OT: Paint Sprayers (home use) - Urgent

edco · #1 11-30-2008, 07:52 PM

Greetings !
Last week we had all the interior doors in our house replaced (12 to be precise). Now since we had to take out all the clothes and assorted cleaning and other products out, it seems like a good time to paint INSIDE the closets. There are 12 closets and I decided that rather than break my back with a roller for THREE coats (primer, 1st coat and top coat), I went to home depot in search of a paint sprayer. Gotta finish this before Christmas (and have no time off from work), as our clothes are all over the house like we are about to move without telling the bank.!

Now I am truly a novice at this..so I took the advice of the store manager who pointed me to the Wagner Spray Tech Paint Crew XTRA for $200. When I got home and did some research it appears like this is REALLY meant for BIIGGG jobs like painting outside of houses, garages etc, not 3 coats in a dozen closets. I also freaked when I read that I need to buy a complete suit including goggles and a respirator (ok, call me an a-hole for not checking this out in advance..)

So I come to you my almighty X5 friends for advice
A) It's no big deal. Use it and just practice and your'll be fine
B) Return it and get something smaller like a Wagner power roller which pumps paint into the roller and avoids having to bend over30 times to refill the "hopper"
C) Forget it altogether and hire a couple of college kids and have a coke and a smile
D) Insert your suggestion here........

I'd appreciate your feedback as I'm ususally lead in the right direction by fellow X5world family !

Thanks
Ed

Thunder22 · #2 11-30-2008, 08:02 PM

#2, always use the right tool for the job.

Derek · #3 11-30-2008, 08:38 PM

I would return it and get a roller. I have done a fair amount of interior house painting and I can't imagine trying to do it with a spray gun once the house has been finished. I looked into the power rollers but the clean up time with these is rather lengthy. We went with a Wagner roller that you manually suck paint out of one gallon containers into the handle. It has a trigger that you use to pump the paint into the roller. It works very well and is quicker/cleaner than the old tray and roller types. It is also fairly easy to clean and at <$50 much a better bargain.

edco · #4 11-30-2008, 08:45 PM

Thanks guys..

Keep em comin..

I just wrote to a company called gleempaint.com. Interesting that they have the EXACT sprayer I bought for about 25% less than home depot.

Thanks again
ED

PS. I just came up with option #4 which is any college/underemployed guys in the NY/NJ area looking for some holiday money, send me a PM and let's talk.. Maybe I'll put you to work !! No hacks please..

FSETH · #5 11-30-2008, 08:51 PM

Can't you buy different nozzles for your sprayer to make the spay a little more fine? I would suggest spraying them if possible. You are going to have to do a lot of cutting in with a brush otherwise (4 corners and top and bottom of 12 closets would drive me crazy with a brush).

You can rent sprayers from Home Depot and other paint stores as well. I am going to do this in the near future myself as I am refinishing my kitchen cabinets and do not want to hand paint all the drawers and doors with a brush.

edco · #6 11-30-2008, 09:36 PM

Hmmmmm...renting hadn't occurred to me.. thanks for that great idea

ed

Quicksilver · #7 11-30-2008, 09:50 PM

Just a thought or two....Closet doors or closets not sure.
But here goes.

I own a paint sprayer and unless the house is empty you should
not use a sprayer in the house. Reason? Whether you can see it
or not the residue from the spray will travel and get all over everything.
Prep time would be the same if not more for a spray job and unless your
an expert you will apply the paint improperly.

Just get the right roller, an an extension pole for the ceiling, a cut in brush,
canvass drop clothes and throw away paint containers. I just painted one of
the bedrooms in my house and i never used as many coats as you say you
require. Unless your walls are in serious damage a primer is not needed.
If you get a better grade of paint two coats is not necessary. I painted
one bedroom taking my time including the closet in less than a day.

You got friends? Have a painting party. Cook some food and get everybody
cracking. It will take a lot less time to correct their errors then trying to do it all
yourself and it may be a lot of fun.

If it closet doors the whole game is different.

lakai · #8 11-30-2008, 09:51 PM

Don't waste your money on the electric sprayers if possible. pick up a HVLP sprayer and a air compressor.

Derek · #9 11-30-2008, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakai

Don't waste your money on the electric sprayers if possible. pick up a HVLP sprayer and a air compressor.

Have you actually used an sprayer in a house that is being lived in before?

I can't imagine this being a good idea.

JCL · #10 11-30-2008, 11:24 PM

Agree with the comments above. Sprayers are for new, unfinished, empty houses, not ones being lived in. Return the sprayer, buy good rollers and brushes. There isn't an easy shortcut, aside from hiring a professional. I like Weasel's signature line: "You think professional is expensive, try paying for amateur"

I painted all rooms in a 6000 square foot house last year, including closets. Three coats of very good paint (Nothing worse than cheap paint).