Financial Advisor · Stephenville, TX · Member since 2016 · 163 posts · 85 votes
We are renovating a unit with huge walls of commercial shelving panelling. It's the kind with horizontal grooves you can hook shelves and store fixtures into. Originally, we were going to take it down, but we have decided to paint over instead. 2 questions:
1. If you used an airless sprayer to paint over such panelling, and if so, do you have any recommendations/best practices to do the job right the first time?
2. When using a sprayer, do you have any tips for keeping the commercial drop in ceiling free of splatters?
A quick search of posts seems like most people say sprayers are not worth the extra prep work if you're not also painting the ceiling. Just curious your experience and recommendations, thanks!
Real Estate Professional · Portland, OR · Member since 2016 · 6 posts · 0 votes
9y
Like most tools, you get what you pay for. I am certainly no expert on sprayers and the pros/cons of each but the size and type of the project will certainly play huge roles. In addition to your intentions after the project at hand wether or not you intend to continue painting on your own.
With that being said, I have bought a couple cheaper sprayers for small projects here and there and had good success so far with the Wagner's I purchased. It sounds like the shelving you are trying to paint aould be nearly impossible to paint any other way but spraying so it sounds like you're stuck.
When painting anything, 70% is in the preparation of the surface being painted. Clean, dry, chemical/residue free is key for a quality application. If there are a lot of small nooks and crannies I would use compressed are to blow out the loose dust and debris before painting.
The ceiling only needs to be protected within the first couple feet of where the shelving is so your basic painters plastic or paper will work just fine. Provided you don't get crazy with the nozzle of the sprayer and get of course.
Financial Advisor · Stephenville, TX · Member since 2016 · 163 posts · 85 votes
9y
^^^ Lol Tru Dat!
We tested a section filling in the holes, sanding, and painting the slats with kilz (using a brush). Came out pretty nice, but definitely some areas not as smooth as a professional would get.
Thinking we will Kilz the front face of the slats by hand then spray the color.
Am still very much open to ideas and suggestions, thanks!
Investor · Indianapolis In · Member since 2013 · 47 posts · 19 votes
9y
Spraying is all about selecting the correct tip, setting up the pressure correctly, using decent paint and preparation.
If you've never sprayed before I would recommend an HVLP unit for the shelving. Behr makes an akyld enamel the performs really well for the price. You could use an airless but get a small tip ~413. You'll have a much larger chance of drips and runs on this than the ceiling.
In either case start with spraying on cardboard, get the pressure right, then attempt 5x5' area, stop set the gun in a bucket of water and wait thirty minutes. You'll see your mistakes with a bright light.
The ceiling is the same. If you have a lot of natural or bright light you'll probably end up doing two coats.