They are majorly used for outdoor paint jobs. Enamel paint is a paint that can easily dry in air and turns into a hard, usually glossy, finish coated surface. Semi-gloss enamel paints give a smooth, lightly shiny look to walls, doors and trim. Enamel car paint is just one kind you can choose from and when deciding if it's right for you, you will want to know all of the pros and cons first. I use Thayer and Chandler airbrushes, and for general coverage I usually start with a 3:1 ratio (3 parts paint to 1 part thinner), I spray at around 15 psi, and about 3 - 4" from the model's surface. Enamel paint refers to paints that are glossy and have a hard finish. What Floetrol is Floetrol is a paint conditioner that can be used with water based paints like flat or semi-gloss latex, enamel paints, Acrylic, or Vinyls. Written by Jeremy. If you're worried about getting an even coat, you can use a paint sprayer instead of a brush. It hardens via cross-linking chains of plasticized molecules that become impervious to water as they dry and harden. It must be diluted or thinned with water to achieve a better consistency. Step 1 - Type of Paint . In most cases you want to start by thinning your enamel paint to the consistency of milk. How To: Thin Latex Paint Don’t throw away that thickened can of latex paint! I'm Jeremy Till, a professional and a partially self-taught spray painter, blogger, writer, and among other interesting things. Paint thinner can also be used to 'thin' or reduce the viscosity of paint so it can be used in sprayer applicators. With a little practice, you can use an airless sprayer to apply a perfectly smooth finish on doors, cabinets and woodwork. Mask up edges Before you get spraying, mask up any areas you don’t want to get paint on with some masking tape or painter’s tape. The wand and hose are to offer flexibility. An excellent method of protecting sprayers and conditioning the latex enamel paint is a product called a waterborne paint conditioner. To work with enamel paint, always apply a coat of primer to the surface you're painting first, which will help the enamel paint stick better. Enamel paints have a very smooth, professional finish once they are dry and they are most often used with an airbrush. Finding the perfect balance is vital when mixing paint. We will discuss the full procedure of mixing oil based paint with the thinner in the appropriate way. Enamel paints are great for painting a lot of different materials. The paint needs to pass easily through the gun's nozzle to achieve an even color across your auto's surface. Recent Content. The gun is for … Using a Magnum airless paint sprayer will provide the fastest way to achieve a … Most acrylic paints will allow you to thin them up to 8 ounces of water per gallon, but this is insufficient to increase their viscosity for spraying. While you can find cheaper paint sprayers, you'll have to thin the paint for it to go through the sprayer nozzle. Enamels are primarily designed to give a shiny, durable finish once cured. Alternatively, paint that is too thin yields poor coverage from using the sprayer. Garden sprayers are very handy for distributing pesticides, fertilizers and weed killers around your home and garden. If the paint is too thick, you won't have an even flow out of the airbrush gun and the gun will continually get clogged. Fortunately, with the right supplies and directions you can quickly and accurately calculate the right viscosity for the paint. Latex paint sprayer that is used to spray enamel paint is a great product. By the time additional water has been added to make it spray, the integrity of the paint has been compromised. For camouflage painting I reduce the pressure to about 8 to 10 psi, increase the thinning to approximately 1:1, and spray about ½" from the model's surface. With this simple tutorial, you can thin it out and get back your painting project in under 10 minutes. How to Thin Latex Paint For a Spray Gun. How to thin latex paint for your HVLP, gravity feed or cordless sprayer etc., is the same regardless of the type of paint sprayer you are using. Another important use that most people are not aware of, is that paint thinner can be used to prevent paint from hardening when it has been left open. But most Enamel Paints are a little to thick to be used with … Thinning Enamel Paint: With a List of Thinners That Work. Open the paint container and make certain that it is stirred completely. It is often used for painting miniatures and plastic models. Thinning Enamel Paint Before Application. (Never pour 25% more water than the paint though.) A popular brand is Floetrol. Acrylic paint is a water-based polymer. When the paint is too thick it will clog the spray gun, leaving a rough finish. in DIY Painting. This video tutorial shows you how to easily prepare and thin enamel paint for use in the HomeRight Finish Max paint sprayer. The thickness (viscosity) of canned paint works well for brushing, but if you plan to spray it, you'll probably need to thin it. These are the steps that are likely to yield the most desirable thinning outcomes: Obtain some water, the amount of which is dependent heavily on the specific brand. When you want to change the color of your car enamel paint may be a good choice. Airless sprayers pump paint from a container through a hose directly to a spray gun, creating paint spray without using any compressed air. Since many rooms with cabinets usually get a lot of traffic and activity, you’ll want to get this project done fast. Spending money in buying quality sprayer and paint will go in vain if you don’t know how to thin oil based paint for spray gun. Some oil based paints can’t be thinned so make sure to read the can before you get started. Using different tips, you can spray thin liquids like stain, lacquer and varnish or thicker liquids like latex house paint. Read the instructions to see if the paint can be thinned with water or a specific solvent. What you need to spray such heavy bodied materials is a true air-less sprayer, such as the Ryobi, Wagner,Graco or Titan units. Don’t spray-paint in direct sunlight, either. Thinning to a consistency of milk will provide you with a good starting point. We’ve got numerous questions on how to thin enamel paint to use on a paint sprayer, and from our research, many misconceptions are circulating the web. In some applications, the painter finds that "spraying" the paint is the best method. Add 10% of the water to the paint and stir thoroughly; Keep adding more water until the final thickness is desirable to you. Things You will Need. Hi there! Thinning automotive paint is necessary before using a spray gun to apply the paint. Too much heat dries the paint too fast, and it won’t bond well. Thinning your paint is most important if you intend to distribute a thin mist of paint, or if you are using a paint spray gun or nozzle. The mixing process is a vitally important aspect of automotive refinishing work. Paint thinners should not be used with latex paints, shellac or lacquers. What not to do. You can have the body of your car wet sanded. Pro: Changing Car Color . Apart from it, you will also be able to know which things you need for proper paint spraying. When spraying with latex enamel paints, the desire exists to thin the paint for sprayer application. Modern automotive paints are activated with hardeners to promote faster drying times. Jeremy. This will remove any debris that could clog the nozzle. I wouldn't personally paint a car with it, but Rustoleum can also work well for certain underhood components. Step 1 Read the packaging of the paint you wish to thin. 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