Twenty Tips That Make Painting Easier
A list of twenty tips and hints that will make painting easier. Tips include ways that will make clean up easier, how to protect surface, etc.
Painting is a hard enough job without any extra labor. The following is a list of tips you should keep in mind before you start painting. They might not make you enjoy it, but they will make the job easier.
1. Make sure you have everything you need before you get started—especially enough paint. In general, a can of paint covers about 400 square feet.
2. Try to avoid painting on rainy days. The extra humidity in the air will cause the paint to dry slower. If this can’t be avoided, use a dehumidifier to help speed the drying process.
3. If you are painting a large room, don’t try and same money by purchasing the cheap rollers and brushes. The money you save will be minimal and won’t make up for sore hands. Plus, better rollers and brushes will help you work quicker.
4. Have your primer tinted the same color as you intend to paint. This will ensure that the paint covers well and could cut down on the need for an additional coat.
5. Use a nail to tap about five or six holes in the retaining grove of the paint can. This will allow the paint to run back into the can. If you need to reseal the can, you can put the nails into the can or put a little play dough or clay over the holes.
6. Glue a large paper plate to the bottom of any open paint can you are using to catch any splatters or drips.
7. Flattened out corrugated boxes are perfect to cover the floors with when painting.
8. Have a wet rag and paper towels handy to wipe up any drips or mistakes. Most of them—including accidental dabs on the ceiling—can be removed this way.
9. Keep some patching compound and a spackle handy. You’ll be surprised at all the little holes and marks you can find on your wall. They might not have been visible with the old color, but they can stand out with the new.
10. When stopping for short periods, seal your paintbrushes inside a Ziploc or plastic bag. This will keep them “fresh” without having to spend the time cleaning them. Plastic wrap and aluminum foil work almost as well.
11. Line the inside of your paint tray with aluminum foil or plastic. It will make the clean up easier.
12. To make cleaning your brushes easier, use an old baby-wipe container. Poor paint thinner into the container and push the handle of the brush through the hole in the lid. This will allow the brush to soak without bending the bristles. If you don’t have any baby-wipe containers, try cutting a slot into the lid of a coffee can or similar container.
13. Wipe paint rollers on old newspapers before cleaning. Getting rid of any excess paint will make them easier to clean.
14. Rub hand lotion on your hands and arms before you begin. It will make the paint easier to wash off your hands when you’re finished. Also, baby oil is sometime better at removing paint from your skin that soap.
15. If you have a steady hand, you might not need masking tape to cover the edges.
16. Wet newspaper can work great at protecting windows. You can use one-inch long strips of newspaper to protect the windowpanes around a window. Dip each strip into water. Pull the strip between your thumb and index finger to remove the excess water. Press the strips onto the glass close to the wood. Do only two at a time and remove them as soon as you’re through.
17. If you’re painting a bathroom, use wet newspaper to cover the bottom and sides of the tub. The newspaper will click and keep your tub paint-free.
18. Wrap hardware (doorknobs, hinges, pulls, etc.) in foil before painting.
19. Use old milk jugs to store paint. It will keep just as long and the paint is easier to access if you need to do some touch-ups.
20. Write the date, brand and color of paint used under the light switch for a handy reference.
Changes in Spray Painting
Over the years, changes have been made in the spray painting industry. New technology, advancements, and improvements, new laws and regulations, and more concern over pollutants are the forces behind the changes.
There are basically three qualities of spray paint equipment in the market:
1. Industrial Usage. Super heavy-duty equipment used daily, spraying an average of 50+ gallons per day.
2. Commercial Use. Heavy-duty equipment for businesses, used to spray houses, apartments, warehouses, etc.
3. Home and Hobby Use. Light duty usage. For occasionally spraying a house, a room, furniture, etc.
It’s possible that the traditional air-atomize spray painting gun often known as a high pressure paint gun that is the root of the industry will be essentially eliminated in the next ten years, to be replaced by spray guns that offer higher transfer efficiency (TE).
Under pressure from environmental authorities to lessen smog-causing volatile organic chemicals (VOC) emissions and from management to lower costs and improve efficiency, spray painters are changing their equipment-buying habits.
For most that purchase new spray painting equipment, TE is an important factor because of cost and environmental reasons.
Higher transfer efficiency (TE) eliminates pollution at its source and is especially important from a health and safety standpoint. Paints and coatings contain many potentially harmful chemicals—including isocyanates, solvents, and pigments. Concern for air quality from releases of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), like paint thinners, have prompted several state and local governments to take action. Breathing these dangerous chemicals can have negative effects on your health.
Transfer efficiency rates the ability of spray-painting equipment to put paint on the parts being painted rather than allowing it to escape as overspray or in other forms of paint waste.
If conventional air-atomize spray is used, it is possible that only 20 percent of the paint becomes a coating on the surfaces being sprayed, and 80 percent is wasted. That’s wasted paint, wasted money, and more pollutants. The paint isn’t the only cost associated with poor transfer efficiency. Spray booth cleanup costs often equal the cost of the paint. Plus the fact that you may end up with waste that is either difficult or very expensive to dispose of.
In short, many are switching spray paint equipment for two important reasons-money and health.
To improve TE and lessen VOC’s people have been switching to:
· HVLP
· Electrostatic Spray
· Air-Assisted Airless Spray
· Powder Coating
· Waterborne Coatings
· High-Solids Coatings
High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) paint sprayers are light, mobile, and provide a finish far superior to even your nicest paintbrush. They also make the job go faster and are less tiring than painting by hand.
HVLP is a variation of conventional air-atomize spray. The difference is that these guns are designed to atomize paint using a high volume of air delivered at low pressure. The lower pressure results in far less overspray and bounce-back. The HVLP spray gun has advantages over the rest: Better transfer efficiency results in less paint waste and lower cleanup costs. The exact TE depends upon the circumstances in your installation the booth design, spray techniques, the mix of parts, etc. However most experts agree that HVLP offers significant improvement. Operators that are used to conventional guns generally find it easy to learn how to use HVLP. It is much easier than painting by hand. Being light is also a good advantage. It’s easy to carry around, reach up or down, and to change positions.
Painting with an HVLP spray gun significantly reduces over-spray and as a result: Minimize the releases of toxic chemicals, helping protect you, your co-workers, and your shop’s neighborhood and reduces the amount of paint you need to refinish a car goes down, saving your shop many dollars in paint costs.
Research has shown that HVLP spray guns can achieve far greater transfer efficiency (over 60% with good technique) than conventional spray guns. Higher transfer efficiency means less of what you don’t want: paint overspray, mists that a painter might breathe, emissions to the community—and more of what you do want: savings on paint and an improved bottom line!
Acrylic Painting
Acrylic Painting has become extremely popular today with artists and crafts men and women all over the world. No longer do we have to worry about odors and allergies to solvents, so common to oil painting. Another advantage of painting with acrylics is their versatility of use and their relatively quick drying time (often just a few minutes.) However if a longer drying time is needed in specific cases, a medium for use with acrylic paints has been developed. Thus, acrylic painting is often considered a much more desirable method of painting.
Acrylic paints are not to be used just for art canvas. Special acrylic paints have been developed for a variety of uses. For instance, one can now buy paints specifically for use on fabrics, totally washable and durable, giving one the option to add real flair to an otherwise plain piece of clothing. If one is involved with Scrapbooking and Card Making, why not add a personal touch to your project with acrylic paint for paper? If you want to brighten up your kitchen and dining table, consider new acrylic paints for glass and china. This paint allows us to turn an ordinary piece of glass ware into an elegant and expensive-looking personal accomplishment. An added benefit is that this paint, when allowed to dry properly, will stay beautiful through many dishwasher cycles when loaded on the top rack. However, please be aware that this acrylic paint must not be applied in an area which touches the mouth or food.
Learning acrylic painting is not as daunting as it may seem. Many acrylic artists and instructors have developed their own methods, tools, instructions and techniques. Donna Dewberry says that any one who can draw a stick figure can learn to paint using the One Stroke method which she developed and which is so popular today. For those hesitant to try free-hand painting, stencils for all subjects and designs are available in various sizes, from very small to very large. Want to paint a mural on your wall? Use stencils and acrylic paint.
When using acrylic paints, there are several points to keep in mind. These paints consist of pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer binder to which water has been added. They are available in tubes and jars. The tube paint, as you probably know, is much thicker and can be used directly from the tube or diluted with water. Acrylic paint in jars has already been diluted to a ‘flowing’ consistency. Both are suitable paints and dry to a smooth, shiny finish. This is no surprise as acrylic paint is just that - acrylic, or more commonly, plastic.
Because acrylic paints are water-based, clean up is fairly easy. Soap and water is used, NOT turpentine or other paint thinners, but this must be done before the paint dries. Synthetic brushes are generally used as the alkaline in the paint is hard on brushes made from natural hair. You can ruin an expensive brush in a hurry if care is not taken. Brushes must be kept moist or cleaned immediately. Since, as mentioned before, these paints contain acrylics, despite the fact that they are water-based, once dry they are extremely hard, if not impossible, to remove.
When we consider acrylic painting, regardless of the surface to be painted, whether on canvas, wood, plaster, cement, wax candles, fabric, paper - you name it - indoors or out, there is a specific acrylic paint suitable for that specific purpose.
How To Paint - Materials
In my intro post about How To Paint, I explained how I’ll be taking a couple of posts to bleed out all my painting knowledge to all interested parties. I attempt to go into in depth coverage of the trade of painting as I know it, and this article is long (over 3000 words!) and hopefully informative. This is the second of a series.
If you’ve come back to learn or are along for the ride, kudos. I hope we can teach each other, and if you’re new to painting I sincerely hope you can find the time and will to pick up a paintbrush and give one of the most rewarding pastimes I know a try. I know if I was reading a “how to” about painting or just about anything I’d be eager to jump right in. Well I don’t blame you, and the way this tutorial will play out you can skip and jump to your heart’s content. But one thing which must be addressed first is the materials. So without further ado let’s get started.
Paint
One material I think we can all agree you can’t do without is the paint. As I mentioned before a good bet is to get one of those starter kits that range in sizes and price. That way you usually can’t go wrong with the color selection.
I use 37 ml oil paint for most of the colors but I always have 200 ml for white and burnt umber. White is the number one color you will use. It is the base of every light color mixture, lightens everything, and helps turn certain pigments opaque (Some pigments like burnt sienna and Alizarin crimson have a very high transparency, that is they are practically see-through unless applied in very thick layers. Adding a little white to these transparent colors instantly makes them opaque.) I also keep a 200 ml tube of burnt umber around. This is a versatile and good looking earth color which can be added to a number of colors to darken them (never add black to darken a color, this will ruin the color- more on that later). Most of my paints are from Winton, and a few from Grumbacher (a little more expensive).
If you’re just starting out you can get away with using a smaller size tube such as 8 or 12 ml, but you’ll find the standard size is 37 ml. The paint available to you ranges from the very cheap to the very expensive. The cheaper paints are considered “Student” quality paints and are decent to use when experimenting. The quality of the pigments are lower and the paint is usually loaded up with more “filler” and medium than actual quality pigment. The more expensive paints are considered “Artist” quality and the colors can be very rich and the paint works and turns out much better. A way to distinguish these is there will be a number on the tube. Generally a lower number is more expensive.
Another reason paints differ in price is the rarity of the pigment involved. Certain pigments are much more expensive due to their scarcity and will raise the price considerably. A way for amateurs to get by without spending so much money is to buy the paint that has “Hue” in the title. For instance, cadmium being an expensive pigment, a student can buy “Cadmium Red Hue” for about half the price. This means more filler and less real pigment, and of course is not as good a quality and doesn’t mix as well as the real thing, but it makes a suitable substitute for students’ purposes. Earth tones are generally just as good in the “Students” grade paint.
As far as for which palette to use I have set up several sets of colors here. Resist the urge to just use your imagination in buying the colors, because when starting out you really only need a select few. Mixing is an exercise that needs to be started as early as possible but you’re not going to want to mix basic colors this early in the game for several reasons: when finding the perfect color it is seldom easy to find the exact color again, and mixing sometimes results in wasted paint if you don’t know what you’re doing.
One thing is for sure, no matter what stage you’re at you don’t need to have a tube of every single color they sell. You should get by just fine on these palettes depending on your purpose and skill level, if the color is on the same level you may pick and choose any color on that level:
Palette A, beginners
* Titanium white
* Burnt umber
* Cadmium Red Hue
* Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue
* Yellow Ochre (a tan color, mixes many great colors or use by itself)
* Cobalt Blue, French Ultramarine
* Permanent Green Light
-Note the “hues” are generally cheaper.
-Different yellows and blues can be substituted (for instance cadmium yellow medium- a darker yellow) but I find these to be the most versatile. But I wouldn’t even consider starting without these basics. Most starter kits would have at least these basic colors. A decent black can be made by mixing cobalt blue, burnt umber, and a very little of the red (I don’t use black from the tube-more on that in the Color section)
Palette B, beginners
* Titanium white, Zinc white (zinc white is a little thicker and results in thicker, richer colors in my opinion, but may be a little harder to use at first)
* Burnt umber, Raw umber (Raw umber is also a nice earth tone, a little darker and makes an excellent gray mixed with a little white, and an excellent flesh shadow mixed with Flesh tone, more on Color later)
* Burnt Sienna (a reddish brown)
* Cadmium Red Hue, Cadmium Red Light Hue
* Cadmium Yellow Pale
* Cadmium Yellow Medium
* Yellow Ochre
* Cobalt Blue, French Ultramarine, Phthalo Blue, Prussian Blue (the synthetic blue)
* Cerulean Blue (a lighter blue, makes an excellent sky)
* Permanent Green Light, Sap Green (sap is a very transparent deeper green, good for evergreen trees, etc., found in Bob Ross™ supplies)
-So this palette just has a bit more options and you can easily keeper this selection the entire time you paint. Next we have a slightly more intermediate palette only because it involves mixing, once again more options, a little more expensive:
Palette C, Intermediate:
* Titanium White, Zinc White
* Burnt Umber, Raw umber
* Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna (a very transparent ochre-like tan color)
* Cadmium Red Hue, Cadmium Red Light Hue, Vermillion Hue
* Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Rose
* Cadmium Orange Hue (mainly to neutralize and gray blues, mixes great with Cerulean)
* Cobalt Violet Hue (useful for neutralizing and/ore graying yellow)
* Cadmium Yellow Pale, Cadmium Yellow Medium
* Naples Yellow (an excellent light beige, I can’t do without it)
* Yellow Ochre
* Cobalt Blue, French Ultramarine, Phthalo Blue, Prussian Blue
* Cerulean Blue
* Viridian (a bluish green)
* Permanent Green Light, Sap Green
* Ivory Black, Mars Black
* Flesh hue (Grumbacher makes a great flesh hue)
-So this assortment has a few more options which can help you make some great paintings. A lot of them can mix very interesting and useful colors all of which I will get into in the post about Color later on. Like I said earlier, you can get by with just the basic palette and it won’t be so hard on your pocket. Most of the paints here you can buy for around $5- $6 for a 37 ml. Expect to pay more for colors like Viridian, but once again these are available in “Hues” for cheaper.
Brushes
Musicians have their instruments, writers have their keyboard or typewriter, and painters have their paint brushes. Brushes are the medium used to convey what’s inside the artist’s soul, they are an outlet. Much care should be put into choosing the right brush for you.
I’ll cut right to the chase here and tell you what I use. Most of my brushes are American Painter® synthetic bristle brushes of varying sizes. Most professional artists will balk at the idea of using synthetic brushes, but these brushes have done me well and I will continue to use them. There are a variety of synthetic brushes but I must warn of one thing: if you buy very cheap brushes, you will produce very cheap results without fail.
Also available are bristle brushes such as hog bristle. These natural white hair brushes can last a very long time when taken care of. They are hard and hold the paint well in the bristles, but the strokes can look very painterly if not careful. I personally don’t use them often for this reason, and I find them not very handy in painting people due to the bristles making their mark on the canvas so heavily. Hog bristles are great for really applying lots of paint and pushing it around.
Some other good brushes are sable brushes coming from the animal of the same name living in Northern Asia. These hair brushes are very soft as opposed to the bristle brushes, and are very springy. If using the hog bristles to apply tons of color, these sable brushes can be used to paint details and small patches of color.
Brushes come in many different shapes to include the
* round brush (which 90 % of my brushes are, they are very versatile and when used properly can paint very straight edges and large patches of color, the tips can be used for detailing, and can also be used for blending- its your one stop shop)
* flat brushes (square ends, I use large flats to paint backgrounds and other large areas)
* bright brushes (with shorter bristles or hairs)
* filberts (take a flat brush and round the edges inward a little, I don’t even own one of these)
* fans (great for painting pine trees and blending)
* and small detail brushes (essentially tiny round brushes, many artists speak against using such small brushes even for tiny details, but I find them priceless in delivering a detailed final product)
All of these brushes come in different numbered sizes, with the higher the number the larger it is. It pays to generally have about 4 different rounds going up to very large, a small flat, and a large flat (for backgrounds), one or two brights and filberts mainly for details and small patches, one medium sized fan, and at least two very small detail brushes.
I’m going to go ahead and include a painting knife in the brushes category seeing that it can be used to apply paint. The knife is an invaluable piece of equipment and can be used for two reasons. One you can get by with only a knife to mix your paint on your wooden palette, two you can actually paint with it. Painting with a knife is a bit more intermediate, and I have yet to attempt an entire painting with it (it can be done!), but lately I have been utilizing the flat edge of the knife to paint entire backgrounds. It’s great for backgrounds when you don’t want any strokes showing, rather a smooth look, like skies. I also have many times used the edge or the very tip of a knife to paint tiny thin lines, and microscopic-like details.
Canvases
Now that you have your paints and brushes you need to figure out what you want to paint on. The possibilities are almost endless ranging from fake canvas paper to rocks and wood, as long as certain preparations are made (a surface must be gessoed and primed in order for the paint to stick, and for the oil to work properly and not get absorbed into the surface). You can’t paint on absorbent surfaces such as cardboard or the oil will separate from the pigment.
Mostly you’ll want to paint on a canvas. Once again there are several options here, with different types and sizes to chose from. I use pre-stretched Fredrix® canvases of different sizes. In the past I have used canvas boards (a stiff board wrapped in canvas and primed- perfect for beginners). I also have a canvas pad with real sheets of primed canvas ideal for sketches and practices (although most of my “practices” are actually finished products, I rarely paint studies- maybe it shows). I recently acquired large canvas stretcher bars which I plan on making the canvas from scratch from a roll of canvas. It seems easy, all you have to do is stretch the canvas and staple it in certain places in order to achieve a well-stretched canvas. I just need to get a staple gun, we’ll see how that turns out.
When I first started painting I basically started out with small canvases and worked my way up. My first couple of pictures were on 5″ x 7″s and my largest canvas to date is a 24″ x 48″ so I went from less than a sheet of paper to 4 feet in length. It takes practice and patience to paint on such a large area, and I definitely worked my way up. As a beginner, you can go my route or jump right in to your larger canvases, depending on what you plan on painting, but we’ll get into Subject Matter and Composition in a later post. Any canvas will do when you first start out, but I would at least attempt the smaller size first: this means less paint mixing, less paint used, less time, etc.
Mediums, Solvents, and Thinners
Now that you have the paints, the brushes to paint them with, and the surface to paint on, you’ll now need some essential elements in making the painting possible.
The paint in the tube is made up of two things: pigment and medium. The pigment is a natural or synthetic color ground up from elements into a fine powder. The pigment is next put into a “vehicle,” which is no more than linseed oil, in a certain ratio to produce a usable paint. A separate medium can be added later by you to fatten the paint by adding more linseed oil. Knowledge of how the oil works is important for the painting procedure itself, and how the end product will look. More on that later, just know that adding extra oil can improve flow and gloss.
Thinners will be needed to clean off your brush from color to color. An odorless thinner is advised, so you can work indoors without worrying so much about harmful vapors. I use Weber Odorless Turpenoid, a turpentine substitute. This turpentine can be poured into a glass jar with a screen in it for easy brush cleaning, and as long as a lid is put on top, it can be used several times before becoming too muddy. Paint directly from the tube can be very thick, so you’ll definitely want to thin it down just a bit most of the time in order for it to flow easily from your brush. A good solvent can be made easily by mixing a 60/40 mix of turpentine and linseed oil (make sure it’s “cold pressed linseed oil”).
Other Materials Needed
* Now you’ll want to prop up your canvas so you can paint (although every now and then I’ll hold the smaller canvases in my lap), so you’ll need an easel. I recently got a large tripod easel which holds canvases up to about 40″ tall, but I have been using a small Bob Ross travel easel for the longest time. All it really is is a plastic block with a slot in the front to hold the canvas and a bungie cord in the back which stretches and holds the top of the canvas tightly.
* Basic brush cleaning supplies are: (as mentioned above) turpentine, or other form of thinner in a jar suitable for beating the brushes without splashing, and a rag to wipe the turpentine off the brush after cleaning.
* As mentioned in the “Brushes” section, a painting knife is suitable for mixing paint, but a special palette knife is also available for this purpose.
* You’ll need an actual palette to hold your paint. You can use a wooden palette brushed with linseed oil, but makes clean up a messy chore. Or you can do what I do and just purchase disposable palette sheets. I highly recommend this, as there is no other easily way. You simply put the paint on the non-absorbent sheets, mix right on the paper, and tear it off in the end to throw it away.
* A painting box can come in handy for storing your paints and can be used as a portable studio in “Plein Aire” painting outdoors. You can also keep a jar for your brushes (never store them bristle side down).
* Painting books- You can never have too many reference guides around, particularly color mixing guides.
* References- You may have pictures on the computer to look at, photos to paint from, people posing, a still-life setup, a mirror, etc.
* Music! Rarely do I paint without some tunes in the background.
* A desire to have fun. Without it you’ll think of all this as a chore and you’ll never do it again. Experiment and fail often, its how you learn. Know that what you create is unique and priceless, no one else out there can create what you can. Be satisfied and proud of yourself when you’re done. Only after one perceived success, you’ll want to come back for more, and I hope you do.
So in conclusion, your materials should consist of a few essential basics which can be bought for a fairly inexpensive amount. But do plan on spending some money, this is no cheap hobby. I must warn the more you paint, the more you’ll want to spend on better materials and different paints. This is all well and good though, because the value you get from painting is priceless. Not to mention the priceless masterpieces you’ll turn out! To this date I have not made a single penny off of painting and that’s fine by me. The fun and satisfaction I receive from painting far outweigh any costs involved.
I hope you found this materials guide useful. Up next: Color! I hope to share some knowledge of color mixing as well as basic color psychology and color theory.
Oil Paint Art Supplies
In the world of painting and other arts forms, oil paints are quite popular. They give the painter enough time to work around a thought or idea, even after they are used on canvas or board.
Usually, oil paint is available in tubes. It is advisable to buy good quality primary and secondary colors, than to spend money on cheap paints. Oil paints are also available in pans or bars.
Thinners or solvents, such as turpentine, are generally used to dilute oil paint and for cleaning the brushes and palette. The addition of white or mineral spirits to oil paints makes it watery. It is recommended to use low-odor solvents in a well-ventilated room.
Mediums are materials that are used to dilute color, increase transparency and gloss and reduce drying time. Readymade mediums are available, off the shelf. The various forms of linseed oil can be used for this purpose. It is important to keep in mind the constituency of the paint before adding thinners or there may be insufficient oil left for binding.
It is recommended to use stiff hog-hair brushes when using thick oil paint. It is ideal to invest in good quality brushes, as they last longer than the cheap ones. Soft sable brushes or even synthetic alternatives are effective when it is important that the brush marks are not seen. It is advisable to try out different types of head shapes and lengths of handles, before choosing the appropriate brush.
It is essential to treat canvas and boards with primers, before using oil paints on them. Acrylic primers are favored in the business, as they dry fast and do not require any sizing underneath.
It is advisable to invest in good quality art supplies as they serve the artist better in the long run.
Shawnee County receives 433 tons of recyclables
The Shawnee County Recycling Department took in 866,080 pounds, or 433 tons, of recyclable materials during the month of September.
September’s total included 323,320 pounds of cardboard, 43,820 pounds of glass, 293,680 pounds of newsprint, 85,340 pounds of magazines, 25,500 pounds of plastic, 4,600 pounds of aluminum, 10,180 pounds of tin and 77,080 pounds of mixed paper.
People are asked to rinse all food and beverage containers and remove lids before recycling. Labels can be left intact. Shawnee County is only accepting newsprint; clear, brown and green glass containers separated by color; steel and aluminum cans; #1 (HDPE) and #2 (PET) plastic; corrugated, cereal and cracker box cardboard; and old magazines. The department can’t accept molded or peanut plastic foam or plastic grocery bags.
The department operates a household hazardous waste facility at 131 N.E. 46th, east of N.E. 46th and Topeka Blvd. It is open on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon, except in January and July. A total of 132 people brought their hazardous materials to the center in September. Items accepted include paint, paint thinners, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, household cleaners and automotive products. Call 233-6147 or 291-4940 for directions.
Good, reusable latex paint is offered free to the community by appointment only. It is mixed in 5 gallon buckets. A total of 325 gallons were distributed in September.
People are asked not to leave items without someone available to accept them as the hazardous materials may endanger not only humans, but stray animals as well. An appointment can be made if you are unable to come to the facility on the designated day.
Recycling drop-off locations include: Boyles Inc., 2901 S.E. Adams; The Topeka Zoo, north of S.W. 10th and Civitan; The Sherwood Annex Post Office, 6120 S.W. 29th; Auburn Community Center; Washburn Rural High School, 5900 S.W. 61st; Albert Neese Lodge, S.E. 45th and Shawnee Heights Road; Super Walmart, 1501 S.W. Wanamaker; Rossville, under the watertower; First Lutheran Church, 1234 S.W. Fairlawn; Shawnee County Public Works, 124 N.E. 4th; Topeka Housing Authority, north of S.E. 21st on the east side of California; Meadows Elementary School, 201 S.W. Clay; Josten’s, 4000 S.E. Adams; Rolling Meadows Landfill, 7351 N.W. US-75 highway; Silver Lake United Methodist Church, third weekend of every month only; and Dover Federated Church, second Saturday of every month only.
Department releases October recycling totals
The Capital-Journal
The Shawnee County Recycling Department took in 909,040 pounds or 455 tons of recyclable materials during the month of October.
October’s total included 332,500 pounds of cardboard, 74,100 pounds of glass, 337,200 pounds of newsprint, 72,460 pounds of magazines, 23,820 pounds of plastic, 5,740 pounds of aluminum, 11,460 pounds of tin, and 51,760 pounds of mixed paper.
People are asked to rinse all food and beverage containers and remove lids before recycling. Labels can be left intact. Shawnee County is only accepting newsprint; clear, brown and green glass containers separated by color; steel and aluminum cans; #1 (HDPE) and #2 (PET) plastic; corrugated, cereal and cracker box cardboard; and old magazines. The department can’t accept molded or peanut Styro- Foam or plastic grocery bags. Leaving them is considered littering, and people can be fined for leaving trash, tires or household hazardous waste (oil, paint or pesticides) at the drop-off locations.
The department operates a household hazardous waste facility at 131 N.E. 46th, east of N.E. 46th and Topeka Blvd., which is open on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon, except in January and July. A total of 172 people brought their hazardous materials to the center in September. Items accepted include paint, paint thinners, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, household cleaners and automotive products. Call 233-6147 or 291-4940 for directions.
Good, reusable latex paint is offered free to the community by appointment only. It is mixed in 5 gallon buckets. A total of 310 gallons were distributed in October.
People are asked not to leave items without someone available to accept them as the hazardous materials may endanger not only humans, but also to stray animals. An appointment can be made if you are unable to come to the facility on the designated day.
Recycling drop-off locations include: Boyles Inc., 2901 S.E. Adams; The Topeka Zoo, north of S.W. 10th and Civitan; The Sherwood Annex Post Office, 6120 S.W. 29th; Auburn Community Center, 121 W. 11th; Washburn Rural High School, 5900 S.W. 61st; Albert Neese Lodge, S.E. 45th and Shawnee Heights Road; Super Wal-Mart, 1501 S.W. Wanamaker; Rossville, under the watertower; First Lutheran Church, 1234 S.W. Fairlawn; Shawnee County Public Works, 131 N.E. 46th; Topeka Housing Authority, north of S.E. 21st on the east side of California; Meadows Elementary School, 201 S.W. Clay; Josten’s Yearbook, 4000 S.E. Adams; Rolling Meadows Landfill, 7351 N.W. US- 75 highway; Silver Lake United Methodist Church, third weekend of every month only; and Dover Federated Church, second Saturday of every month only.
Department to earn about $263,000 from year’s recyclables
The Shawnee County Recycling Department took in 921,886 pounds of recyclable materials during the month of November.
November’s total included 282,880 pounds of cardboard, 24,920 pounds of glass, 389,046 pounds of newsprint, 140,480 pounds of magazines, 20,620 pounds of plastic, 6,080 pounds of aluminum, 17,880 pounds of tin and 39,980 pounds of mixed paper.
People are asked to rinse all food and beverage containers and remove lids before recycling. Labels can be left intact. Shawnee County is only accepting newsprint; clear, brown and green glass containers separated by color; steel and aluminum cans; #1 (HDPE) and #2 (PET) plastic; corrugated, cereal and cracker box cardboard; and old magazines. The department can’t accept molded or peanut plastic foam or plastic grocery bags. Leaving them is considered littering, and you can be fined for leaving trash, tires or household hazardous waste (oil, paint, pesticides) at the drop-off locations.
The department operates a household hazardous waste facility at 131 N.E. 46th, east of N.E. 46th and Topeka Blvd., which is open on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon, except in January and July.
The facility has a 10-gallon limit for liquids and a 75-pound weight limit for solids. If you have more, please call in advance so arrangements can be made to accommodate you. Items accepted include paint, paint thinners, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, household cleaners and automotive products. Call 233-6147 or 291- 4940 for directions.
Good, reusable latex paint is offered free to the community by appointment only.
People are asked not to leave items without someone available to accept them as the hazardous materials may endanger not only humans, but stray animals as well. An appointment can be made if you are unable to come to the facility on the designated day.
Recycling drop-off locations include: Lucky Five Restaurant, 1118 N.E. Seward; Boyles Inc., 2901 S.E. Adams; Topeka Zoo, north of S.W. 10th and Civitan; Sherwood Annex Post Office, 6120 S.W. 29th; Auburn Community Center, 121 W. 11th; Washburn Rural High School, 5900 S.W. 61st; Albert Neese Lodge, S.E. 45th and Shawnee Heights Road; Super Wal-Mart, 1501 S.W. Wanamaker; Rossville, under the watertower; First Lutheran Church, 1234 S.W. Fairlawn; Shawnee County Public Works, 131 N.E. 46th; Topeka Housing Authority, north of S.E. 21st on the east side of California; Meadows Elementary School, 201 S.W. Clay; Josten’s, 4000 S.E. Adams; Rolling Meadows Landfill, 7351 N.W. US-75 highway; Silver Lake United Methodist Church, third weekend of every month only; and Dover Federated Church, second Saturday of every month only.
This year, the department will earn about $263,000 from the commodities it has recycled, said Kim Nettleton, director and recycling coordinator. The expenses of running the department, however, far outweigh that amount. The department isn’t supported by tax money. The bulk of its support comes from a $1.50 per ton host fee paid by the Rolling Meadows landfill, which runs about $300,000 to $400,000 a year.
Shawnee County collects record amount in 2000
The Shawnee County Recycling Department took in 716,210 pounds of recyclable materials during the month of December.
December’s total included 298,400 pounds of cardboard, 38,580 pounds of glass, 280,280 pounds of newsprint, 32,000 pounds of magazines, 21,680 pounds of plastic, 2,750 pounds of aluminum, 12,020 pounds of tin, and 30,500 pounds of mixed paper.
According to the department, 2000 was the county’s biggest year for the collection of recyclable materials. Despite losing three of the most popular drop-off sites, total tons collected for the year were 5,234 — a 67-ton increase over 1999 and a 576-ton increase over 1998.
People are asked to rinse all food and beverage containers and remove lids before recycling. Labels can be left intact. Shawnee County is accepting only newsprint; clear, brown and green glass containers separated by color; steel and aluminum cans; #1 (HDPE) and #2 (PET) plastic; corrugated, cereal and cracker box cardboard; and magazines. The department can’t accept molded or peanut plastic packing foam or plastic grocery bags. Leaving them is considered littering, and violators can be fined for leaving trash, tires or household hazardous waste (oil, paint, pesticides) at the drop-off locations.
The department operates a household hazardous waste facility at 131 N.E. 46th, east of N.E. 46th and Topeka Blvd., which is open on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon, except in January and July. A total of 98 people brought their hazardous materials to the center in December.
The facility has a 10-gallon limit for liquids and a 75-pound weight limit for solids. The reason for the limits is so that other people don’t have to wait in line while employees unload large amounts from one vehicle. If you have more, please call in advance so arrangements can be made to accommodate you. Items accepted include paint, paint thinners, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, household cleaners and automotive products. Call 233-6147 or 291- 4940 for directions.
Good, reusable latex paint is offered free to the community by appointment only. It is mixed in 5 gallon buckets. A total of 55 gallons were distributed in December.
People are asked not to leave items without someone available to accept them as the hazardous materials may endanger not only humans but also stray animals. An appointment can be made if you are unable to come to the facility on the designated day.
Recycling drop-off locations include:
The Lucky Five Restaurant, 1118 N.E. Seward; Boyles Inc., 2901 S.E. Adams; The Topeka Zoo, north of S.W. 10th and Civitan; The Sherwood Annex Post Office, 6120 S.W. 29th; Auburn Community Center; Washburn Rural High School, 5900 S.W. 61st; Albert Neese Lodge, S.E. 45th and Shawnee Heights Road; Walmart, 1501 S.W. Wanamaker; Rossville under the watertower; First Lutheran Church, 1234 S.W. Fairlawn; Shawnee County Public Works, 131 N.E. 46th; Topeka Housing Authority, north of S.E. 21st on the east side of California; Meadows Elementary School, 201 S.W. Clay; Jostens, 4000 S.E. Adams; Rolling Meadows Landfill, 7351 N.W. US-75 highway; Silver Lake United Methodist Church, third weekend of every month only; Dover Federated Church, second Saturday of every month only.
Shawnee County recycles more than 780,000 pounds
The Shawnee County Recycling Department took in more than 780,000 pounds of recyclable materials during February.
The total included 305,260 pounds of cardboard; 36,420 pounds of glass; 254,140 pounds of newsprint; 78,520 pounds of magazines; 17,320 pounds of plastic; 4,100 pounds of aluminum; 13,560 pounds of tin; and 73,940 pounds of mixed paper.
People are asked to rinse food and beverage containers and remove lids before recycling. Labels can be left intact. Shawnee County is only accepting newsprint; clear, brown and green glass containers separated by color; steel and aluminum cans; #1 (HDPE) and #2 (PET) plastic; corrugated, cereal and cracker box cardboard; and old magazines. The department can’t accept molded or peanut plastic foam or plastic grocery bags. Leaving them is considered littering, and residents can be fined for leaving trash, tires or household hazardous waste (oil, paint and pesticides) at drop-off locations.
The department operates a household hazardous waste facility at 131 N.E. 46th, east of N.E. 46th and Topeka Blvd., which is open on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon, except in January and July. A total of 111 people brought their hazardous materials to the center in February.
The facility has a 10-gallon limit for liquids and a 75-pound weight limit for solids. The reason for the limits is so that other people don’t have to wait in line while employees unload large amounts from one vehicle. If you have more, please call in advance so arrangements can be made to accommodate you. Items accepted include paint, paint thinners, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, household cleaners and automotive products. Call 233-6147 or 291- 4940 for directions.
Good, reusable latex paint is offered free to the community by appointment only. It is mixed in five-gallon buckets. A total of 255 gallons were distributed in February.
People are asked not to leave items without someone available to accept them as the hazardous materials may endanger not only humans, but animals as well. An appointment can be made if you are unable to come to the facility on the designated day.
Recycling drop-off locations include: Lucky Five Restaurant, 1118 N.E. Seward; Boyles Inc., 2901 S.E. Adams; The Topeka Zoo, north of S.W. 10th and Civitan; Sherwood Annex Post Office, 6120 S.W. 29th; Auburn Community Center; Washburn Rural High School, 5900 S.W. 61st; Albert Neese Lodge, S.E. 45th and Shawnee Heights Road; Walmart, 1501 S.W. Wanamaker; Rossville, under the watertower; First Lutheran Church, 1234 S.W. Fairlawn; Shawnee County Public Works, 131 N.E. 46th; Topeka Housing Authority, north of S.E. 21st on the east side of California; Meadows Elementary School, 201 S.W. Clay; Josten’s Printing and Publishing, 4000 S.E. Adams; Rolling Meadows Landfill, 7351 N.W. US-75 highway; Silver Lake United Methodist Church, third weekend of every month only; Dover Federated Church, second Saturday of every month only.