Instructions for DIY Painting with HVLP Paint GunMaterials
Wagner HVLP Conversion Gun Contractor Grade (note: We did NOT use the oil-paint kit
that is sold on the website with the spray gun. The gun came with a note that it was set up to
paint oil-based. So we were good to go.)
Air Compressor to run the paint sprayer, minimum 1 ½ HP 5 SCFM @90 PSI required
Benjamin Moore primer: Advance Waterborne Interior Alkyd Primer
Benjamin Moore paint: Advance Waterborne Interior Alkyd in Satin finish
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We did add 1 shot glass (About 1 oz} of water to 1 pint of paint. ----Not sure if that is
necessary for everyone, as paint viscosity varies by humidity, but we had a bit of
orange-peel texture going on at first and that seemed to fix that.
3-4 boards of smooth scrap wood (To test spray pattern for orange peel texture,
drips, runs.)
Respirator
Pint container with lid (Pour paint into container to mix well if adding water or
Floetrol.)
Blue painters tape…(Regular masking tape will take off paint on walls.)
3M plastic masking from Sherwin Williams (Easy to cover walls if they are already
painted.)
Roll of contractor’s floor paper-tape it down with masking tape.
Extra plastic on a roll
Mineral spirits for clean up. Need to flush sprayer and clean hands with it. The
water-based alkyd is sticky and you need this to get the tacky feeling off your skin.
Saw horses & 2”x4”s or boards
Thin nails like trim nails or paneling nails
Heavy plastic (the lightweight kind blows around, is no good) and or heavy paper
for spray booth floor and set up
220 Superfine sandpaper
Tack cloth
Painting the Cabinet DoorsEvery coat will need one day.
Do the math. 2 sides per door…1 primer coat, 2 coats of paint…=3 coats per side =6 days +
prep and set up.
Yes, this project will take a week and a half to two weeks…if you have room to set all the
doors up at once. If you don’t it could take even twice as long. Yikes!
Very Important ***** Mark your doors with a numbering system before you remove
them. When removing the doors, mark doors’ location inside with a sharpie and cover with
blue tape so as not to cover up this important info with paint. Inside where the hinge went
is a good place! Trust me, this will save lots of time when you are done and trying to figure
out where they all go when it’s time to hang them up again!
Practice makes perfect. Get the hang of it before you start. Test the spray pattern on scrap
wood. Make sure you have a smooth finish before you start. You can adjust the sprayer to
have a tighter or more open spray pattern. Check that the finish does not look bumpy like an
orange peel, also not too loose so you have drips and runs.
1. Primer. Spray using a back and forth motion. Follow primer instructions for drying
time. Benjamin Moore Alkyd primer needs to dry at least 16 hours.
If after it dries you feel texture when you run your hand across, a light sanding and
clean up with a tack cloth would be necessary to guarantee a smooth finish with
the paint.
2. Paint on first coat of paint on bad side first (Inside of doors).
Do one coat, wait 16 hours. Lightly sand with superfine sandpaper, clean up
good with a tack cloth. Do a second coat, wait 24 hours.
3. Flip.
Do first coat. Wait 16 hours. Sand and clean with tack cloth. Do 2nd coat.
Wait 16 hours. Check to see if needs touching up.
4. Clean your HVLP sprayer after you are done for the day. Do this by pouring out the
unused paint and wash out then fill and run some water through it.
5. Let the doors cure for 2 or 3 days before hanging.
If you do the doors first they will have several days to cure while you are doing the
cabinet frames inside.
The cabinet frames are the same process but with more work because of the taping
off and covering the insides and other areas well with plastic and paper. I found the
prep to be the largest part of the entire job. It took an entire day to prep the room
for painting. I was exhausted and did not paint that day, I wanted to start fresh in
the morning.
Good Tools, Good Prep, Good Paint and Softly Sanding
That’s all there is to it. Not rocket science. Good tools, good prep, and alkyd or oil
based paint, sanding with superfine sandpaper and using a tack cloth to clean up, is
the key to a super smooth finish.
If we can do it, so can you.