How To Use The Airless Paint Sprayer For Painting Ceilings
In this how to article we will show you how to use setup the airless paint sprayer, how to use it to paint the ceiling before we apply our texture, and how to clean the sprayer after use.
When doing a larger job, this tool is a must have. The paint sprayer uses an hydraulic pump to move paint from the bucket, thought a high pressure hose and onto the wall. THIS TOOL IS EASY TO USE, BUT IF YOUR RENTING ONE MAKE SURE TO READ THIS ENTIRE GUIDE. Most gear that you rent from a store also comes with instruction which you should look over. This method of painting ceiling also works for painting over top old texture.
The sprayer is fast and makes a nice job, but its also not the most accurate painting tool, so before you do any painting with the sprayer, make sure you have everything that you don't want to paint masked off. On our job the painter has put on two coat of paint already onto his walls, and we don't want to paint any of his stuff, so we mask off and hang poly on all the walls. The spray of paint that comes out from the gun doesn't all stick onto the ceiling, some does fall back down to the ground and all around, if keeping the floor clean if necessary, then you should tape drop cloths to the floor. Make sure to remove as much hardware from the ceiling as possible, tape whatever cannot be removed.
Make sure that you can open a window or two, let some of the paint vapors out and help drying. Always wear a painters mask when using a paint sprayer, and the fine mist from the gun goes everywhere, make sure to where old cloths and long sleeves.
Preparing The Paint Sprayer
Step 1: Unravel the hose, the power cord, attach the gun to the hose if needed.
Step 2: Although the paint sprayers are equipped with filters in the machine itself, and inside the gun, it is a good idea to screen the paint with a nylon stocking to prevent paint particles and other foreign objects from clogging the spray tip.
Step 3: Insert the intake tub into the screened paint, also make sure that the primer tub in over top or inside the paint bucket.
Step 4: Set the paint sprayer machine to prime. Turn on the machine. Let the machine prime for a minute or so, you will notice that air may be bubbling out from the paint.
Step 5: Turn off the machine, turn the knob to spray, turn on the machine and let the pump pressure up the hose. Before you can start to spray paint, make sure to you empty out any water that may be in the line from previous cleaning. When all the water is out, the machine is ready to paint.
Painting The Ceiling
Step 1: Practice on a piece of scrap first, just to get a fell for it first.
Step 2: Start with the edges, always paint those first. Make sure that when your painting you keep your gun in between 6 to 12 inches away from the wall at all times. Do not swing your arm back and forth, you will end up with a with what the call an arc, where more painting is concentrated in the middle. Illustration below.
Step 3: Paint about a 3 foot wide strip, an release the trigger, and let the paint machine pressure back up. Move and repeat. To prevent paint buildup, make sure that your hand is always moving before you pull the trigger, and release the trigger a second before reaching the end of your stroke.
Step 4: Once the sides are done move onto the field or middle area. Make sure that your paint stroke always overlaps 50% of the last stroke. Also make sure that your gun is pointing straight up at the ceiling, to much of a tilt will deliver excess paint to the one side and may leave fingers in the paint when its finally dry. Don't try to go to fast, make sure all areas are covered real good.
Cleaning The Sprayer
Step 1: Remove the paint sprayer pump hose or tub from the paint, and insert it into a water bucket, or follow the instructions. Clean the exterior of the pump hose or tube, and the primer tube from any left over paint.
Step 2: Move the knob on the paint sprayer to prime, and turn on the machine. Leave the machine on, running on prime for a minute or so.
Step 3: Move the knob on the paint sprayer to spray, and spray out any left over paint in the hose into a paint bucket. Continue to spray water out from the gun after the paint is emptied. Continue spraying water until the water coming out the gun looks clear.
Step 4: Wrap up the hose and power cord. The job is now complete
TIPS :
Paint sprayers are pressurizes up to 3,000 pounds per square inch, moving paint in the air up between 100 and 200 miles per hour at the spray tip. All that pressure could be dangerous. Use the following precaution to prevent injury or even death.
- If your gun has a safety lock, make sure to keep in on will not using the gun
- A trigger guard should be in place, as should the safety shield around the tip
- Do not apply your finger to the tip while paint is being sprayed, even if clogged
- Never point the gun towards another person
- Make sure to turn off the machine, disconnect the machine, and release any pressure buildup before performing any cleaning duties
- WEAR YOUR PPE, painters mask, hat, long sleeves
- Don't smoke around the paint, it is flammable
