Painting

Apologies for this week's post being late - now Monday and should have posted on Saturday.  Just spotted it was still in the draft box - woops!!

There is always a fair bit of painting to do in this hobby one way or another.  Here is the next lot needed to complete the front opening.

This shows the camouflage effect that I like to do for the mortar under the brick so I don't get a single dominant colour showing between the bricks.  You can get the 'mucky' colours just by mixing up any old bits of paint you don't want - the more you add the muddier it gets.

The roof was painted grey to go under the 'slate' roof tiles.  I also paint the edges of the roof panel grey.  Again this grey came from mixing two or three dark coloured paints.

The doorway is mostly stonework painted with my home-made mortar paint (sand added to any colour you fancy).  I do knock off some of the obvious sand when the paint is bone dry.  the trim round the door is painted white. I used Cuprinol Shades here.  It goes on thinly and gives a flattish sort of gloss finish.  It is a real world paint which is sold for outside wood use so it should wear well!  It also comes in a lovely range of colours.

Here's a closer look at the masonry paint finish.  if there are too many 'bobbles' for you, when it is dry just rub them off and you end up with a nice in-scale masonry finish.

The edges of the main doors need painting.  I have chosen to do them with the brick coloured paint I have used on the sides.  Always smooth the edges of the doors before you paint them with a fine grade sanding block or fine sandpaper.  It is 'end grain' so it will soak up the paint like a sponge.  You can put a priming coat on or a coat of sealant.  Personally I reckon if you are willing to paint it twice like that, you may as well just put on two coats of the paint you've chosen for the edges

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The inside walls then need masking tape on them before you paint the edge of the wood, so you don't end up with a stack of 'sputters' to deal with when you come to decorate the inside of the house front.  It also lets you paint a lot faster as you don't need to be super careful.

This is what the first coat of the edge painting looks like.  The colour which matches the bricks brilliantly is called Polo Pony by Valspar (B & Q and others).  They will mix you a sample pot.  It looks hellishly orange but I assure you it is a good match.

Same colour on the sides of the building.  There is no logic to applying bricks there.  It is a huge area (times two) and would take masses of bricks, time and money.  This is a terrace so technically we are simply looking at a crude slice between two buildings.  It doesn't warrant bricks.

The magazine pages are taped down to protect the top of the trolley as the house was too heavy for me to lift and put on paper.

Incidentally, if you do want buy this house from DHD, these walls have a window on each floor - I got them to cut mine without as I want fireplaces there.