Any professional or DIY enthusiast will tell you that using a paint sprayer allows for much greater efficiency during projects. However, this efficiency comes after mastering the right technique in using these tools.
How to Use Wagner Paint Sprayer: in 6 Easy Steps
Any professional or DIY enthusiast will also tell you that no two paint sprayers are the same. The Wagner paint sprayer range is a popular brand for new beginners because their spray guns are more intuitive and user-friendly in terms of cleaning and comfort.
Here is a quick guide on how to use the beginner-friendly Wagner paint sprayer guns so you can get started on the right path.
Step 1: Prepare All the Necessary Materials
Before applying a single drop of paint, it is important to gather all the right materials and prepping the room for spray painting. The required materials are as follows:
- Spray gun
- Paint
- Two empty buckets
- Gloves
- Goggles
- Paint respirator
- Suitable clothing
- Power cord (if necessary)
- Ladder
- Scrap cardboard
On top the materials needed for the actual painting, you also need a few materials for making sure the surfaces in the room are protected from overspray. It is always best to clear as many objects and pieces of furniture out of room as possible and then covering everything that cannot be moved.
Place the leftover objects and pieces of furniture to the middle of the room where they won’t get in the way of the walls being painted. Also, don’t forget to cover window panes and light switches with paper or masking tape.
Step 2: Prepare the Paint
One of the advantages of using a Wagner paint sprayer is that their Flexio range is capable of functioning with unthinned paint. Different types of paint can be used in paint sprayers but check the specifications in the user manual to make sure that the paint material is compatible with the Wagner spray gun.
Depending on the exact Wagner spray painter model you might have to transfer the paint into the attached paint canister. If the model does not have a paint canister then this means that the suction hose can be placed directly into the paint can.
Step 3: Test the Settings
When first using a Wagner paint sprayer, it is important to get a good feel of the tool before applying it to the wall. This is where the piece of scrap cardboard comes in – it is your practicing canvas.
There are three main settings to adjust: the pressure, the spray tip and the spray pattern. Each of these elements affects the final result.
Adjusting the pressure of a spray gun controls how fast the paint flows out. Too much pressure causes more overspray and an uneven spray pattern while too little pressure causes poor atomization which reduces the finish quality.
Choosing the right spray tip depends on the paint material being used. Thicker viscosity paints require a larger spray tip while thinner materials are best suited to smaller spray tips.
Most Wagner paint sprayers have two spray patterns: vertical and horizontal. Essentially both patterns create an oval shape but the vertical pattern is tall while the horizontal pattern is wide.
Play around with the different settings until you get the smoothest finish on the cardboard. Also, test out at what distance you need to hold the spray gun for the best result.
Step 4: Start a Consistent Pattern
A consistent technique is very important when using a Wagner spray painter. So, before engaging the spray gun, practice the movement that would be most comfortable and would create the most stable spraying pattern on the wall.
In most cases, this entails starting in a corner of the wall and moving across the wall either horizontally or vertically. Naturally, use the horizontal spray pattern when moving across the wall from left to right and the vertical spray pattern when moving across the wall from top to bottom.
To avoid layers of thicker and thinner paint, make sure there is a slight overlap between the paint strokes. Professionals recommend starting the next stroke from the midway point of the previous stroke.
Step 5: Adjust the Settings for the Finishings
Chances are that you will have to adjust the spray gun settings when it is time to address the corners and edges. Try a lower pressure so you have greater control over the spray.
Step 6: Let It Dry and Clean
The advantage of using a Wagner spray painter is that the surface dries much faster. However, it is still very important to wait for each layer to dry before applying the next layer.
As the wall dries, begin to clean our the spray painter and replace the spray tip. This is to prevent leftover paint from getting mixed up with a different kind of paint.
