I’m spraying a General Finishes stain, but I am having some trouble. This is the first time I have tried spraying a stain, up to now the only thing I ever sprayed was acrylic, lac and poly finishes. I am spraying ply cabinet sides (32″ x 30″) and I am getting stripes with the stain across the board, which looks like it is from overlapping. How can I avoid getting the stripes?
Should I be spraying it heavier so the whole board looks wet and then wipe it with a rag?
Or should I be spraying several really light coats and let it build up to the color I want?
Replies
I've not used stains from General Finishes, so I'm talking out of class here.......
Assuming the stain is truly an oil based penetrating stain, then get it on the wood by any means -- spraying works. Try to get it on evenly, and put on more than the surface wants to take.
Then wait a few minutes, and rag off any that has not yet penetrated. This step will even out the color saturation. If not, wait for it to dry and do a second application.
On the other hand, if the "stain" is actually a stain-plus-filmcoat product, then the application must be absolutely even, with no lapping, no brushstrokes, no runs, no holidays.
I mention this difference because I have noticed in recent years that there are some products which are labeled as 'penetrating wood stain' which are actually translucent film-forming finishes -- kinda like cheap paint. In general, these imposters are sold at places like Lowes and HD.
I probably should have clarified that better. It is a waterbased stain.
Getting lines at the top and bottom of your fan means that your gun is not set properly. Load the cup and then experiment by spraying onto some clean cardboard from 8-12 inches away. Trigger the gun in a short burst without moving the gun left -to-right or side-to-side. You should ideally get a round to oval shaped spray with the edges fading out to nothing, but evenly. You may need more or less air or more or less product (or a combination of the two).
You may also have the wrong size tip for the sprain you are spraying. Generally water based stains are very thin, second only to alcohol based stains (like NGR - think SolarLux). These stains require a very fine opening at the tip. Usually .8mm to 1.0mm, 1.2 mm max. Also, generally the tip you use for the clear finishes you describe is not usually the same tip you would want to use for thinner fluids such as stains.
It would also help to know what type and brand of gun you are using.
Lee
I haven't used General Finish stains, but with water based stains I spray heavy enough so that the entire piece stays wet while I'm spraying. Then I wipe everything down with a rag. This gives very even coloring with no lap marks. For subsequent coats, I spray lighter and don't wipe. As already stated in another reply, check that your spray gun is working properly and giving you an even spray.
David
Spray in several passes with light coats. First pass vertical, second pass horizontal and once around the perimeter.
I agree with Lee. Hey - is that poetry? The viscosity between film finishes and stains is very different, so the stain is likely not atomizing properly.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
(soon to be www.flairwoodworks.com)
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