If you’re used to painting as your DIY projects you must know that trimming with brush can be a hassle, especially when you’ve got lots of windows, baseboards, etc. around your house.
So, a more efficient and easier solution would be to paint them using a spray gun. You can achieve the same results while saving much more time and energy.
Painting trims using a spray gun is not as easy as it seems, but it isn’t that hard either. All you need is a little practice to learn and get used to the technique.
With that in mind, I’ll show you how to paint trim with spray gun. Let’s get started!
1. Prepare the necessary tools & materials
Prepare all the necessary tools and materials which should include your safety gear. The primary tools and materials needed are:
- Spray gun
- Masking tape
- Plastic tarp / newspapers
- Work/disposable gloves
- Respirator mask
- Safety glasses
- Spray suit (optional)
2. Empty your workspace
The first thing that you should do is to clear your work area from any objects. Move all furniture and other objects out of the room you’re going to paint. If the objects are too heavy (ex: wardrobe), you can just cover them with plastics.
This is to prevent the objects from getting in the way of your work and for safety measures.
3. Wear protective gear
Put on your respirator mask, gloves and safety goggles. If you want to wear spray suit instead, that’s also okay. However, the first option is enough to protect you.
If you’re missing even one of the safety gears, make sure to buy them at the nearest hardware shop. Keep in mind that without goggles, you won’t be able to protect your eye in case paint fumes goes into your eye. Without the respirator mask, you might accidentally inhale hazardous substances.
4. Cover the floors and window corners
You might know this if you’re familiar with spray gun but the paint gets everywhere which causes quite a mess. You don’t want this to happen so cover your floors with plastics.
Simply lay down the plastic tarp/newspaper on the floor and tape them with the masking tapes. For covering edges, you can immediately stick masking tapes on them.
Make sure to keep the windows open, to make sure the room is well-ventilated at all times since the paint fumes are hazardous. If inhaled too much, it might cause breathing problems and in worst case, you might collapse.
5. Prepare & test your spray gun
After preparations, all you need to do is to fill the spray gun with paint.
Stir the paint well and use a strainer to remove any debris. This is to prevent the gun from clogging later on, which may result in the paint splattering everywhere.
To make sure the gun works properly, you should get a piece of unused cardboard and try spraying the gun on it. Try doing it for some time.
6. Mask along the areas around the trim
This is the most important step to prevent your spray paint from hitting other areas aside from the trim.
If you’re painting the trim of the window, make sure the window is well covered with plastic and masked properly.
7. Start spraying
Stand one foot away from the trim and you can start spraying. Since you’re working with trims, spray quickly to avoid overloading the area.
Make sure to start in one corner and continue to go in one direction in a steady pace. Don’t stop until you reach the other end of the corner to make sure the paints are equally spread. While painting, overlap between spaces so that lines or patches don’t appear.
Continue doing the same for other trims. If you detect a light patch or missed areas, get a paint brush and paint them slowly.
8. Leave the paint to dry & clean up
Depending on the paint you’re using, some take longer time to dry up.
While waiting for it to dry, you can start cleaning up your workspace. Start by, putting away all the tools and remaining materials in your storage.
After all the paint has dried up, remove all the plastics and masking tape. Then, do a final check.
If everything is okay, that’s when you can start moving all your furniture back in.
Conclusion
There you have it! Step by step guide to paint trim with spray gun. Once you’ve actually tried this, you’d notice how better the spray gun is compared to the traditional paint brush or roller. Hope this helps, that’s all and happy working!