I'm spraying 8 six panel doors. I'm starting the color coats now. The first coat went on with horizontal strokes. Should I switch to vertical strokes on the second coat or stay with horizontal for the whole job?
Thanks, Bernie
On 2/14/2009 12:02 PM Bernie Hunt spake thus:
Depends. You didn't say how the first coat came out: are there any visible horizontal bands? Is the color even? If so, then use the same technique, assuming that it's easier to more horizontally than vertically.
In fact, I'm going to say that you'll get better results horizontally; if you try to move vertically over the whole height of the door, you're probably not going to get as even a move. If you hesitate too long in a spot, there's a danger of getting paint buildup there.
Six panels in each of the eight doors will require spraying in both directions - each coat. My experience....
You're doing the doors laid horizontally on sawhorses, right? Best technique is to use both directions. To avoid shadowing in the panel edges use the gun at a slight angle to the surface and cover that part completely with light deposition, then reverse over the same area at the opposite slight angle to the starting point. Start the next pass with a small overlap that will not deposit more paint in the overlap than the first pass. Do the same for the second coat at ninety degrees. The most frequent mistake in spray finishing is trying to get all the material on on one coat. It comes out much better to use two or even three light applications. This gets tricky with some paints as you may have to tinker with solvent additions to keep the surface from premature drying before second coating, orange peel, etc. A chat with the people at a real paint store would be very helpful to acquire some of the better tricks the pros use. Odds are your last door will be the best because spray finishing is a pretty disciplined skill and practice makes perfect. Above all, don't forget to paint all the edges of the doors.
Joe
"You're doing the doors laid horizontally on sawhorses, right? "
No, I'm painting the doors vertically. I made some holding aids like these;
I'm spraying oil based with HVLP. I've thinned 3 to1 to get a good sprayable mixture. I have one top coat on now with some banding noticable. With the thining, I don't yet have complete coverage. I'm thinking at least 3 coats and maybe 4.
Maybe I'll try the second coat moving in the vertical direction and see how that works out.
Bernie
You're doing the doors laid horizontally on sawhorses, right? Best technique is to use both directions. To avoid shadowing in the panel edges use the gun at a slight angle to the surface and cover that part completely with light deposition, then reverse over the same area at the opposite slight angle to the starting point. Start the next pass with a small overlap that will not deposit more paint in the overlap than the first pass. Do the same for the second coat at ninety degrees. The most frequent mistake in spray finishing is trying to get all the material on on one coat. It comes out much better to use two or even three light applications. This gets tricky with some paints as you may have to tinker with solvent additions to keep the surface from premature drying before second coating, orange peel, etc. A chat with the people at a real paint store would be very helpful to acquire some of the better tricks the pros use. Odds are your last door will be the best because spray finishing is a pretty disciplined skill and practice makes perfect. Above all, don't forget to paint all the edges of the doors.
Joe
Try the next bigger gun tip on your HVLP, like from 1.6 to 1.8 mm. That might permit a less dilute mixture. If you aren't using Floetrol, now is the time to try it. I'm surprised your paint store didn't send some home with you. Banding may occur when paint is too thinned and solvent too volatile to allow reasonable flow. Don't be discouraged by the first results. It takes a lot of experimenting to get just the right combination of air pressure, viscosity , etc., etc. to get a near perfect job. If there aren't any runs in the vertical set up, your parameters may not be too far off. Good luck.
Joe
What paint and finish do you want. Oil is best not latex, Ben Moore has Enamel Underdody primer its soft for sanding with 320g like car primer. Moore Satin Impervo is one of the best finishes brushed, Penetrol not thinner gives a better flow out and finish. Factory tint or color is powder and flows out better, Universal store tints dont flow. Best is a factory mix color, or minimal tint if you are changing a shade of White. I can brush Impervo to make it look sprayed, To test the flow out of a product to see how good it is I use a large piece of glass. I hope you have no latex, it just wont do for quality.
Rather than do acrobatics with the big sprayer, use a Preval sprayer for the molding around the panels. I used one to paint a set of louvered closet doors and it worked great. I kept a foam brush wrung out with mineral spirits to smoothe off what got on the flat part of the doors and to catch drips. It might work better to use the mini, let it cure, light sand the door and then go for another coat. x2. HD carries Preval, although they typically hide them - the guy at Lowes had never heard of them. BM paint store carried them. They have a small spray pattern and only require about 1:4 or 1:5 thinning, IIRC.
Neither. Rotate the doors 90 deg. then spray horizontally (because you now have sufficient experience for even coverage.)
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