Add Floetrol to the paint. Determine if your paint is too thick or thin. Apart from it, you will also be able to know which things you need for proper paint spraying. How to thin latex paint for brushing is the same steps as thinning it for a spray gun. You will get three different spraying nozzles – the 2.0 mm nozzle and the 2.5 mm nozzle should be used for thin paints such as varnish paint, and the 3.0 mm nozzle is made for un-thinned paint such as latex products. Since every paint varies in thickness, there isn’t an exact amount of water to add to the paint. In some applications, the painter finds that "spraying" the paint is the best method. When I use my sprayer, I thin my latex paint with just water and although I'm pretty good at "eyeballing" it, I think I got it a little too thin today. You want to add small amounts of water each time, stir the water into the paint thoroughly, then test the paint to see if it is properly thinned. So you should have viscosity cupThere is no other way to measure ��. To do this, pour the paint into the strainer and discard the pieces remaining on top of the filter. Begin by taking your 5-gallon bucket or suitable size bucket for your project, and start pouring your paint into the bucket. This small amount of water will allow you to properly mix the paint without getting the paint too thin and having to add more paint and so on. Repeat steps three and four until the paint is the precise consistency that you prefer. Now I get to do other things while I wait for the paint to dry. You have to learn your paint gun and the blends that work best in it. My name is Natalie. We lived that way for over a year while we brushed everything on. Wagner spray paint guns suggest the following starting mixture for latex thinning. Latex base is a water formulated substance so you do use water when you are thinning it. If the manufacturer says that latex paints can be used then you proceed with properly thinning and preparing the paint before placing it in the equipment. We do however have to use a top coat over the chalk paint, but honestly, who likes the feel of dried latex paint on their furniture? Usually, I’ve already cleaned my strainer and closed up the can of paint, so it’s much easier to just add water slowly and test as much as I need to until it’s the right consistency. -My favorite part is that it is reasonably priced – especially when you take in account the other paint sprayers that have to be connected to an expensive and huge air compressor. Here are some easy instructions on how to thin acrylic latex paint successfully. When we moved to a home with a garage and a decent sized backyard I was over the moon! I love how it distresses, unlike regular latex paint. The trick to getting a uniform coating of paint and a professional looking finish is for you to thin the paint to precisely the correct thickness. Why spray latex with an HVLP spray gun Most of the time when you are spraying latex you will be painting interiors of homes It is often very common to use airless sprayers for this purpose. If the mixture is still too thick, you may see a little bit of an "orange peel" texture. All of these factors will play a part in how thin you will want your paint to be. Remember that you thin paint by adding a very small amount of water at a time. Do this for five to ten times. It looked somewhat like this when wet but after it dried it was basically okay--not perfect but better than it looked initially. So it’s a win win! If the paint can pass through the small spout of the household funnel then it will more than likely be able to be dispensed by the paint spray gun. You can hold a funnel with a thin spout over the paint mixture bucket and see if the paint flows evenly through the spout. (Other sprayers are less expensive but require you to thin the paint to a precise consistency.) Open the paint container and make certain that it is stirred completely. Most of these sprayers do not even require you to thin latex paint. If you look at most professional airless paint sprayers designed for latex paint, they are actually pumps, and use no air. Before you paint using any paint application use the stir stick method to evaluate the thickness of your paint. and it’s already mixed up into chalk paint) as well as Valspar ( from Lowes) and Glidden (from Home Depot). However, it will depend on your project. If your sprayer will not pump the product, you will need a sprayer with a larger pump. The paint sprayer I use comes with the viscosity cup! It helps to thin latex paint in larger patches to help ensure a consistent result. Paint manufacturers tend to cap the quantity of additive water at 8 ounces per gallon of latex paint for spray applications. Each time you thin the paint down you will spray a little on the test area to determine if it is at the proper proportions yet. This is completely my opinion and I purchased this spray gun on my own. As you follow these spraying guidelines, be sure to wear a disposable respirator and cover anything in the vicinity that you don't want paint droplets to land on. Super easy and can be done pretty quickly, especially if your chalk paint is pre-mixed like Country Chic Paint.I hope this answered all of those questions, and if I made more questions for you please let me know! The thickness of the paint determines the number of coats of paint it takes to complete and adequate coverage. When you think you have it about right, grab the viscosity cup and the timer or stopwatch. That saying is true of any petroleum based product and latex paint combination. Use a spray-paint gun sprayer (sometimes called a "cup gun") for small jobs, such as furniture. You’ll want to only add a small amount of water at a time because if you add too much water you will have to add more paint. Additional photos or text may be available with my written permission. Start by setting your airflow to the manufacturer’s recommended settings and thin the paint according to what the manufacturer recommends. Synthetic oil paint is usually referred to as alkyd whereas natural oil paints are called linseed. Add ½ cup of water for every gallon of paint. Natalie, Your email address will not be published. Mineral spirits are a petroleum based product and latex paint is a water based product. So what’s so great about it? Smaller paint sprayers do not have the spraying capacity or ability as their larger counterparts. You are looking for the paint to completely run out of the bottom of the cup within 25-40 seconds. Next, measure out 1/2 cup of room temperature water per gallon of paint, then pour it in slowly while stirring the paint in upward and downward spirals. Pour the gallon of latex paint into the container with the half of a gallon of water. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your information, fix it soon. I love when you share my work! First and foremost you should always read the manufacturer recommendation of the paint sprayer you are using. Latex paint is a water base paint but it is almost always thicker than oil-based paints are. That’s all there is to it! Creating anything with the suggested tools, products or methods, is under your own risk! You have heard the saying that oil and water do not mix. ), Viscosity Cup (mine came with the paint sprayer). Thin latex paint for spraying typically requires 3-4 coats for complete coverage and a desired finished, compared to 1-2 coats of standard latex. In order to successfully paint using a paint gun, you will usually have to thin your paint down before you begin to apply it. Make sure that you stray off from using any other medium, especially when you are using fine spray guns. Today we’re talking about our Wagner Paint Sprayer, what we love about it, as well as how to thin chalk paint or latex paint for the sprayer. Pumps For optimal results, choose an airless sprayer that has a piston pump. When spraying with latex enamel paints, the desire exists to thin the paint for sprayer application. Now painting everything white isn’t so bad since those 5 coats each go on in seconds. Your email address will not be published. This is for your health and it will also cause the paint to dry quicker. I know it can be intimidating, but once you’ve done it once or twice it is easy as pie. This will be written on the side of your paint gun. Since I’m always using it I end up keeping a constant supply of poly in the small container and change out the color of paint in the big container. some people dont like to read on because they are looking for a quick answer and see can of Naptha and a can of latex paint, oh! You will need: Some paint guns are highly developed and can actually pump the paint directly from the bucket the paint comes in. You should not mix more paint than you can use at one time because as the paint sits it will thicken back up and you will have to thin it again.If you are mixing the paint each time you are loading the gun then you will learn exactly what ratio of paint to mix with what ratio of water and all of your paint will be of equal consistency. Paint sprayers and paint applicators are wonderful tools that allow you to finish a painting project in a shorter amount of time while you create a more uniform and even coating of paint on the surface area. Never paint when you are in a hurry, and never paint when the temperature of the air in the room is freezing or below freezing. Instead use 100% acrylic enamel paint. Pour the paint, or the amount of paint that you desire to mix, into a clean and empty bucket. However, airless sprayers do not provide the same quality of finish that you can achieve with an HVLP Spray Gun. Learning the Ropes. If the paint is not thinned to your preferences and your paint sprayer specifications then you need to add one half of a cup of water and repeat the shaking process. Make sure that you have adequate ventilation in a room where you are painting. Pour the paint into the paint sprayer container, using a fine mesh strainer to remove any dried paint lumps. You know the dreaded white paint that takes 5 coats before you get complete coverage? -I love that it comes with two containers. 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