How to Prep for Using a Spray Gun
The great thing about using a pneumatic spray gun on your commercial paint job is that fact that you can apply the paint much more quickly. Getting quick and complete coverage of your walls goes by much more quickly with a spray gun than it would if you were to just use rollers. However, you do have to take a little extra time prepping your building before you can spray. In reality, you will probably spend more time on the prep work than you will on the actual spraying. This article explains the best supplies and technique for prepping like a pro.
Using Sheets of Painter's Plastic
Painter's plastic is vital for this job. You can find large rolls of plastic that spread out into huge sheets to cover large areas. For the best results, you should buy a roll that is 2 millimeters thick and a roll that is 6 millimeters thick. The thicker 6-mil plastic is better for covering the floor or any area that you might be walking on. This thickness helps prevent tears or punctures in the plastic through which paint could get through and cause stains. The thinner 2-mil plastic is better for covering ceilings or vertical surfaces. For instance, it is perfect for masking off window fixtures.
Masking Off Windows and Doors
It is obviously imperative that you keep paint off of your windows and doors. The key to masking them off (besides using the thinner plastic) is to create an airtight seal. That is, you want to use painter's tape to seal every edge of the plastic to the fixture casing. This will be the visible line once the paint is sprayed, so you want to take your time when taping off the casings. You also want to be equally careful when taping off your baseboards and other molding. In addition to making your tape lines as straight as possible, you also need to push down the tape as firmly as possible. Paint comes out a little watery and more runny when sprayed through a pneumatic gun. So runs and drips are common. You don't want the paint running underneath the tape because you didn't take your time to push it down hard enough.
With your building completely taped and masked off, you can now start spraying. If you are painting outside, be especially careful to not paint on a windy day. The overspray can get caught in the wind and travel hundreds of feet on a windy day. Talk to a company such as Absolute Painting for more information.
