How to Prevent Overspray When Spray Painting 2019

Paint sprayers are advanced tools that have made painting easier, quicker and flawless. From do-it-yourselfers to pros, everybody is using paint sprayers to deal with peeling walls and worn-out cabinets. Although paint sprayers are pretty efficient so knowing how to modestly spray is essential. Overspray doesn’t only affect the look of the final layer but also causes fluid waste and a lot of mess. Fortunately,every painting problem can be resolved by following a few tips and appropriately using the sprayers. This review will explain how you can avoid excessive overspray to enjoy smooth finishing and reduced material wastage.

What is Overspray?

When it comes to spray paint, overspray is a problem that you must address as early as possible because it happens quite often and knowing how to deal with it will be a top priority. By overspray, we mean the excessive spray that doesn’t land onto the target surface but disperses into the air and creates a mess. It results in material waste as well as affects the smoothness of the sprayed area so trying to stop overspray is painter first lessons. It’s incredibly essential to take practical steps to minimize the overspray.

Many apparent reasons cause overspray. Wrong tip size, unclean condition of the tool, the inappropriate distance between the surface and the sprayer and pressure of the gun are some of the few common reasons that trigger overspray. Other than that, the presence and direction of wind and angle of spray gun also increase and reduce the overspray.

Controlling paint overspray is possible and easy to perform as there are two effective ways to deal with this problem. The first tip is to adjust the pressure control and set it at lower because the higher the pressure, the more the overspray and the lower the pressure, the lesser the overspray so keep in mind when choosing the right pressure. The second tip is to use the correct tip size according to the material viscosity.

Gun Paint

Causes of Overspray

Air Pressure

One of the significant reasons for increased overspray is the high pressure itself making it hard to control the stream of paint. Sprayers with low-pressure strategy cause the least overspray because it makes it easy to handle and control the material. The problem is when the pressure is high, the article bounces on the surface so hard and creates a cloud and the stuff gets out of control and continues bouncing. The only way to tackle this situation is to reduce the pressure by adjusting it. Prefer spray guns that have pressure adjustment options so you may enjoy reduced overspray and excellent application.

Spray Pattern

Another reason for higher overspray is the wrong spray pattern so using the right pattern for each usage can solve this problem nicely. Make sure you have set the spray pattern according to the width of the target surface for the best performance. If the surface is narrow, and the design is broad then there would be a huge mess created by overspray so it’s good to use the broad spray pattern only when you are supposed to cover a larger area. When it comes to spraying a smaller portion, set the model to narrow so sprayed material won’t miss the substrate. Always prefer the sprayers that come with multiple pattern options to allow you adjust accordingly.

Angle of Spray

It’s evident that if the surface is at left, but your spray angle is aiming for the right, there would be greater overspray. Experts suggest keeping the angle perpendicular as it allows 99% material to land onto the surface instead of spreading around. It might be a little confusing for beginners to keep the angle maintained but a little practice will make it easier. The angle of 90° is a preferable option whether you are covering a narrow or broader surface. It will help reduce overspray to a greater extent.

Distance from Surface

Another factor that leads to spray paint overspray issue is the distance between the sprayer and surface so with sufficient distance you can achieve the result that you desire.Keep a fair distance to the surface and you can spread the paint evenly and nicely. On the other hand, if you will get too far then spray wouldn’t only cover the target area but also the surroundings and create a messy finish. The best option is to follow the instructions mentioned in the sprayer manual. However, a distance of 6 to 10 inches is widely considered to be ideal.

Wind

The last but one of the most critical reasons causing overspray is the direction and pressure of the wind, this can also be your best friend if you know how to control it. You can use wind to your advantage by calculating the direction of it so be conscious of this matter because it can help you a lot in the near future. It is strictly recommended to turn off the fan when spraying as it might disturb the paint mist to land onto the surface. If you are working on outdoor projects where wind cannot be avoided, wait for the right time when the wind is slow this will improve the quality of your work significantly. The pressure of wind in one direction will cause the overspray by pushing the paint mist into the same direction. It is always best to work in the mild breeze.

How to Prevent Overspray When Painting

Paint sprayer least overspray, airless paint sprayer no overspray

Preparation before Spraying Paint

Training is very much necessary to prevent overspray issues. Make sure you cover everything accurately to increase the quality of the project. From furniture to wall accessories, cover every item with a newspaper or some cloth to keep them safe from overspray. If windows and doors are not included in your paint project, cover them as well. Painters tape and plastic sheets will help you much in covering everything properly. No matter how expert you are, you never know when and where the paint may land, so things that you don’t want to paint should be either removed or covered. Coming to big projects such as wall and fence painting, make sure you include the floor with a large piece of plastic sheet so overspray will not ruin it.
See also: Top Best Paint Sprayer

Set the possible Pressure

Airless paint sprayers are quite efficient and impressive in paint application. They use pressure to release the paint in the form of fine mist through a spray gun and nozzle tip. As the material passes through the small opening in the gun, it gets atomized. Airless spray guns work differently than the guns that use air to atomize the fluid for a fine coating. The most significant benefit of airless spray guns is that paint comes out faster and covers the surface quickly but it also has a drawback. Due to increased pressure, airless spray guns cause overspray considerably. For an airless paint sprayer least overspray, the best option is to aim for the lowest PSI possible by adjusting the pressure. Start with the low pressure, but gradually you may increase the pressure to finish the final coating adequately. Low pressure enables users to handle the sprayer easily while high pressure makes it difficult to avoid overspray as well as uneven layers.

Choose the Proper Tip

Airless paint sprayer no overspray is also possible if you choose a right tip size compatible with the fluid viscosity and the project. This tool comes with multiple options for tip sizes and patterns from which you may select the most suitable ones. Larger tip size is best to cover an extensive surface as it allows a greater material to release faster. On the other hand, a larger pattern also allows the quick coverage of a broader area. On the other side, smaller tip sizes are useful for delicate projects that include small surfaces. However, tip size and pattern depends on the nature of the project. Broad spray pattern and a larger tip are perfect for significant scale projects such as exterior wall painting and fence retouching. But if you will use the same size and prevent for a smaller project like painting the cabinets, there will be colossal overspray and mess. You have to determine the type of the project to choose the right tip size and pattern for reduced overspray.

Pick Right Application Equipment

Another way to prevent overspray is to go with useful tool options. Although airless sprayers are quite efficient, you can find some more critical equipment in the market that offers reduced overspray and faster application. For instance, HVLP paint sprayer is way better in application and coatings than airless sprayers and also provides minimum overspray. On the other hand, you also have an option of converting your airless paint sprayer into an air assist airless paint sprayer. It will help you enjoy the same efficiency as HVLP sprayer with least overspray. All you need to remember is that equipment with high pressure always triggers increased overspray while low-pressure tools are quite sufficient to reduce overspray. Sometimes you will need to buy the right sprayer accessories such as tips, spray guns and pressure pots to reduce the overspray. But if you go with HVLP tools then no need for additional accessories because its low-pressure strategy deals with overspray pretty impressively.

Watching the Spray Technique

Spraying is a technical task that must be done appropriately to avoid problems. Watch and learn effective spraying techniques to avoid overspray. From keeping the fan pattern at a stable level to adopting perpendicular angle for spraying, there are specific techniques to follow during paint spraying. You may take help for some expert in this matter and learn the techniques properly to make applications more flawless and perfect. There are also some techniques for maintaining a proper distance while spraying to avoid over-coating and uneven finish. It is also necessary to keep moving the spray gun at a constant speed to avoid missing spots of over-spraying specific areas. Adopting the right techniques of spray painting reduces the overspray considerably and results in a fine and even coating. You can also take help from the instruction manual to learn some effective spraying techniques.

Create the Spray Booth

It might seem an arduous task but will result in reduced overspray mess. Like car paint booths, you can make your spray paint booth for DIY projects. Use cardboard and assemble them to create a big box. Having this booth will save other items from getting sprayed. As far you have a cardboard booth for spraying, you don’t need to mess up your garage or cover things. Just bring whatever you need to paint in the box and start spraying. It allows you to be free with your hand movements while spraying because the surroundings do not restrict you. Even if the angle is wrong, nothing is going to get damaged because cardboards have got it all covered well. You may also include the cardboard booth with a plastic sheet that will be easy for you to wash. This way you won’t need to build a booth again and again.

Increase Electrostatic Charge

Here comes a pro tip to prevent the overspray. Increasing the electrostatic charge on paint particles trust me this will make the adheration happen even more effectively. This way the paint mist will be more attracted to the target surface resulting in reduced overspray. Overspray has many disadvantages, but the more devastating ones are material wastage and increased time consumption. Due to overspray, it takes more time to cover a certain area because released mist gets scattered and misses the target surface. But if you will increase the electrostatic charge in the paint particles, the fluid mist will be strongly attracted to the surface and will land onto it, creating a smooth layer. Automobile manufacturers widely use this technique for spraying the vehicles and accessories. It’s the universal law working here, a negative charge is attracted to positive and positive charge is drawn to negative. So a surface with the lower electrostatic charge will attract the paint with higher electrostatic charge.

Safety When Painting

Safety is very much necessary when using a paint sprayer, especially airless paint sprayer models. Airless sprayers have high pressure that makes this technology difficult to master but in compensation of its superior features and benefits. Avoid pointing sprayers at anybody when they are plugged in. Seek medical assistance when you come across anything in this process because it’s best to have professionals help you. Always wear a high-quality mask to cover your mouth so you must not inhale or swallow paint mistakenly. It might affect your respiratory system and make breathing difficult. It is highly recommended to wear proper uniform including the face masks, gloves, and hair caps during spray projects. Also keep the nozzle of the spray gun away from your skin because it’s slight touch can result in severe skin problems. Never compromise on your safety during spray paint projects.

Conclusion

Paint sprayers have become the number one choice of amateur do-it-yourselfers and professionals. No doubt, these advanced tools have made painting easier and quicker, but there are also some drawbacks of spraying among which comes the most significant problem of overspray. Fortunately, overspray can be controlled by following a few tips.You just have to be careful about the tip size and pattern, spray angle and right equipment and then you will be able to reduce the overspray of an airless sprayer as well. Some prepping and safety are also necessary to avoid excessive overspray.

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Peter Levick

Architect

I am a licensed architect who is passionate about all things home improvement industries, I have been doing DIY painting projects and have developed lots of experience around home improvement over the 10 years.