How to clean and paint louvers

Damp sponge-don’t use an abrasive cleaner. For louvers finished with stain, spray furniture cleaner on a clean, dry cloth and wipe the shutters. Dry immediately with another clean cloth.

Painting with a brush

Clean the louvers to remove grease, wax, and dirt. If one side of the piece to be painted is less likely to be seen than the other ; the back side of a shutter, for example-paint that side first. Stand the piece so that the louvers slope toward you. Use a brush the width of a single louver. Start with the top louver. Begin your brushstroke at the joint where the louver is mortised into the frame. Stroke halfway across; then stroke from the opposite joint, overlapping the wet edge. Next, paint the edges of the frame, then its top, bottom, and sides. Check your work for runs and missed spots and fill them in. Then turn the piece over and paint the other side in the same way.

Painting with a spray gunĀ 

Spray painting should be done outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Before you begin to paint, practice on newspaper to get the feel of the spray gun.

Position the shutter or door vertically (slats horizontal). Start at the top and sweep across in one continuous motion. Apply many thin coats-allowing for drying time betweenrather than one thick coat.