Paint sprayers are wonderful tools for painting very quickly and efficiently. They can also be messy to use because overspray can float several feet even inside where there's no breeze. To prepare an area for spraying, you'll need to cover and mask everything. This process can take longer than the actual painting. You also have to strain the paint and make sure you have the correct spray tip for the job. Once you've prepared the work area and your materials, you'll have a fast, trouble-free job ahead of you.
Instructions
1. Clear the work area. When working inside, remove as much of the furniture, decor and window treatments as possible. Before spraying outside, move outdoor furniture, automobiles and other items at least 20 feet away from the house.
2. Cover what you can't move with drop cloths or plastic sheeting. An airless sprayer creates a lot of dust indoors, so cover things completely, tucking or taping the plastic or drop cloths under the bottom.
3. Mask off windows. The easiest way is with a hand masker, a tool that allows you to apply masking tape and paper and plastic at the same time. If you don't have a hand masker, tape plastic, masking paper or newspaper over the glass.
4. Protect walls if you're only spraying ceilings. Purchase a roll of plastic with tape attached to the top. As you tape it along the top of the wall, unfurl the plastic so it falls to the floor.
5. Remove what you can from the walls or siding, including house numbers, switch plates, lights and vent covers. Mask what you can't remove.
6. Lay drop cloths down to protect the floor. If you're using a large sprayer instead of a hand-held one, set it up on a drop cloth.
7. Strain your paint into a clean 5-gallon bucket, even if you're pouring it from a new can. Use a paint strainer (available at paint stores) or clean pantyhose.
8. Read the paint can label. Some paints and primers can and should be thinned with water or solvent prior to spraying; others should never be thinned.
9. Flush the sprayer with water if you're going to use water-based paint, or the appropriate solvent for solvent-based paint. Follow the directions for flushing the sprayer you're going to use.
10. Fill the reservoir for a hand-held sprayer, or put the pickup tube into the paint bucket with a larger machine, and start painting.
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