Flexible Options With Wagner Paint Sprayers

Wagner paint sprayers have existed in one form or another for several decades, and today, the company produces a range that is useful to anyone who wants to carry out small to medium painting jobs around the home, farm, office, or store. With a distinctive yellow and black color scheme that has a "construction site" look, these sprayers are quite affordable and offer light to moderate functionality for home and professional painters.

Two models of Wagner sprayers in particular are made for medium sized jobs, while being a bit cheaper than competing models of about the same size. These are the Paint Crew and the Paint Crew Plus. These are hopper-style paint sprayers in which a piston pump is located in a main case along with a large paint reservoir (holding 2 gallons in the Paint Crew and 2.5 in the Plus), in order to drive paint along a 25 foot long hose attached to a sturdy aluminum paint gun.

The 25 foot hose enables you to use these Wagner devices while painting the upper story of a two story building, or to move a considerable way along a fence, painting it, before you need to move the hopper. The hopper's controls allow you to vary the spray from a relatively gentle 1,000 psi for light duty work, such as spraying furniture in a spray booth, to a stiff 2,800 psi that applies a satiny smooth, extremely regular coat of paint to the exterior of a house, barn, or deck.

As might be expected from a low cost sprayer, made by Chinese factories, you should take a few precautions to make sure the sprayers continue to work smoothly. Straining paint used in them is a must, since any clumps will break a plastic flow valve or clog up the spray gun. Similarly, only thin or medium liquids can be used, and thick, viscous ones such as primer should be avoided.

Wagner offers plenty more options, however, including their highly flexible lightweight line of sprayers. These sprayers, centered on the Power Painter Plus and Power Painter Max, are pistol grip devices with a high, humped "back" that contains an air intake - in effect, the device serves at its own compressor, too.

Paint can be supplied either from a 1.5 quart twist lock paint cup, or through a suction hose. Since the suction provided by the Power Painter's pneumatic system is not very high (and paint only flows at a rate of.12 gallons per minute, or 7.2 GPH), the hose is only 5 feet long, and you will need to stay quite close to the paint can if you elect to use the hose. However, there is a separate paint backpack that can be bought from Wagner to give you a larger volume of material in a highly portable form, and this is recommended for anyone who has a large painting task ahead of them.

Spraying the eaves of a house, the inside of a niche or recess, or other difficult spots is made much easier than usual by the EZ Tilt system built into certain models of Power Painter. Most pneumatic sprayers stop paint output totally when they're pointed straight up or down, or splutter out a messy mix of paint and air that can easily ruin a paint job. EZ Tilt devices work at all angles and in all directions, however, and this is a major advantage of Wagner paint sprayers.

The Wagner line of paint sprayers includes various sizes of sprayer and is generally at the more affordable end of the scale. Though there are some quality issues with certain models, there are many satisfied users as well, and there is no doubt that the EZ Tilt feature is a vast help to spraying ceilings, floors, and other difficult areas - operational flexibility that serves as a benchmark that other companies should try to equal in their own ways.

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Don't Get Bored With Your Room, Paint It

Getting together all the necessary supplies to paint your room can be a tedious task. It is well worth it though to keep you from getting bored with your room. There are also many things you are going to have to do in order to prepare the walls and get that professional look you want. Of course if you don't want to do it yourself you can always hire a professional painter to do it for you. If that isn't in the cards then follow these tips to get the best results possible.

The first step in preparing your walls to be painted is repairing the holes and cracks. This is easily accomplished with some putty and a putty knife. You can find this putty at any hardware store or big box store. Inspect your walls carefully for any holes left from pictures or nails from the drywall popping through. Apply the putty with the putty knife and smooth it out. Later you will go through it and sand it down so it is nice and smooth.

After you have all the holes and cracks filled with putty you will get some fine sandpaper and sand all the areas down that you applied the, now dry, putty. Using your hand as a feeler, you will be able to tell if the area is smooth or not. You don't want to feel any rough edges at all.

Now it is time to clean the surface of any oils or surfactants that may not let the paint dry like it should. If you come across any just use some hot soapy water and scrub it down.

Does it feel good to have all your walls ready to paint? Now it is time to get the equipment together. You are going to need a ladder, paint rollers, drop clothes, paint brushes, a trim brush, paint, some dingy work clothes that you won't mind getting paint on and last but not least, some painters tape.

It's time to get on that ladder and tape off the crown molding, if you have that, around the ceiling. This is also the time to tape off any trim that you don't want to get paint on if you don't feel confident with the trim brush. If you are doing lines or any decorative painting now is the time to apply that tape so you get the shapes and/or lines you want.

If you are painting outside and you have already scraped the exterior then it is time to apply a quality primer. Don't skimp out on this step as it is going to help the "pretty" paint last a lot longer. Some higher end paints have the primer and finish coat in one but this is more expensive too.

Now that you have the surface prepared and the primer applied it is time to apply the paint. I would go with a paint from Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore as these both have high quality paints to choose from. Once the first coat has dried completely go ahead and take a little break and get ready to apply a second coat. Applying the second coat is going to leave a fantastic finish that you will love.

Since you got this far in the article you probably are ready to get going and get painting. I don't blame you, its time to take action and repaint the room you are about to get bored with. It is going to be some work but it will be well worth it and you won't end up spending tons of money doing it.

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Applying Garage Floor Paint Properly

Applying garage floor paint is a fast and effective way to refresh the look of your garage. If you are starting to feel that your garage has come to look dingy and dirty, applying a fresh layer of paint will help you regain the aesthetic value of this area of your home. Believe it or not, you will not even have to get the help of a professional in order to go about this task. As long as you have the necessary tools, you can go about this home improvement chore by yourself.

The first thing that you have to do is to get your hands on the right kind of garage floor coating. Since your surface tends to be exposed to a great amount of stain and dirt, the usual house paint will not be enough. You have to buy the type that is specifically manufactured for this purpose. Worry not, for your local home improvement shop will surely have it in stock. A can may cost a little more than ordinary home paint, however, so make sure that you do a canvas of the prices before you go shopping. See to it that you go through your options before buying a can, so as to ensure that you will get your hands on the best possible choice.

Once you find the garage floor paint that you want, you may move on to actually applying it to your concrete. As a rule of thumb, you need to see to it that the surface is thoroughly cleaned and prepped before you even apply the first layer. While you are at it, prepare the paint as well. See to it that it is of the right viscosity and fluidity, to ensure easy application.

One you're ready, you may move on to the actually process of applying the garage floor coating. Make sure that you cover all surfaces that you do not want painted with sheets of newspaper and plastic. Also make sure that you use the right kind of tools in mixing, holding, and applying the paint. Apply a layer, let it dry, and put on another one until you achieve the opacity and color that you want. Yes, you may apply another layer of finishing if you prefer, but applying layers of high quality garage floor paint to make your floors look fresher and to give it an additional layer of protection.

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Using a Paint Sprayer for Household Paint Projects

On the top of the list of weekend home projects you can often find one that involves painting something. In the Spring and Fall this might be an outdoor project and at other times it may mean repainting a piece of furniture or a room.

For many people the thought of getting out the paint brushes and rollers is not what they look forward as a weekend activity. However, recently paint sprayers have become a popular addition to the DIY weekend warrior's arsenal and have made painting jobs not only faster and easier but even enjoyable. Commercial sprayers might cost around $500, but you can now find models available for the homeowner that are in the $100 range. A moderately priced sprayer can give you superior results over what you get doing it the old way.

Why Should You Use a Sprayer?

Sprayers offer many benefits over the old brush/roller method. One of the biggest advantages is its ability to evenly cover irregular surfaces such as stucco, brick, and intricate objects such as slats in a door or shutter. Other items such as cane or wicker furniture are a breeze with a sprayer. You can use it inside to spruce up the walls and ceilings of a room. These jobs might take a day or longer to complete with the old roller method but with a paint sprayer it's done in a fraction of the time with professional looking results and you'll use much less paint as well for even more savings.

If You Are New to Paint Spraying

If you have never used a paint sprayer before you need to take the time to thoroughly read the instruction manual or view the DVD if it is provided. If your sprayer does not come with either of these then you should contact the manufacturer to obtain the instructions. If you still come up empty handed you should return the sprayer and purchase one that comes with this information. If you know someone who is experienced with using a sprayer you could ask them to give you some tips. When you first start it's a good idea to practice on some scrap material so you can get the feel of how it works.

Preparing the Paint

Unlike using a brush or a roller where you use the paint right out of the can, you need to thin the paint to the proper viscosity before you can use it in the sprayer. If you forget this step the result will be globs of paint on the surface. Your instruction manual will tell you how to do this for the various paints. Latex and oil based paints will require thinning, however, others such as stains and polyurethane can be use right out of the can. If you need to thin make enough for the entire job as this will save you time in the long run.

Preparing the Surface to Be Painted

When you feel you are ready to start on a real project there are a few steps you need to take that will ensure that you get a professional looking result. Make sure that the object to be painted is free of dirt, dust or other foreign material. If this is a wall in a room then you'll need to wipe it down with a damp sponge or cloth. This may seem like an unnecessary step but it pays off by giving you a great finished appearance that you will be pleased with for a long time.

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Importance of Garage Floor Paint and Coatings

You need to see to it that you invest on a high quality garage floor paint, so as to ensure that you will be lending the necessary layer of protection to what may be the most neglected part of your home. Most of the time, people spend too much time worrying about the interiors of their home only to forget the most important areas of their house. In order to maintain the aesthetic and functional value of your house, you need to ensure that you take care of it inside and out.

The paint that you will use for your home will have a big effect on how you preserve your garage. In order to be able to maintain the perfect garage, you need to pick out the right floor paint and to apply it properly. If you are not entirely sure that you will be able to tend to this task by yourself, you can always get the help of a professional in painting your garage. Yes, you will have to shell out a certain amount of money on professional fees and charges, but you will be able to see to it that you lend full protection to this part of your abode.

Using the right kind of garage floor coating will also make cleaning and maintaining your garage easier, believe it or not. Unpainted floors are usually more susceptible to dirt and stain, which means that cleaning them will take a big chunk of your time. As a matter of fact, there are even instances that one will not be able to get an unpainted surface completely clean, even if he were to spend the whole day sweeping and scrubbing. Paint over your flooring with the right kind of coating and you will not have to spend a minute more than necessary in cleaning your floors.

Garage floor paint is also important because it makes the material used for your floors stronger and more durable. Leaving your floors raw will most likely end up in chipping and cracking, which will not only be unsightly but will also be unsafe. Just see to it that you will be applying your paint when the material has already set, so as to ensure that the paint will be able to properly seep between the particles of your floor. Apply a couple of layers of garage floor coating and there is no doubt that you will be able to maintain a smooth and flawless surface for the years to come.

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Choosing The Right Painters Tarps For Your Next Paint Job

If you're getting ready to paint a room or rooms in your home, you've probably thought about investing in painters tarps to cover your floors and furnishings from spilled or splashed paint. You may also assume that these drop cloths can easily be purchased anywhere you see a sign that says "tarps for sale." While that may be true, it doesn't help you choose the right material for your particular needs. There are several things to take into consideration before you invest in canvas drop cloths.

Not All Canvas Tarps Are For Painting

While it's true that most professional home remodelers turn to cotton twill for their drop cloths, not all canvas drop cloths are appropriate for use by inexperienced individuals who will simply be painting a single room. Professionals tend to use canvas duck or twill because it's very absorbent; however, it isn't waterproof. If you are a homeowner who'll be doing the work yourself, consider investing in a drop cloth or tarp that has a waterproof, silicone backing. After all, you're more likely to spill a good bit of paint or track it across the floor by mistake. When you're ready to start working, place the waterproof side facedown so that the absorbent material can soak up the majority of the paint or stain. As a bonus, the poly backing skids less and can hold the tarp in place.

Take Into Consideration How Much And How Often You'll Be Painting

If you'll be doing several rooms or are likely to need a painters tarp again in the future, investing in thicker, higher thread count materials is a good idea. They last for years and hold up to any abuse that's dished out. While these may be more expensive up front, they will quickly pay for themselves as you reuse them. On the other hand, if you're painting your daughter's bedroom and don't plan on picking up a brush for years after you're finished with her room, it may not be worth the extra money for canvas. Instead, consider buying a large, waterproof poly tarp that can protect the floor and furnishings in a room without the higher price tag.

Meeting In The Middle

If you're going to be doing multiple painting projects and you do want to invest in one or more good quality canvas tarps, take a few things into consideration before buying. There are canvas versions available with a waterproof, silicon coating on one side. If you opt for this style, look for a heavier weight material. It will stay in place better and you'll find more uses for it after you're done remodeling.

Look for tarps for sale that fit the size of the area you're painting without needing to be bunched up or folded. There are distributors who carry cloth runners that are as wide as a stairway or hallway but considerably longer. Trying to force a drop cloth to fit the space will end up causing frustration for you, and you'll likely end up with paint on the floor.

If you still have questions about which painters tarps are right for the work you'll be doing, talk to others who have purchased drop cloths or tarps and get their input. They can help you choose the right tarp without overspending or ending up with ruined floors.

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