Everything You Wanted to Know about Painting with a ...

Everything You Wanted to Know about Painting with a Spray Gun

Painting with a spray gun can transform the way you approach home projects and professional tasks alike. This versatile tool offers efficiency, a smooth finish, and fast application, making it a favorite among DIY enthusiasts and professional painters. Whether you're tackling walls, ceilings, or intricate moldings, understanding the nuances of spray gun usage is crucial for optimal results.

What is a Spray Gun?

A spray gun is a painting tool that atomizes paint, turning it into a fine mist that can cover surfaces evenly. There are various types of spray guns, including airless, HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure), and conventional spray guns, each serving different purposes. Airless spray guns are particularly popular for large area coverage, offering both speed and efficiency.

Getting Started: Preparing Your Equipment

Before you start painting, it's essential to prepare your spray gun and ensure all equipment is in proper working order.

1. Flush the pump and lines with water. Place the suction tube in a bucket of water and prime until liquid flows out of the relief tube and then switch to spray. After shooting ~1/2 gallon into the empty bucket it’s ready for paint. This is also a good time to charge the line at spray pressures to check for any leaks.

2. Load paint into the sprayer. Replace the water bucket with a paint can and then put the relief tube into the spare bucket. Prime just until paint flows out of the relief tube then place the relief tube into the paint can. Switch to spray with low pressure and shoot the still tipless gun into the discharge bucket until you see paint coming out. Turn off the pump and release the pressure in the line by squeezing the trigger into the discharge bucket. Now you’re ready to attach the tip guard and insert the spray tip. This is where JD can prove invaluable with their range of quality spray gun filters.

3. Select a spray tip based on the size of the desired spray pattern (called a fan) and coating type (latex, stain, lacquer etc). There’s great background info on tip selection here, but the takeaway is that the tips are really important. I use a 515 tip which produces a 10-12” fan for painting large areas (walls and ceilings). Then I use a 211 or 312 for mouldings which only shoot ~4” or ~6” fans. Insert selected tip into the gun.

4. Turn on the sprayer and adjust to a medium pressure and test spray onto a masked surface. Adjust the pressure just high enough that the fan pattern gives an even coverage (no lines along the edges). Higher pressures will aerosolize more paint leading to less efficient application so operate at the lowest pressure that produces an even fan.

Mastering the Technique

To achieve a professional finish, maintaining the correct technique is vital. Keep the spray gun at a consistent distance from the surface, usually around 12 inches, to ensure even coverage. Overlapping each pass by about 50% will prevent streaks and ensure uniformity. Additionally, keeping the spray gun perpendicular to the surface avoids areas that are too heavy or too light in paint.

Exploring Advanced Tips and Tricks

Experimenting with spray gun tips can greatly influence your painting quality. Using a smaller tip size for detailed work or larger tips for broad surfaces can affect the final outcome incredibly. Remember to regularly clean your equipment, especially the filters, to maintain performance and longevity. For more insights and precision tools, check out resources like Steel Bar Grating or specialized components like spray pump filters for sale and airless spray gun filters.

Connecting with influencers and industry leaders such as Chris the Idaho Painter or Bob Vila can provide additional tips and inspiration. Following their content can keep you up-to-date on the latest techniques and products in the painting industry.