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I can see there are few quick fixes for painting buildings.

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  • Member since
    January 2007
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I can see there are few quick fixes for painting buildings.
Posted by Otis on Thursday, November 6, 2008 10:56 AM

I have read most of the archive posts on doing these DPM buildings for technique, and also looking for tips to save time and effort---because, m'gawd there are a lot of window frames in a hotel!

I am impressed with the fine results and techniques you all have posted on this topic.

I see the only really time-saving technique is to leave some or most of the trim in the same base color as the walls.  This is quite appropriately realistic as I can see from googling photos of NYC and other cities. 

As for my technique, I experimented with the old trick of applying vaseline to mask trim on one side.  It worked pretty well.  I timed myself applying and removing the mask (some spots needed scraping a little with an x-acto) and it was faster to do this and leave the trim in the original plastic colour than to repaint the trim.  (I sprayed the walls with a can of red oxide primer for the wall color after masking with vaseline.)

Why I wouldn't do it more often: The danger is getting the mask on the bricks because the only way to take it off is a really good wash and that would mean redoing the entire mask job on the wall(s).  Luckily I didn't have to do this, but I could see it would almost certainly occur.  I don't think I would attempt this on the hotel.   There I think I will paint the bricks with a brush and leave the trim in ordinary sandstone plastic color.

But I guess, ultimately there are few fast solutions.  I was pleased to find it wasn't too difficult or time consuming to paint the window frames with acrylic and a #2 brush. I just put some of those old time radio shows to play on the computer and spend an hour or two listening to Lamont Cranston capture the bad guys.

I'll just have to relax and enjoy the winter doing this as I have more than a dozen of these kits for my downtown.

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