Coverage? Linear footage - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Mike Finley · 08-14-2007, 07:37 PM

I need a number to get me close to what a gallon of good paint brushed over primer on say a 4 inch baseboard will cover in linear feet. 600 ln ft? 800?

**ProWallGuy** · 08-14-2007, 08:16 PM

Mike, unfortunately all the production rates I do are based one 1 sq ft. Even a 1" thick pipe at 1' long would be designated 1 sq ft. I figure paint to cover 350 sq ft. So it would probably be safe to say a gallon would cover around possible maybe 425-450 ln ft.

**ProWallGuy** · 08-14-2007, 08:20 PM

More info, my 2004 Paintcost Book says a gallon will cover approx. 675-750 ln ft of 1"-3" base. So knock it down a bit for 4".

**Teetorbilt** · 08-14-2007, 08:20 PM

Pretty easy calc. How much do you usually get out of a gal? You'll get 3 times the sq. ft. for 4".

DeanV · 08-14-2007, 08:22 PM

If you use 400 sq ft (most gallons I use) the math would be:

400=.3333x
x= 1200 linear feet, assuming application is at the what ever wet mil that manufacturer has in mind.

rws · 08-14-2007, 08:22 PM

Four inch by 800 lin ft = 267 sq ft ? a gallon over preprimed may cover 350 sq ft

gideond · 08-14-2007, 08:25 PM

I'd say about 600-700 ln ft based on real experience with it. We paint 4" baseboard for an apartment complex on a regular basis. We use P&L RedSeal Semi-gloss and get roughly 600-700 ln ft. We roll it on with a 3/8" Pro-DooZ and immediately brush back over it with a loaded brush. So we may be putting more on this way that you would normally consider one standard coat.

Mike Finley · 08-14-2007, 09:39 PM

Thanks. Sounds like I might use 500 ln ft per gal to start with and then keep track of what we get and adjust if necessary.

DavidNTX · 08-14-2007, 09:59 PM

Mike, just in case you or anyone else doesn't understand the mathematics behind figuring that out, I will try to explain. That way you can figure your coverage regaqrdless of the width.

Let's say the paint we are using covers 300 square feet per gallon on a smooth surface. That is 300 areas 12" X 12". If the surface is only 4" wide then 12"/4"=3. You will get 3 times the coverage so 300 X 3 = 900. If the paint coverage was 400 SFPG then you would get 1200 LF 4" wide. For a 1X6 using 300 SFPG would be 600 LF and 1x6 using 400 SFPG would be 800 LF.

Don't forget other factors, if 1 edge of the 1x4 needs to be painted that adds 1 more inch to the 4 inches. 12"/5"=2.4 300X2.4=720 and 400x2.4 would be 960 LFPG.

Another factor would be waste. If you are spraying the 1x4 using a 6" fan then you will have a waste facor to consider. Using a 12" fan would essentially be the same square footage rate.

I hope this might help someone somewhere someday.

David

Mike Finley · 08-14-2007, 10:33 PM

One other question, any type of sprayer that would be good for small projects?

We recently built a small 3 shelf insert to go in a wall, about 9 inches deep by 36 tall, 25" wide. Built it out of MDF and had to paint it white. We're not painters and the results were good, but not flawless. I have a Graco sprayer, but there was no way in hell I was going to break that out for this little thing.

Is there some sort of sprayer that you could shoot like a pint or a quart out of that is fast, easy to clean and simple to use?

A.W.Davis · 08-14-2007, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

One other question, any type of sprayer that would be good for small projects?

We recently built a small 3 shelf insert to go in a wall, about 9 inches deep by 36 tall, 25" wide. Built it out of MDF and had to paint it white. We're not painters and the results were good, but not flawless. I have a Graco sprayer, but there was no way in hell I was going to break that out for this little thing.

Is there some sort of sprayer that you could shoot like a pint or a quart out of that is fast, easy to clean and simple to use?

My painting subs mainly use these sprayers(440i)...I am half tempted to get one for myself!
http://www.paintsprayerslv.com/Titan/ix_series.htm

They typically spray all of my new doors I install and occasionally spray the walls and cielings on larger jobs I am at, where the homeowner is wanting the whole house painted.

Mike Finley · 08-15-2007, 12:27 AM

Yep, I've got a sprayer pretty much like that one. It would take me 3 minutes to spray what I'm talking about and 30 minutes to drag it in and out of the trailer, set it up and clean it. I'd like something that takes less than 5 minutes to set up, take down and clean.

boman47k · 08-15-2007, 07:19 AM

Years ago, we supplied some air-brushers with t-shirts. A double action Pashe can give you a pencil thin line to I don't know maybe 1/2" line by just sliding the control back and forth with the index finger. Don't know if one of these would work for the kind of paint being used. You might want to check it out.

**slickshift** · 08-15-2007, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

One other question, any type of sprayer that would be good for small projects?

Is there some sort of sprayer that you could shoot like a pint or a quart out of that is fast, easy to clean and simple to use?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

It would take me 3 minutes to spray what I'm talking about and 30 minutes to drag it in and out of the trailer, set it up and clean it. I'd like something that takes less than 5 minutes to set up, take down and clean.

Yup
My favorite is the little gas powered cup sprayers
It's a little mason jar type deal, that you hook up a little CO2 cartridge to
I don't have a pic or name off-hand....the paint store should have them
They are very handy for those ten minute spray jobs
Are cheap enough to be disposable if you need to sacrifice it, but super easy to clean and keep
Take up virtually no space in the van
Well worth it (IMO) to keep one and a few CO2 carts (actually, I'm assuming it's CO2-could be something else) on hand
I often find myself breaking one out for small jobs where a little spray would really help (like under deck lattice staining)
Comes in handy

**slickshift** · 08-15-2007, 07:56 AM

Close:

gideond · 08-15-2007, 12:56 PM

Prevail!
Their logo should be "One in ten actually works!"

rws · 08-15-2007, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gideond

Prevail!
Their logo should be "One in ten actually works!"

I have never had any luck with them.

**slickshift** · 08-15-2007, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gideond

Prevail!
Their logo should be "One in ten actually works!"

Ha ha ha...
I'll remember that one, and stay away from that name
The shop has some other brand
Don't recall having any problems with them

**ProWallGuy** · 08-15-2007, 09:34 PM

I like the Preval sprayers, and keep one in the tool box at all times. Sure, I've had a couple duds, but if you thin the material properly, they work fine, for me at least. And the time they have saved me more than make up for the bad ones.

gideond · 08-16-2007, 05:54 AM

I use to sell them here at the store. We could literally have a case of the aerosol cans come in and go through the whole case for a customer before finding one that would actually spray at all.