or immediately after a heavy fog or dew. In a few hours lumber absorbs more dampness in this kind of weather than from heavy rains. Moisture from heavy fogs and dews penetrates lumber to a greater depth than from any other source. It is especially important to guard against these conditions.

In most sections of the country the season of exterior painting is comparatively short and it is a great temptation for painters who have been obliged to lie idle all winter to start early spring painting. The season of painting can be easily extended and more satisfactory results obtained by using judgment as to the best time of the year to paint a building according to its surroundings. There are very few property owners who would not be willing to extend the time of painting if shown that better and more satisfactory results can be obtained by so doing.

A building exposed to the sun and weather on all sides will dry out much quicker and be in condition to paint much