Regardless of what exactly it is that you’re painting, there are a set of vital rules that you should always follow when spray painting if you want to achieve a high-quality finish. Failure to follow these rules could end up ruining your whole painting job and make you wish you hadn’t started the project in the first place. Read the steps to achieving a smooth paint job below:
Preparation is Key
Often it’s easy to get eager about getting stuck into a new painting project, get the first coat on and then realising too late that you weren’t as thorough as you should have been. Preparation is absolutely essential and can sometimes even be the longest part of the whole spray painting process.
First of all, before buying the paint, you need to research what kind of paint will be most compatible with the surface it’s being applied to. Next, ensure that you are starting with a spotless, even and dust-free surface by sanding, washing, peeling, and drying the object you are about to spray paint.
Pay Attention to the Weather
As unrelated as it may sound, the weather can have a big impact on your spray painting finish. You should never spray paint in weather that is too hot or humid as these kinds of conditions will cause the paint to dry and ball up before it’s even landed on a surface, which will leave the object you’re painting looking a bit like an orange peel (unless that’s the effect you’re going for of course…). The ideal weather to spray paint in is dry and between 18 and 25 degrees Celcius, which will go a long way towards helping you achieve a smooth and high-quality finish.
A Balanced First Coat
Both over-spraying and under-spraying, especially on the first coat, are mistakes which can end up ruining your whole project and potentially the object you are trying to spray paint. In order to achieve even coverage, hold the nozzle 25-30cm away from the surface of the object you are spraying and use steady, even strokes, going from side to side. If you have applied a primer before spray painting, wait 24 hours before applying your first coat.
Recoating
Patience is key when it comes to spray painting. If you apply your second coat too quickly you will end up with paint build up and an uneven surface. Always wait at least 20 minutes between coats, even if the instructions say 15 minutes. Again, it’s easy to be eager to work on your project, but waiting just a few extra minutes will help you to achieve a much more professional looking result that’s free of wrinkles or peeling.
Cleaning and Maintenance
All of the effort that you’re putting into your prep and even strokes isn’t going to make a difference if you haven’t cleaned your spray nozzle and it ends up clogged with old or dry paint. Clean your nozzle before you begin your first coat and before each coat after that. This way you will stop the paint from spluttering and getting spat out of the nozzle and instead, you will achieve a nice, even mist.
While you can follow these steps to achieve a result that almost looks professional, some jobs are better left to the professionals. At APT Spray Painting, we can paint pretty much anything, we never compromise on quality and what’s more, we always spray paint in our industrial semi-downdraft booth which ensures that we always maintain a clean painting environment and are never affected by weather conditions. To learn more about our spray painting services and how we can help you, get in touch with us today!
