Paint Sprayer Best Practices
Using an airless paint sprayer isn’t the most difficult thing. That said, it’s important to take a few moments to read the manual and remind yourself about safety procedures before you begin. You’ll also want to prep the surfaces that you’ll be spraying and add a protective layer to anything that won’t be sprayed.
Let’s look at our leading tips and tricks for painting using a sprayer.
Get some practice
You want to make sure that your technique is sound before beginning the job. By getting comfortable with using a paint sprayer, you’ll avoid costly mistakes. No one wants to redo a project if they don’t have to.
Start by practicing with spraying water. Choose an area with a large, flat surface to work on, such as a garage door. Use water, and follow all procedures as outlined in the sprayer’s manual. Once you’ve primed the unit and gun with water, then use the gun’s trigger safety, and add the spray tip and guard.
You want to make sure that you have a good spray pattern that provides an even, consistent coating. You can adjust the sprayer’s pressure settings as needed.
Keep the distance consistent
If, in learning how to use a paint sprayer, you want to achieve a proper spraying technique, one of the first things you should do is keep your distance consistent. Begin by getting comfortable with the gun and keeping the recommended amount of distance away from the surface you’re spraying.
Hold the gun about 1 foot away from the surface. Move your arm while the gun is kept pointed straight at the surface. Don’t fan the gun because spraying at an angle may result in an uneven finish. Flex your wrist a bit at the beginning and end of every stroke so that you keep the proper gun position.
Overlap each pass
To make sure that you’re using an even amount of paint on the surface you’re spraying, you want to overlap each pass by about half. Aim the spray gun so that the tip is pointed at the edge of the spray pass you’ve just completed.
If you’re spraying on a broad, open surface (such as a bare wall or ceiling), you’ll want to spray the outer edges first, then work on the middle. For corners (such as the place where two walls meet), aim the spray gun directly into the corner, and spray each of the adjacent walls in a single pass.
Stay in a confined area
Only work in areas you can reach easily in the proper spray gun position. You don’t want to angle the tip at the end of each stroke in order to spray more.
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