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That 'landlord special' paint job isn't always a bad thing - my take

I was at Home Depot on Saturday and heard two guys laughing about how someone painted over outlet covers and door hinges. Look, I get the hate usually, but my 1920s house in Cleveland has these brittle old switch plates that will crack if you look at them wrong. A light coat of paint keeps them from falling apart and seals out drafts. Anyone else ever keep a cheap workaround because the 'proper fix' just isn't worth the hassle for a rental or a temporary room?
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troy_gibson43
Oh man, I feel that. I've got a house from the 30s and I swear some of the original trim is held together by three layers of paint and hope. But like, here's what I wonder about those painted-over outlet covers - are they actually painted shut or just painted on the surface? Because I've had both scenarios where I had to pry one off with a flathead and a prayer, and that's when it gets really annoying. Maybe it's just me but I feel like there's a big difference between a landlord doing it out of pure laziness versus someone trying to keep old stuff working a little longer. Did the guys at Home Depot seem like they were talking about a specific kind of paint hack or just general hating on landlords?
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umaadams
umaadams19d ago
Yeah, a thin coat of paint can really help brittle old plates from cracking.
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