How Do you Use a Paint Sprayer?

 

Painting your home with limewash is exciting, but doing the job entirely with a brush or roller can be daunting. You might want to exchange the manual work for a high-pressure paint sprayer.

First, let’s talk about the three types of paint sprayers, because they’re all different and they’re used for different things.

The three types of paint sprayers are: 

1. Airless sprayers
2. HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) paint sprayers
3. Pneumatic paint sprayers.

Each has their positives and negatives, but when it comes to Classico Limewash, we prefer to use an Airless paint sprayer. This is because the other paint sprayers are primarily made for oil-based paints or stains. Water-based paints, like limewash, can clog HVLP paint sprayers.

So, when you look into limewashing with Romabio, and you’re either in the market for buying a paint sprayer or renting one from the home store, we recommend an Airless paint sprayer.

Recommended Paint Sprayers for Romabio Products 

Classico Limewash:  Airless, minimum gallons per minute – 0.50gpm, tip size up to 0.023, working pressure (psi) 3300, HP-horse power minimum 7/8. Equivalent to a Graco Ultra 395 or better.

Masonry Flat:  Airless, minimum gallons per minute – 0.50gpm, tip size up to 0.023, working pressure (psi) 3300, HP-horse power minimum 7/8. Equivalent to a Graco Ultra 395 or better.

Masonry Textured: Not Recommended for sprayer applications.

Lime Slurry: Not Recommended for sprayer applications.

Velatura Mineralwash: Not Recommended for sprayer applications.

Venetian Glaze: Not Recommended for sprayer applications. 

How To Use a Paint Sprayer

Before you start using a paint sprayer you need to do some prep work. A paint sprayer is very accurate in the places it will spray paint, but there will be particulates in the air, and these can land where you don’t want them, such as on wood or glass. So you should always mask off windows and doors and lay down tarps or plastic sheeting over anything that you don’t want to get limewash on. 

You should also always wear a face mask respirator when using a paint sprayer. Just as particulates can land on glass, so can they be breathed into the lungs and cause respiratory problems. 

Practicing with the Paint Sprayer

First you should practice with the paint sprayer. A scrap of wood or a piece of cardboard is a good place to start. Fill the paint sprayer’s reserve with limewash, and then practice spraying evenly from side to side. You can get a feel for adjusting the spray nozzle and spray tip to get wider and narrower streams of paint.

You’ll notice that holding the sprayer closer to the wall will give you a narrower spray pattern and apply a thicker coat of paint. Stepping back, the spray pattern will be wider and you’ll get a thinner coating. Learning how sprayers work in this fashion before you start applying paint to the actual surface, where it will really count, is important.  

How to Use a Paint Sprayer Indoors

Spraying, either inside or outside, you want to make sure that you’re mostly spraying head-on, rather than spraying at an upward or downward angle. So, in a house, you may still need a ladder to get to the top part of the wall. 

It is especially important when having a painting project indoors to make sure that everything is covered, even–or especially–the HVAC vents. Anywhere that paint particles can settle, or be spread throughout the house, is trouble. This is all the more reason to wear a respirator: because you’ll want to work in a sealed-off room with the doors shut. Once the paint dries and the particles settle on the drop cloths and plastic sheeting you can open the room back up. 

How to Use a Paint Sprayer Outdoors

Again, you want to be spraying head-on, so you’ll want to make sure you’re always spraying at the right level, up on ladders and not at large angles away from the desired paint spot. 

As you paint, especially if it is warm outside, regularly wipe the tip of the sprayer with a rag to stop dry paint from accumulating. 

It is easiest to work from the top down, rather than from the bottom up. 

Always keep safety in mind, as outside you’re likely to be up on taller ladders. Don’t strain too far to reach a spot–it’s much wiser (both for your safety and for proper paint coverage) to move the ladder for more accessibility. 

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