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Bouncing Project

If you subscribe to the blog and read the email on your phone, the photos might not show up. (Some people get them, some do not; it isn’t a problem I know how to solve.) You can see them by going to the blog on the internet. It is called cabinart.net/blog, and the latest post is always on top.

The South Fork Estates sign project was a biggie, one with some unresolved questions, but I did my part and then passed it back to the customer. Being a fine artist (an artist who makes art to put on the walls) doesn’t qualify me to understand the chemistry of paints, sealers, varnishes, stains, or how to treat wood. It is easier to just state that fact up front.

However, the customer for those signs decided they needed to have the background wood painted. Initially, in 1990, the entire signs were painted a burgundy, then overpainted with the colors. This was evident after the 32-year-old signs were sanded and scraped. The customer only asked me to refresh the colors, or I would have first (reluctantly) coated them with a burgundy or dark brown. I say “reluctantly”, because I thought it was bare wood, and it pains me to cover bare wood with paint.

Alas, the customer was concerned that my 2-3 coats of paint were insufficient, and requested that I paint the background, so he brought them back to me, for quite a bit of discussion. I told him that he was the boss.

This is a tricky situation: is it me guaranteeing my work, or is it a “change order”, as contractors refer to extra requests? I decided that the extra layer of color was on me, and the meter would be running for the background.

After adding another layer to the colors, I sent him this email:

“Before I begin painting the background dark brown, I am hesitating in order to give you a chance to reconsider whether this is really what is best for the signs. 
 
“I am reluctant to dive in because:
1. I don’t believe this is the best solution; the two sign painters I talked to each recommended wood stain or oiling, not paint, saying that wood needs to breathe.
2. Once the paint is on the signs, there is no going back to the natural wood.
3. Because of the rough surface, it is not possible for me to do the outlining of the letters or the narrow channel between the gray-blue border and the narrow yellow line, so the signs still won’t be completely dark brown on the non-colored parts.
 
“I can do this but want you to be absolutely certain it is the right next step, because there is no undoing it.”
 
It was a relief when he replied and asked that I stain them dark brown. I did a tiny section and sent him a photo for approval (with no idea what I would do if he didn’t like it).
He liked it!
This sign is stained:
This one is not:
Now I need to remember to detour past the subdivision in order to see the refreshed signs in place.

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