wackman

Hey Guys,

I've got a couple windows with new mdf trim to paint with water base. Normally I'd use my painters for everything but this one is too small to have someone come do and still make any money off of it, plus I'm already there for tons of other little jobs.

I've done some painting but it's by no means my specialty in construction.

There's so many different ways to tackle this. Do I brush, spray, airless, hplv? The house is occupied and it's a pretty nice house. The owners are good people and not too picky but they do have small kids so it's gotta be latex/acrylic.

Do you guys like to mask and spray? I don't think brushing is gonna work in this house. Everything else is sprayed. Do you guys like flotrol? One guy tells me he doesn't like it because it doesn't atomize well and touch up will have a different sheen. Another guy says he cuts with 10% flotrol and 10% water then uses his airless and a 2/11, another guys says he just cuts with 20% water and uses a brush, another with a fine finish tip (is that different than a 2/11 or 1/11)? Another says to use an hplv or cup gun.

What conditioners do you like, pressure settings do you use, brand of paint do you prefer for this application. Any tips for not getting runs, trigger control, lot's of paint at a time, less paint but more passes, etc....

What do you guys like to use. I've got two banks of 4 windows each and a fireplace mantle, all mdf.

I've got a grayco 190es.

I appreciate the help, I've always steered away from learning to paint real well because it's harder than people think and is almost artwork to do well. I have other specialties so I prefer to leave it to my subs but in these rough times I need to do more of the work than normal to pay the bills plus I don't like not knowing things like this, so it's a good time to learn.

Wack

__________________
"I only bother remembering things that I can't easily look up." Albert Einstein

sparehair

I think if it's an occupied home and you're painting the trim installed that the chances are good your masking will be insufficient and you'll end up with spray where it shouldn't be. Also the clients are likely to complain about the smell.

For me the real trick to the windows is to paint outside in right to left. In other words you start with the little edge with a three inch purdy sash. Get a mini roller (thicker nap not the super fine) to roll on the paint and then brush out the large flats. Doing it in this order prevents ribbing at the corners of the trim. You could always do your thick coat with this method and then finish coat with a super fine mini but if you take your time with the brush and a quality paint it should turn out excellent.

sparehair

I shoot for 10 minutes per sash window per coat.

Wolfgang

I just finished a job last week with MDF trim and panels. Primed everything with SW PrepRite ProClassic WB and sprayed with SW IncrediCoat with a 10%XIM extender reduction. I used a 312 FF tip and set the sprayer on low/med. Masking was 24" and 48" 3M plastic and drop cloths on the Hardwood floors. No problems, no odor to speak of, and an excellent finish. Overspray was held to a minimum due to the size of the tip and spray technique. One thing to keep in mind when using SW waterborne finishes; the satin is almost a matte so you need to go up one sheen level.