A paint spray machine can make short work of painting large areas, or hard-to paint surfaces such as acoustic "popcorn" ceilings and wrought iron fences. Sprayers are available in many sizes, from small hand-held machines that are suitable for spraying smaller jobs, to large commercial machines that can spray almost a gallon of paint per minute. With a little care, the learning curve is fairly short. Rent a sprayer for the weekend and paint the entire exterior of your house, or spray those popcorn ceilings in a fraction of the time it takes to roll them.
Instructions
1. Move furniture and other items from the area, and cover what you can't remove with plastic sheeting or drop cloths. Take down window coverings and remove anything you don't want painted, such as mailboxes, house numbers, switch plate covers and lights. Protect the floor or ground with canvas drop cloths.
2. Mask windows with tape and masking paper, plastic or newspapers. Use a hand masker if you have a lot of masking to do--this tool applies tape and masking paper or plastic at the same time.
3. Plug the sprayer into a grounded electrical outlet. If you need to use an extension cord, refer to the sprayer directions, or check with where you got it from, for the correct length and gauge of cord.
4. Flush the paint sprayer according to directions (these differ, depending what model of sprayer you're using). Flush it with clean water for water-based materials, and solvent for solvent-based materials.
5. Check the fittings and hoses for leaks. If you find a leak, unplug the machine and tighten the fittings and connectors. Never use a sprayer that is leaking.
6. Prepare your paint or stain by straining it through a paint strainer or pantyhose into a clean bucket. Check label directions for thinning recommendations. Some paint should be thinned for spraying, others should never be diluted.
7. Work straight out of the bucket by putting the sprayer pick-up hose into it if you're using a larger machine. With a smaller hand-held sprayer, pour paint from the bucket into the sprayer paint reservoir.
8. Make sure you're using the correct tip for the job. Spray tips come in many different sizes. You can't spray stain through a large-aperture tip designed for elastomeric paint, and you will need different fan widths for painting cabinets and exterior siding.
9. Keep your hand moving when spraying, otherwise you will have runs and drips. Keeping the spray gun perpendicular from the surface, start moving your hand before pulling the trigger. Release the trigger while your hand is still moving. Start from the top of the wall and work your way down. Keep the gun between 12 and 18 inches from the surface.
10. Clean the sprayer at the end of every work day, even if you're going to use it again the next day. Flush it clean with water or solvent and leave it filled with paint thinner. Never store it filled with water because this rusts moving parts. Clean all the filters daily.
Related posts
Large or small, all airless sprayers essentially work the same way.Without an airless paint sprayer, it takes days instead of hours to paint a house. Hard-to-paint surfaces such as acoustic popcor...
Even though latex paint has become the paint of choice for most projects, oil-based paint still has its place. There is no substitute for oil-based primers and solid stains for some applications....
Applying paint with an air-powered sprayer not only saves time, it also provides a smooth, even finish. Of course, to achieve the best results, you must know use the equipment. A high volume, low...
An airless paint sprayer is a useful invention that allows the user to spray complex surfaces such as wrought iron fences or shutters, or even to paint an entire house in one day. However, airless...
Troubleshoot a Paint SprayerAirless sprayers make fast work of most painting projects, allowing you to put a fresh coat on the exterior of your home within a day and to cover complex surfaces such...
