Paint sprayers were mainly used industrially for painting cars. But now, paint sprayers are being used at homes for painting furniture and other commodities, even walls. So, if you’re wondering can you use a paint sprayer inside your home, the answer is yes, you can.
There are many precautions and preparations before you can start spraying paint all over your home. In this article, we will discuss the procedure of how you can spray paint your furniture or drywall. The prepping procedure is the same, but the spraying procedure is different. Before getting all technical, for those who don’t know what a paint sprayer is, let’s briefly discuss that.
What Exactly is a Paint Sprayer?
There are many ways to apply paint to anything that requires being painted. You can use a brush, a roller, etc. A paint sprayer is a device that can paint anything by spraying paint. With a paint sprayer, you can spray paint, enamel, varnish or other liquids that are related to painting.
A paint sprayer is actually a more efficient and less physically straining way of painting furniture and other stuff. All you have to do is hold the paint sprayer at hand and move it around evenly to paint. The device will take care of the rest.
Now that you know what a paint sprayer is, let’s talk about how paint sprayers are making brushes and rollers obsolete.
Is Paint Sprayer Better Than Other Alternatives?
Paint sprayers have not yet become the permanent device for painting. People still rely on paintbrushes and rollers because we think we have more control over the painting process when using brushes and rollers.
But the reality is different. The actual reality is that paint brushes and rollers make the painting process more time consuming, and it’s pretty impossible to access the steep places of the furniture and walls with them. And due to the usage of different brushes or different sizes, there is a massive chance of paint not being evenly spread.
On the other hand, the paint sprayer cut the time of painting to 1/3rd of the time consumed while using brushes and rollers, and it’s very easy to control. Also, you can access the steep places very easily. As we don’t have to use different sized equipment, there’s no chance of uneven paint coating.
The spraying actually ensures that the paint grabs the smallest particles on the way or the furniture and sticks to them. Thus, giving a very even finish. So, yeah, paint sprayers are actually better. People have reported having finished spraying one side of a wall in less than an hour. That’s actually very impressive.
How to Prepare for Spray Painting?
For the usual painting process, if we are painting the room, all the furniture is taken out, and anything that is not movable gets covered. The prepping for spray painting is almost the same. In the case of furniture, the utmost necessity is to cover the floor adequately so that it doesn’t get messy. Painting is undeniably a very messy work. Taking every possible precaution not to damage anything other than the commodity you are painting is an utter necessity.
But the prepping in this case is not about the protective measures. It’s actually about how to prep the paint sprayer before you can start the painting process. Paint sprayers may not be that popular a household item, but many companies manufacture paint sprayers. If you are spray painting your furniture, make sure you get the best paint sprayer for furniture that is available on the market.
Thinning the Paint
The first thing to do for spray painting is thinning the paint. When we paint using brushes, paint thinning is mandatory. And you can’t just add a thinning solution in any amount and expect the paint to be done correctly.
For spray painting, the thinning has to be in a sure consistency. Otherwise, the paint will drip and create issues. You don’t want the paint to drip and ruin your hard work, right?
That’s why paint thinning in the correct consistency is evident. You might be a pro spray painter. But if you don’t know how to thin the paint in the right consistency, being a pro doesn’t really pay off.
Adjusting the Nozzles
The advantage of a paint sprayer is that it comes with different nozzle sizes. Each nozzle size is perfect for a different sized area. You can’t use a big nozzle for painting corners. Smaller nozzles are needed
So, picking nozzles before starting to spray is necessary. You don’t want to take a long pause from spraying to find the correct sized nozzle. What you have to do is inspect the furniture or the area that you’re spraying very precisely and find out which nozzles you need.
After that, you can identify them one by one according to places and keep them close by in a tray or something. Or you can keep them in your pocket. That way, you can save a lot of time and hassle while painting.
Filling the Sprayer
Each sprayer has a specific capacity. The more paint you will take, the longer you will be able to work with it in one go. But there are several things that you have to consider.
For instance, how much paint do you exactly need? Depending on the coating, if you are painting an entire room or a couple of rooms, you might need to refill the sprayer once or twice. But when you are spraying furniture, you probably don’t even have to fill the entire container.
So, fill the sprayer according to the amount of paint you need. Also, you have to consider how much paint you can carry. Most paint sprayers have a backpack-like feature to carry the container like a backpack.
Not everyone can carry the same amount of load. Some can carry more and still not get tired, and some people get tired very easily. A paint sprayer will make the process easier, but if you decide to carry a significant load on your back while using the spray paint, you might need to rest a lot just to get one thing done at a time.
While filling the container, take account of how much weight is not straining for you. Only take the weight that lets you work comfortably. Precision is paramount in spray painting. So, don’t take a load that would tire you and jinx your precision.
Personal Safety Measures
Now that your paint sprayer is ready, it’s time for you to get ready. Paint is a substance that can cause harm to the human body in many ways. For instance, if any paint particles enter your eyes, it can even make you blind. The least harm can be an infection. Infections can also cause blindness.
Paint is harmful to skin and hair too. So, while using a paint sprayer, do use goggles and wear a hair protector, gloves and cover your arms. Also, getting rid of paint is not that easy. If anyhow any paint falls on your body, it’s pretty annoying getting rid of it. Take the safety measures seriously.
Practice Runs
Before starting to spray on the furniture or the wall, take a board where you can practice spraying a few times to adjust the nozzles and find out which one is perfect for you. That’s not all. As most paint sprayers are HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure), it’s mandatory to do a pressure check before jumping the gun.
You don’t want to ruin the furniture or the wall that you’re trying to make good as new. So, every time when you’re ready with everything, take a cock sheet or a plywood board or any other unnecessary board and spray vertically and horizontally several times to understand the sprayer intensity and nozzle adjustments.
Final Words
The thing is, any painting device can be used indoors if you can fit them through the door. But the precautions are what you need to be sure whether you have and know everything to be able to use them inside. As paint sprayers are a new thing, most people don’t even know what they are, let alone how to use them.
So, can you use a paint sprayer inside? Yes, you can. But there’s a slight catch. Paint spraying doesn’t require physical strain. You don’t have to carry a bucket everywhere you go while painting. You don’t have to keep several types and sized brushes all the time.
But there’s something more than these things that you need to use a paint sprayer. You have to know exactly how much coating you need to even out a painting ideally. So, before using a paint sprayer on furniture or at home on many other things that could be spray painted, get yourself the best paint sprayer for furniture or home use, and practice.
This practice would likely mean that you would waste paint at first. But learning it before going forward with the actual work, flunking it and redoing it all over again will waste your time, patience, and way more money.
