Interior spray finishing

[Gerry0611]

I'm using an Earlex HV5500 HVLP sprayer to do furniture refinishing in my garage.  Works fine and I've mostly had positive results etc.
I'd like to advance my spray finishing skill to the next level and attempt an indoor refinishing project.  Specifically, I'm look at doing over my kitchen cabinets.  Any advice for a first time interior project like this?  Aside from removing the cabinet door for finishing separately, should I plan on sealing the kitchen off from the rest of the house?  What about covering/protecting all services that I don't want paint on?  For example, using HVLP, will I have to protect counter tops which are across the other side of the kitchen?  How extensively do I need to protect the surroundings not targeted by the spray gun?  I've seen plenty of references to interior finishing with HVLP, but is it all hype or legit?

 

[jonny round boy]

I have exactly the same unit, and would advise the following:

COVER EVERYTHING!!!

The overspray will get everywhere. It's generally like a very fine powder (it's so fine it dries in the air) and it won't stick to anything, but it will leave a layer on every horizontal surface in the house. You will be dusting and vacuuming for days.

That's my experience, anyway.

 

[mprzybylski]

I too have the same unit and sprayed in my neighbors basement once.  Basically, listen to what johnny said or you will be cleaning longer than it took you to spray. I sprayed a white GF poly and there was a coating of fine white dust EVERYWHERE. I will never do that again in a million years unless I seal off anything that I don't want to get dirty.

In short, I'd advise against this unless you love cleaning

 

[downtheroad]

Get a 3M hand masker and cover adjacent surfaces. Cover openings that won't be sprayed. Mask counters, appliances, floor, etc. Contain overspray if possible. Use plastic sheeting to make a containment wall barrier.

1st pic) masking in progress

2nd pic.) completed job using Accuspray 4stage hvlp and Enduro waterborne polyurethane.

 

[Scott B.]

Hi Gerry

I have and still do do it a lot.

There are two operations. The carcasses (boxes/faceframes/all that is attached) and the parts and pieces (doors, drawer fronts, shelves).

The former is done in the room, while the latter is all disassembled and done shop based. You can solve the overspray problems by setting up a simple filtered exhaust out.

The Earlex 5500 isn't the top of the line, but it is definitely capable with the right product combo. Let me know if you have questions on product or .

 

[jt073]

Wot they said.

Plus get a Zipwall kit - really quick and easy for sealing off part of a room.  https://www.zipwall.com/  I bought a load of this on eBay pretty cheaply.

IME you can only spray so much in a confined space without fan and filter extraction as the dust in the air starts to contaminate the finished surface - you need to sort of plan your route and think about try to avoid blowing onto wet surfaces.

Every minute spent masking will pay off.  With spraying, the usual painting order is reversed, so you spray the woodwork first and paint/spray the walls last.  You don't need to mask off the walls - you can allow a little overspray where cabinets, for example, meet the wall as it helps to cover the join; then you can mask off the cabinets with masking tape etc or just cut into the edge when painting.

Cheers

 

[Gerry0611]

Great advice.  Exhausting the area, masking, masking, masking sounds like a winning plan.  I have some zip wall equipment and can isolate the kitchen pretty thoroughly. 

 

[RDMuller]

I see a few mentions of setting up an exhaust system.  Does anyone have a favorite way of doing this?  To me it seems like it should be a variable speed explosion proof fan that is somehow supported/suspended with a mechanism that could be set against an open window.  I don't think a huge volume of air would need to be pushed out, just enough to control the overspray.  There would need to be an inlet in the Zip wall for some air to come in that would match the outflow.

Spraying polyurethane was mentioned.  I hate spraying that stuff as the underlying mineral spirits solvent gets a sticky mess all over everything.  I have used other solvents such as lacquer thinner and acetone and do not have a problem.  They seemed to work OK.  I have no idea if this messes up the underlying chemistry and physics of polyurethane finishes.  I am not recommending to do this, just telling you my experience.

 

[Iceclimber]

Cover everything exhaust or no exhaust!

Get rolls upon roll of blue tape masking, masking tape. Painters plastic and cardboard. And don't be frugL with it.

Don't cheap out on the tape buy the good stuff even the masking tape as the cheap stuff does not stick for more than 5 minutes once you introduce dust from sanding, spray mist dust settling or air movement.

Unless you are meticulous and methodical ocd like neat freak perfectionist about your protecting and prep your project will come out like shit. You need you tape lines where painted surfaces come into non painted surfaces to be factory straight and unless you do this all the time chances are you will have undulating ugly paint to no paint transitions.

Sand, vac and tac, then vac and tack one more time. And maybe once mor just before you pull the trigger on the sprayer for good measure. You cant vac and tac too much! And think about where you start spraying and end spraying with regard to getting overspray on something you just sprayed out and is finish coated. Overspray can ruin a job of not carefully considered and i don't mean just on non painted surfaces.

Remove all hardware, doors and drawers and don't try spraying doors and drawers in a cramped space as they have a way of going over like dominos once they start going. And or exchanging overspray.

And use oil paint or lacquer. Latex is the worst especially on cabinets.

 

[Emer Construction]

this set up looks interesting....obviously not explosion proof...might try it on the water based kitchen im working on now

http://www.painttalk.com/f24/portable-spray-booth-kitchen-cabinets-21171/