ph: Pondering Paints

The Wall quotes Chuck D Science.

Choosing paints for project hampden has been like drilling my skull. Sure, the general idea of the colors is easy, it's the choosing of the exact hues and tones that drives me bonkers. I want to farm it out to someone else, but then I know I won't be happy - and I'm the one who has to live with these colors for the next 25 years (I hope).

Happily, the crew at the Timonium Sherwin-Williams store (and the one guy in the Home Depot paint department) have been my friends. They've put up with a barrage of questions on primer, paint, floor prep, wall prep, brushes, roller nap and general tips on how to paint. A twenty-two dollar brush? Really? Okay, I'll take it.


So many schemes, but only one seems close (it's the one labeled "contemporary."

Buying painting tools is like buying anything else, you get what you pay for and the nicer the tool, the greater the pleasure. Who knew that one could derive so much pleasure from a Purdy wood handled brush or quick-release roller holder? Then there's the screens. Amazing. Screen sand paper that doesn't clog, meaning you can sand to your hearts' content and never clog your paper - who knew? With my trusty 3M respirator, I can spackle and sand all day and all night.

Truth be told, I haven't painted a shop since the original Jays Shave Ice shack in Timonium. When we did the second Timonium location, I had a crew come in and do the work. And I was planning on having a crew do project hampden and then I decided that I might as well make myself useful and tackle the job myself. Good thing Dad has been on hand to handle the detailed trim work. It's the reason I was never a very good graphic artist, my hands aren't surgeon steady - and luckily, Dad trained as a surgeon.


The Baditude Basement is painted and ready for the DJ.