Putty, not "Pâté"

     Last time we checked, our walls were being prepared for painting.  This involves the application of putty.  Sidebar here: it took us a while to realize that the Japanese equivalent of this term, パテ (PATÉ), actually referred to putty and not the famous French appetizer!

     Putty is similar in texture to clay or dough and is typically used in domestic construction and repair as a sealant or filler. It is used as joint treatment for plasterboard systems. The screws and various scratches and imperfections of the drywall are covered with putty.

     We were curious as to how putty was applied so we asked our putty and paint specialists to explain the process.  They will be working on our walls for the next couple of weeks.

     Here are the basic materials: corner beats, mesh tape, and putty.  First, the edges are covered with a kind a plastic frame which comes equipped with double-sided tape, called corner beats.

     Some sort of mesh material is then also applied over the edges. It looks easy to apply, as it comes in self-adhesive tape form. Then putty is then applied over the edges.

     It's a good thing the weather was a bit cooler because this type of work can sure make you sweat, especially to reach those high inclined ceilings...  We brought some refreshments for break time.

A third worker was  covering our windows with plastic in preparation for exterior painting, which should start sometime soon.

     Back soon with the latest updates...