Painting exterior surfaces can prove to be tricky because the surface is so rough. Most people who try to paint using traditional rollers will find that the work is time consuming. This is usually due to the fact that the stucco is so rough that it can be difficult to get complete coverage, even after 2 or 3 coats. You can make the paint job much easier by renting a pneumatic spray gun. This article explains a few simple tips and techniques that will make painting with a spray gun much easier.

Getting Complete and Even Coverage

Spray guns are easy to use. If you don't own one, you can rent one with simple instructions. Make sure you read the instructions before you start to paint. Most instructions will include basic setup and cleaning of the gun but may fail to mention the best techniques for even coverage.

First, never hold down the trigger unless you are moving the gun. That is, don't just hold down the trigger and point in one spot. This will result in drips and runs that will be hard to fix. Instead, you should paint from side to side, but don't pull down the trigger until after you begin to move your hand. Then, release the trigger before you hand stops moving. You can reverse the step and paint as you wave your hand in reverse. This 2-pass technique usually works the best because it gives you complete coverage over the texture. You also want to be careful to keep the gun tip equidistant from the wall. The further your gun gets away, the wider and less dense the coverage will be. Finally, don't just hold down the trigger as you wave the gun back and forth. If you do this, the point where you change directions will have more paint than the middle.

Another important tip for painting is to never let the gun tip dry out. If you are taking short breaks throughout the day, you should wrap the gun in a plastic bag to prevent it from drying out. On a hot, dry day, the paint could dry up in less than an hour. So you could return to paint after your lunch break and find that your gun is no longer spraying properly. At the end of each painting day, you will also need to remove the paint tip and soak it in water. Detailed instructions for this should be included in your operations manual.  

For more professional advice, contact local painting services.

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