PUKKA PROTECTION

The paint used was cellulose-based, not two-pack synthetic isocyanate paint. Twopack must be used with a full hood and an air-fed mask, all beyond the scope of DIY shed work. Leave this stuff to well-equipped expert painters. It can be lethal, either cumulatively, or for some people, acutely. Be warned.

Cellulose air-drying paint is a much wiser choice, requiring only modest safety precautions although paint is no replacement for oxygen as a respiratory gas, so be prudent. Some kind of mask is a given, preferably with an exhaust port for exhaling through – handy if you wear glasses to stop fogging.

I always wear a disposable hooded overall, keeping overspray off my hair. I usually have my shop vac sucking air out of the shed to provide through-flow, but in general a well-ventilated space is advised.