Re: Avoiding brush stokes - getting a good painted finish

[Frank W]

>Not wanting to sound like I am bragging but I think I am quite good at diy

>>woodworking. In my time I have built plenty of units, shelves, door frames >>and put up lots of skirtting and the like. I am usually pleased with the >>results of the actual woodworking standard, things are square, no gaps and >>they are solid enough. Where I do get disappointed is when I have painted >>what I have done, it just never looks that good. I take my time not to get >>runs and work the paint to take off any excess. >> >>Anyone got any good tips as I am sure I am not the only one not happy with >>the quality of a painted finish.

Yes. Don't use brushes. Learn to spray-paint. If you must apply paint using a bristled implement try paint pads or rollers.

Frank

[Frank W]

Eric, I used to be a professional pseudo-antique furnitue finisher making pieces for museum displays. A chippy would knock the piece up in plywood and it was my job to make it look like an ancient, genuine Tudor, or Victorian or whatever period piece. I remember I always used a spray gun, and finished most things in cellulose. Cellulose as you probably know is what they uised to finish cars with in the old days. It sprays nicely, and is very easy to rub down between coats, and the equipment cleans up easily because cellulose remans soluble even after it dries. Clear cellulose can be mixed with colours to produce the wood effects you want. I used to buy all my tins of cellulose from a car refinishing supplies shop. I suspect they still sell it, as it is good for touch-up work. You also buy your cellulose thinners from the same place. You can (if you really hunt around) still buy cellulose in spray cans, but of course there is one big, big disadvantage in doing that: you can't mix up your own colours. Also, with a spray gun and an airbrush, you have much better control. You can, for axample, create a darker, aged patina in the little nooks and crannies of your piece

As for paint pads, yes, you can use them for most kinds of oil-based paints and varnishes. In fact, today, I have been varnishing my

104-year old floorboards using paint pads. Much nicer to use than a brush: no brush strokes and no loose hairs coming adrift.

HTH

Frank

[Stephen Hull]

For what it's worth you can produce brush work with absolutely no brush marks showing. You should use a decent quality paint and an equal choice in the quality of paintbrush will help.

You need the slower drying linseed oil based paint that gives wider open times helping to eliminate brush marks completely.

A few tips on brushing methods can be found here:

[Woodspoiler]

I've been using a mini foam roller and water-based gloss with good results. The finish is slightly dimpled but I happen to like it that way.

Regarding cellulose, is the finish hardwearing enough for fitted furniture used every day, for example?

Is it feasible to spray an assembled piece of work in-situ - for instance the guts of a large fitted wardrobe - and get a decent finish right into the corners? I realise you'd have to mask off beforehand.

W.

[Sean Delere]

I have been using foam brushes for stains and varnishes for the exact same problems the OP had with brushes. I get them from the local pound shop in packs of 20 in 3 different sizes so I have never bothered cleaning one.

The results are on a par with a gloss roller but much easier to use.

Sean

[Frank W]

Yes, because it is much harder than French polish for example.

I seem to recall having a problem with spraying interior corners evenly. I can't remember if I overcame that problem by refining my technique somehow. I suspect I did. I suspect the trick is to spray into the angle first using a narrow spray and a smaller spray gun, then spray the large areas afterwards. If you do have a problem with it, why not spray the inside of the panels *before* assembly? Alternatively, paint the inside using paint pads and something other than cellulose (stain/varnish for example)...

HTH

Frank