I'd never used a paint sprayer before, and this one is a good place to start. The setup was easy, but the instructions (even YouTube videos by other people) are lacking clarity. Here's what you need to know:
1. Pop the caps off the ends of the hose. Nothing says they are caps or should come off. I had no idea how I was supposed to hook the hose to the machine or the sprayer. I tried unscrewing the bolts (they don't come off, thank God). I finally tried the plastic parts on either end of the hose, and voila.
2. Tighten the bolts on the end of each side of the hose. Just do it. It seems no matter what, they will be loose and not seem loose, even if you did NOT try and remove them like I did.
3. TEST IT FIRST WITH WATER. Just do it. Mine leaked from one end of the hose, like many other people's. Better to leak water than paint. Easy fix: Get a wrench or whatever and tighten the bolts. If you have any leaks of water, it's from the loose bolts on either end.
4. Dear Lord, wear a paint suit, a respirator, fog-proof goggles, and rubber gloves you don't want to keep. Have a large bucket and a medium-sized plastic container or small bucket there to use for testing and priming. And a shower cap--even if your paint suit has a hood (mine did), wear a shower cap to protect the bands on your goggles and respirator.
5. Cover the floor and everything with paper taped down. Make a paper path to walk, and wear disposable booties over your shoes. There will be a fine mist everywhere, and you cannot actually see it, but it covers EVERYTHING. I'm so glad I covered everything!
6. Cleanup: Keep the paint suit on and gloves and goggles. Cleanup is messy but easy. My first cleanup, I was so hot in the paint suit, I unzipped the top and put the top part down. Guess where the paint splatter went while cleaning up?
7. If the sprayer stops spraying and the can is not empty, rinse off the filtered paint-sucking-up-hose thing with hot water. It is clogged. Then prime again, and you're good to go. I had to do this 3x. The sprayer will start running like you're priming it and the gun stops spraying. Those are your clues it needs to be rinsed (the filter thing).
8. I used water-based paint, and I should have added about a cup or two of water to the paint to thin it a bit. The paint wasn't too thick to spray, but I may have prevented a filter buildup if the paint was thinner.
9. Use the "light spray" setting. I used the "heavy spray" setting for my first round, and I probably wasted paint. When I started using the light spray, it covered fine and seemed more manageable and with less waste.
10. Do a quick test spray of the paint in a sink or bucket, not on a wall. If you primed it, there will be runny water with the paint for about 20 seconds of the first spraying with the paint. This is a messy nightmare.
11. I used this sprayer to paint the basement laundry open rafters and pipes black. There's NO WAY I could have painted this area by hand, and I was able to finish the job in about 3 hours with 1.5 gallons of flat black paint (Glidden Flat Black, Premium Primer + Paint).
12. Turn off the furnace and all the lights. Cover outlets. Use a utility spotlight to see. I also opened a window as soon as I was done, and 3 hours after finishing, I turned on a dehumidifier in the room and the furnace (it's 90 degrees out and humid here right now...but my basement is cool).
13. This paint sprayer is well worth the money (and it's a very reasonable price--I did a LOT of research first, and after $60k in home renovations, I'm picky as heck).
Next up: Painting the walls, some doors, and old cabinets. These should go much more smoothly than spraying a ceiling. Might be worth buying one of those paint tents for the cabinets and doors--what a brilliant idea to keep the mist off everything! Good luck!
| Manufacturer | Homeright |
|---|---|
| Part Number | C800879 |
| Item Weight | 15 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 6 x 5 x 5 inches |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | C800879 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | 1 Count (Pack of 1) |
| Color | Multicolor |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Hose Length | 300 Inches |
| Usage | Exterior |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
