Expert: Greg Scholl - 8/23/2009

Question
I bought a second hand dresser for my daughter. It is stained, but she likes white furniture. I'd like to find out how to spray paint it with a power sprayer. We've refinished furniture before and  I don't get a super smooth coat, even when I use a foam roller. I plan to prime and use a latex satin paint. Any websites on how to and what power sprayers work best would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much for your help.
Pam

Answer
High Pam, Latex paint isn't going to allow you to apply it as smooth as you want, as it's just the nature of the material. It doesn't atomize well in a sprayer, and they don't flow out and level like solvent based finishes do. You can use an additive like Floetrol to condition the paint, but today's paints are very thick and aren't a good choice for spraying furniture with. An oil paint will go on smoother and flow out better, but sprayed on lacquers and Urethanes are the industry standards for furniture finishing. Therefore I would say that for a small to medium furniture job, an aerosol like Krylon will give you very good results. It's a lacquer based paint, and the nozzles on modern aerosols are vastly improved, allowing one to get very smooth, professional results, fairly easily. These go on smooth, level, and dry very nicely, but remember, in any finish spraying, there is a definite technique that has to be developed to ensure a smooth even finish. For the ultimate in a furniture grade look, you can clear coat over the color coat for increased depth and durability, but it's not a necessary step. A good pro spray set up will cost upwards of $500 for an HVLP system,and they still won't spray Latex well.... a $59 Wagner won't give you the results you're after with Latex, either. If you try the Floetrol, with the small, foam rollers, and roll out evenly and with a properly loaded roller,(make sure the foam is saturated with paint), you should be able to get very good results, but they still will not approach the results possible with high quality spray equipment and solvent based finishes, ( and a practiced, experienced finisher behind the gun...). Hope that helps a little- post back if need be- regards- Greg

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