Q. What kind of paint is best to use on a wood house: Oil, latex, something else?
A. Being taught old school by my professional painter & decorator grandfather, I should say oil based paints, but I think he might even agree that modern top-quality 100% acrylic paints are the way to go nowadays. Mind you top-quality 100% acrylic paints are not cheap.
Q. What techniques are there to give the house an aged look?
A. I think you referring to the art of "Distressed" effects. Takes some practice and skill, and will most definitely add additional time and money to the project.
Q. What other important information should I know before painting a house.
A. Preparation. Preparation & preparation is everything to achieving a high quality paint job that will last for years...
For the most professional and longest lasting paint job (but will add great cost to the project), remove all paint ie Get back to bare wood, then prepare the bare wood for painting - filling cracks, holes, sanding to a smooth finish...
To save some money on the preparation stage you can leave existing paint on (but only the paint that is still well adhered to the wood). Remove all chipped, loose paint. Fill cracks and holes. Sand to a smooth finish, including the existing painted surfaces. Paint any bare wood with wood-primer...
If you encounter any damp, rotten, etc wood during the preparation stage, I highly recommend removing it. When doing so, cut 150mm (6inch) past the last sign of damage ie Get back to good, solid wood. Preferably re-patch with the same wood species.
Sorry there is no such thing as 'Sick Building Syndrome', it is just a lazy way to label a problem that is not understood.
So you first need to find out in detail what is causing the problem.
Given that your wife is expecting, it may have nothing to do with the building at all…..
A doctor may be able to do tests and give you a list of the things she is sensitive to, so you have somewhere to start – it could just be something as simple as dust you liberated while clearing the room to paint it and nothing to do with the paint.
Best Answer
I'd rent a batch of scaffolding (or "staging"), including some extensions to accommodate the berm. You can set up two or three sections and have 20 feet or more to work from at a stretch. It should be relatively inexpensive and you'll be able to keep it for a few days for the same money as a motorized lift.
The drawback is that it's a bit slow and effort-intensive to move, but if you're able-bodied it's not difficult.