Back to the Coal Face...

...or the painting...

It was nice making hearts, but painting is what really needs doing.

Today I gave the first shutter its final coat...



...it takes about 4 days to do one shutter.

Shutter Lore
First you have to burn off all the old paint (believe me - this is the quickest way) and then sand it down.



Then apply a coat of oil-based undercoat, which takes several hours to dry enough to paint over.



Then a couple of coats of gloss...



...and then you turn it over and do the other side...!!! Hence, 4 days for one shutter. Seems like longer...

Life after shutters

After the last coat on that shutter, I gave the back door its final coat - just the frame to do now.



When I came downstairs this morning I discovered I had left the door ajar all night...  I forgot to close it as I was waiting until the paint I put on yesterday was hard enough not to be damaged.  Fortunately I live in an isolated area where no-one passes...

Then I gave the middle room window its final coat...



...and partially closed the shutters while the paint dries...



As you can see, those shutters are my next task!

One important thing I have learnt today is that it is very tricky to paint gloss when it is windy.  The gloss I am using is very thin and the wind blows it off the brush (and all over the floor or window ledge) before you get to the wood!