Cyclopedia of Painting/Calcimining
CALCIMINING.
Plaster ceilings are usually finished with calcimine, which, besides the advantages of cheapness and of covering in one coat, where with oil paint three would be required, shows superiority in many other respects.
In places where people congregate, the moisture in the atmosphere, unless the ventilation of the apartment is exceptionally good, will condense upon a painted surface and run down the walls. When calcimine is used in such situations, no unpleasant effect is seen, the distempered surface will absorb the moisture for the time being, and ultimately give it forth again without any detriment to its color.
This property of distemper also indicates the necessity of removing, with brushes and water, all old coloring and calcimine from the ceiling, instead of which, the dirty unhealthy coating is in many cases coated over with size. The size binds the dirt, and the opacity of the distemper does not show the dirt through, nevertheless, it is a practice to be condemned by all who desire sanitary homes. This labor-saving plan would be used to a greater extent but for the fact that continuous coats of distemper and size soon discover the bad worker by the surface cracking and peeling off, owing to excess of size.
When about to calcimine a ceiling, the first thing is to have the room as clear as possible, and to protect the wall-paper.
Next with hot water thoroughly wash off from the ceiling the old calcimine, being careful to wash only the ceiling, and not to let the dirty water run down the wall-paper nor splash about.
It is important to have the board at such a height from the floor that the ceiling can be comfortably reached. Have at each end of the board a pair of steps. Now, with a pail of clean hot water, a distemper brush, a large piece of sponge, and a piece of coarse canvas on a board or table, start at one corner of the room to lay or soak in a patch with water, gently stirring the old distemper with the brush. Get the old distemper thoroughly soaked, then wash it off with the canvas, finishing with the sponge, frequently rinsed in water. This is to get rid of every trace of the old distemper. This is a most important process, which cannot be too strongly insisted upon. Neglect in this part of the work will result in a dirty or uneven appearance in the finished ceiling. If only the loose portions are removed, even the most skilful application of calcimine cannot hide the patches. They will be either of a different color or else will show the shade from a different level of surface. Do not wet the surface more than necessary, and frequently change the water as it gets dirty. Sometimes the calcimine is especially difficult to get off on account of the original coat having been bound down, as it is called, instead of having been washed off before it was last calcimined, which is very often done for the sake of cheapness. Liquid ammonia in a separate pail half full of water will greatly assist when soaking bound distemper. Avoid touching the wall-paper with the brush, but finish the last inch or so of margin with the sponge or canvas.
When the surface of the ceiling has dried, any rough patches there may be should be scraped or rubbed smooth.
If there are any cracks in the ceiling, run the point of a small trowel along them, to clear out any loose bits; with a sash-tool wet the parts of the ceiling where the cracks are, and then, using a stopping-knife, fill them in with plaster of Paris mixed with water in which a little alum has been dissolved. A little whiting mixed with the plaster will keep it from setting too quickly.
Or mix fine plaster of Paris with glue size, and fill up holes and cracks, and when dry level with a knife or coarse glass-paper. Whiting mixed with glue water is also suitable. Use a square piece of wood to mix the cement upon, and nail a handle to the other side.
Fig. 6. Wall Brush.
If the cracks are bad, they should be cut out, the face of the plaster on each side cut away for half an inch, and the gap then finished to a level surface with plaster laid on with a small trowel. A broad thin strip of wood with a bevelled edge is very useful when stopping plaster walls, for in trying to stop a crack or hole with a sharp steel stopping knife, the surrounding face of the plaster may be badly scratched, which is only seen when the job is finished.
Repairing should be done to new ceilings before the finish is applied, and to old ceilings at the time they are washed off, that is, when the old coating of dirty distemper is removed with water and brushes.
If necessary, when dry, the ceiling can be rubbed quite smooth with glass-paper, and is then ready for re-calcimining, after which, if carefully done, the repaired cracks will be invisible.
If there are stains in the ceiling that cannot be removed by washing, the stain should be painted white, in flat color or paint mixed with turpentine. If this has to be done, it will be well to paint also the filling with which the cracks have been stopped.
Finally, the ceiling should be rubbed down with a cloth previous to applying the calcimine.
To prepare the calcimine, break into large pieces about four balls of whiting, and put them into a pail, and just cover the material with water, let it stand all night. In the morning pour off all water that will run away, and thoroughly mix the wet whiting by hand until it becomes a thick even paste. Add about half an egg-cupful of dry ultramarine blue, stirring it well in with the whiting. Next put 2 pounds of patent size in a saucepan over the fire, with only just sufficient water to keep it from burning, and stirring it all the time, taking great care that it neither boils nor burns. When it is thoroughly dissolved, pour it on the whiting, and mix the whole well together. The proportion of size is about one teacupful to two gallons of the mixture. Now set it aside in a cool place until it turns to a jelly. When it is quite cold, with a distemper brush rub it through a coarse piece of canvas stretched over the top of a clean pail, and it will then be ready for use.
Before commencing the actual calcimining, lightly rub over the whole of the ceiling with a piece of fine glass-paper, to take off any little knots or brush-hairs left on the finishing coat. Then dust the ceiling before proceeding to whiten it.
In laying on the wash, a large flat brush should be employed, and if this is not over-charged a ceiling or wall may, with a certain amount of care, be white or color-washed with little or no splashing. The way to lay the distemper on is not to take up too much in the brush, and not to flick the brush at the end of each stroke, or you will splash everything. "Work the brush in any direction, but be sure that every part of the ceiling is covered with the calcimine taking care to keep the edges of the patches going, that is, do not let any edge get dry before coming to it again. To do this, it is essential to have a scaffold that is easily movable from one end of the room to the other. The calcimining must be done very expeditiously, and any ceiling over 14 feet square should not be attempted single-handed without some previous practice.
Ceilings should always be calcimined by working away from the light. Two men are required to do a good-sized ceiling-flat; they should start at the window end, and, keeping their work in one general line, spread the distemper from the end as far towards the center as they can both conveniently reach. The scaffold is then brought forward and another shift covered, and so on until the whole ceiling is finished. The solvent used for distemper work being water, it will be seen that extreme heat or a draught of air, such as will evaporate the water, is to be avoided during the process, but so soon as a ceiling is completed, the object is to dry it off as quickly as possible, and hence it is well to open every door and window to create a draught.
Properly executed distempering should have a level, but 
Fig. 7. Wall Brush.
not perfectly smooth, surface, which should show no joints or coarse brush-markings, and should have a perfectly dead appearance, be solid and uniform throughout, and should not rub off by ordinary wear or leaning against.
Distemper of any kind should never be spread over old or dirty stuff, these should be first washed off. An expect will not flap his brush in working well-made distemper, but will use the tip of the brush only, and make very little noise. Calcimine or any distemper can be laid on in any direction from the outer or working edge. Splashes result from the use of watery wash and want of experience in working.
A distemper brush should be worn off a trifle before being used to whiten a ceiling. The work of washing off a ceiling will be sufficient to wear down a new brush to a fit condition. After the brush is done with, wash it out thoroughly and lay it by, before attempting to use it, soak it in water, or the hairs may fall out, through it being too dry. This last caution applies to nearly all brushes used in house decorating.
If there is a delicate ornamental cornice in the room that cannot be got at with the ordinary distemper brush, a smaller brush, called a distemper tool, is used both for the washing off and whitening. In the whitening, push this brush up into the ornamented parts. It does not much matter how the distemper is laid so long as it is put on evenly, and all the surface covered.
There appears to be an idea that a new ceiling requires some special treatment before it is calcimined, but this is not so. Providing that the ceiling has been left by the plasterer in a proper condition, it is a more simple job than whitening an old one, on account of there being no washing-off or making-good to do. The most ordinary cause of failure is that the ceilings are not thoroughly dry before the whitewash is put on. If there is the least sign of sweating or moisture on the ceiling, it may be taken to indicate that the ceiling is not dry, and if this is so, no amount of care in making or putting on the calcimine will make the ceiling white. Another cause of failure may be due to the fact that some people do not consider it neeessaiy to finish a new ceiling. This is also a mistake, for the finish stops absorption, and if there is a little whiting in it, it helps to cover, and, moreover, makes the distempering a much easier job, as it prevents it dragging, and, to use a painter's term, the distemper spreads like butter. The addition of a little alum is also an improvement to the finish.
The following is a brief list of tints that are most usually required on ceilings and the method of producing them:
Cream. A variety of cream colors of different shades and hues are produced by mixing ochre, which gives a yellowish cast. A little umber or Venetian red may also be added.
Gray. A nice effect is produced by a gray ceiling, especially when the walls are highly colored. Blue black is the best for the purpose.
Green. Very light greens look very pretty, but if they are too dark the effect is wholly spoiled. A variety of lime greens are made suitable for mixing with lime, and a very small quantity will be required. A touch of blue black may also be added when a neutral green is required.
Pink. A little Venetian red gives a nice pink, but if something more pronounced is required lake may be used.
Blue. A large variety of blue tints can be obtained by using the color sold under the name of "lime blue." These blues are really a variety of ultramarine.
Browns. Very light browns may be obtained by using sienna or umber or a mixture of both.
Almost as great a variety of colors in distemper may be obtained as in oil colors, but certain colors cannot be used with whiting at all. The following is a list of them: Prussian blue, Antwerp blue, Naples yellow, vermilion, lakes and chrome yellows. White lead and red lead are also unsuitable for the purpose.
For all ordinary distemper work one of the many sanitary distempers which are to be obtained in a wide range of colors is recommended. They are sold in dry form, and require but the addition of water to render them ready for use.
The secret of success in applying distemper is to get as much on the surface as possible without making a mess
Fig. 8. Wall Brush.
or splashing any of it on the walls and floor. The brush must be used smoothly, and not slapped against the work. Dip fairly deeply and squeeze out some of the calcimine. Then apply all around as far as the brush will reach. Be very careful not to go over the work a second time. Distemper is unlike oil paint. If it does not look satisfactory when applied, the only thing to be done is to wash off and commence again. It is usually necessary to have a stick in the pail with which to occasionally stir up the mixture.