Replies

1. 
   stinger | Jan 29, 2006 10:29pm | #1

   I was in a business once that had coil coating production lines, and we sold a lot of the line time to others, coating their steel and aluminum.  They supplied their coiled metal, we bought the paint, painted their stuff, and charged them for the services on a per cwt basis.

   We had over 1100 inventory items of paints all with the name "white" in their colornames.

    

2. 
   bobl | Jan 29, 2006 11:15pm | #2

   Maybe something based on milk paint, if no one can give you something different.

   talked to someone once about paint colors, white supposedly is what Hollywood picked.

    

   bobl          Volo, non valeo

   Baloney detecter

3. 
   csnow | Jan 30, 2006 12:09am | #3

   White is revisionist history in a way. 

   Prevalence of white is more of a 20th century "colonial revival" concept than historically accurate for that period. 

   I prefer some gloss on an old house.  The old oil paints tended had some gloss to them.

   There are so many shades. May as well just go with what you like. 

   The supposedly very historicaly accurate whites in Deerfield MA (for example) are somewhat yellower than the 'plain white' in the can today, for what that is worth.

   
   

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   Edited 1/29/2006 4:15 pm ET by csnow

1. 
   bobl | Jan 30, 2006 12:37am | #4

   Between Deerfild, Strawberrybanke )Portsmouth), and Old Sturbridge Village you should find something. Unless I knew the local historical society well, I'd stay away from them. 

   bobl          Volo, non valeo

   Baloney detecter

4. 
   WNYguy | Jan 30, 2006 11:34am | #5

   Brian:

   A previous poster suggested that the ubiquitous white farm house we remember from our youth was actually the inappropriate result of the white-paint craze during the colonial revival period in the early 20th century.

   While that's often true of mid- to late-19th century houses that started life in other hues, earlier 19th-century homes indeed were often painted white.  Early 19th century accounts by Europeans visiting America often describe entire villages of gleaming white houses with green shutters.

   White was the most common color, but period paintings depict other colors, too, for houses built in the 1830s and 40s, with yellow ochre being perhaps the second-most common.

   Now, I am assuming your house is Greek Revival style, though by the 1840s the Gothic Revival and Italianate styles were starting to become dominant in the Northeast.  Italianates were often a buff or "stone color," or pale yellow ... still with green shutters.  If your house is clapboard-sided, it probably isn't Gothic Revival, which were usually vertical board-and-batten (if wood).

   The original paint on your house, if white, was lead white pigment in linseed oil.  The finish would have been high-gloss, and the white color would be slightly yellowish.  The sheen would dull somewhat over time.

   My house is an 1838 Greek Revival that was probably originally white with green shutters.  Because I wanted some color,while still being historically appropriate, I painted it a yellow ochre color with white trim (and green shutters to come) ... all gloss oil alkyd.  The white I chose for the trim is an off-white, somewhat yellowish (looks very white unless you hold a swatch of it next to a brilliant white sample).

   Hope this helps.

   Allen

   
   

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   Edited 1/30/2006 3:38 am ET by WNYguy

1. 
   homebaseboston | Jan 31, 2006 06:55am | #6

   Thanks All.  Allen, this was helpful.  Particularly the sheen advice.  Have often wondered about it.  Mine is 1840 greek farmhouse.  Was blue/gray under the aluminum when we pulled it off.  Don't know if it was white originally, but am liking the idea of the simplicity of it.  We'll do the doors in a dark red or black and let the shadow lines and windows add most of the interest.

   Thanks again.

   Brian_____________________________HomeBase______________  LLC

    

1. 
   WNYguy | Jan 31, 2006 07:25am | #7

   Brian:That'll be a nice look. Congratulations on removing the aluminum. Clapboards in decent shape?Allen

1. 
   homebaseboston | Jan 31, 2006 02:28pm | #8

   they're so so.  had to replace about 1/2 of them.  feathered in with exisiting wherever possible.  going to need a good strip before we paint this spring.  only done half the house so far.  the rest is still clad in the stuff.  makes for an interesting look!!!_____________________________HomeBase______________  LLC

    

2. 
   BillHartmann | Jan 31, 2006 06:00pm | #9

   Also you might want to check with Benny Moore and Sherwin Billy for historic paint colors.I know hat SW has one for color chart for 1900's A&C houses. They might have some for other era's.