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 thins: is to have the room as clear as possible, and to protect the wallpaper.

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 calci-mined, 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.

Fig. 9. Sash Brushes.

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.

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-calcimin-ing, 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.