# Spraying Uninstalled Trim....How would you do it?



## Proline (Mar 9, 2010)

Hi,

I am new to this forum in posting but have been reading for a little while now.

I am looking to expand my business into new parts of the market that I would normally turn down so I am in need of some advice.

I had a client ask me if I could spray trim and what the process would be for this as they had heard that it has the best finish as a end result.
The trim has not been installed yet and is the factory primed white variety.

I planned on spraying it with 2 coats of lacquer. Would white be best, white or clear?

After the finishing carpenter installs the trim and fills the holes....(I assume the carpenter does this part)... I would have to go back and tough up all these parts with the brush. If I were to go about it this way would areas I touch up be visible due to a sheen difference?

Is there a better way to go about this whole process?

Any help Greatly Appreciated!

Thanks


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

I've always had to fill the holes as a painter, can be a big job in a large house.

I usually don't prepaint trim since to properly finish it after filling nails, sanding, you will need 2 coats over the touchups otherwise they WILL be highly visible.. If you're painting by hand, go ahead pre-paint, touch up nail holes then do one fullcoat, but spraying I wouldn't waste my time.

That's just hte way I do it :thumbsup:


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## Last Craftsman (Dec 5, 2008)

Proline said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am new to this forum in posting but have been reading for a little while now.


If you are familiar with the etiquette of this forum, you know that the first thing you should do is post an introduction.

Usually people appreciate a brief synopsis of your experience and current painting environment.



Proline said:


> I am looking to expand my business into new parts of the market that I would normally turn down so I am in need of some advice.


There are a lot of painters who are experienced with the process of finishing trim, they would know exactly how to do what you are requesting.



Proline said:


> I planned on spraying it with 2 coats of lacquer. Would white be best, white or clear?
> 
> After the finishing carpenter installs the trim and fills the holes....(I assume the carpenter does this part)... I would have to go back and tough up all these parts with the brush. If I were to go about it this way would areas I touch up be visible due to a sheen difference?
> 
> ...


You seem like a nice person, and I do not mean to offend you in any way, or crush your enthusiasm.

But your questions indicate you are not even in the ballpark about this understanding this process, and in my opinion it would be best if you find an experienced painter to recommend for the work. Lest we would be teaching you absolutely every thing in order for you to even attempt the process.

If this post upsets you I apologize, but please do know that I honestly am not posting this with the intent of putting you down.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

It sounds like painting is the new market.


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## Proline (Mar 9, 2010)

Ha, Thanks for the reply. Spot on.
This is my second year as a painting contractor. I got into the bis last year by running a student painting franchise while taking my degree in buisness. School ended...Life hits fast... loans come due... wife got preg, so I am having to go back to the only thing I know how to make real money doing. 

Anyways could anyone please bring me into the ballpark on how to do this one by pre-spraying the trim that would be great.


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## HeadHoncho (Apr 17, 2007)

White or Clear? :whistling2:


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Proline said:


> Ha, Thanks for the reply. Spot on.
> This is my second year as a painting contractor. I got into the bis last year by running a student painting franchise while taking my degree in buisness. School ended...Life hits fast... loans come due... wife got preg, so I am having to go back to the only thing I know how to make real money doing.
> 
> Anyways could anyone please bring me into the ballpark on how to do this one by pre-spraying the trim that would be great.


1) spraying un-installed trim is a waste of time

2) I would not recommend Lacquer over anything pre-primed

3) The trim will probably need to be caulked and filled after install....so forget touching up after install

4) a good quality oil finish will net almost the same results as a spray finish when done by a professional, with less mess, time, and hassle


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## Proline (Mar 9, 2010)

Okay Pre-Spraying is out the window.

Could you please elaborate on why you would not lacquer pre primed trim?

My customer is insisting on sprayed trim due to a intense dislike for brush strokes.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

To be honest here, this sounds like this might be out of your league. Also never let the carpenter fill the holes and do the caulking. You will always have to re do it. Its not allot of fun trying to fix a bad caulking job.

Pat


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## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

Proline said:


> Okay Pre-Spraying is out the window.
> 
> Could you please elaborate on why you would not lacquer pre primed trim?
> 
> My customer is insisting on sprayed trim due to a intense dislike for brush strokes.


First I would like to know why you want to spray lacquer. 

If this is pre-primed trim, then you should use paint. The major reason for that is that you cannot touch-up lacquer with a brush. (not in any way that looks good anyhow). 

As for prepainting trim, I always prepaint baseboards, but they always get a final coat once they're installed (and I do the hole filling and caulking, not the carpenter.)

If your customer wants sprayed trim, then best bet is to have all trim installed first, then do filling/caulking, then do spraying.


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

This place is starting to sound more and more like a DIY forum....seriously.


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

Proline said:


> Okay Pre-Spraying is out the window.
> 
> Could you please elaborate on why you would not lacquer pre primed trim?
> 
> My customer is insisting on sprayed trim due to a intense dislike for brush strokes.


I've seen lacquer actually bubble up an old coating on a jobsite I visited, it's nasty stuff, the solvents have the potential to melt a bad coating. Plus it takes years off of your life:thumbsup:


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## sir paintalot (Oct 21, 2008)

People think painting is easy. True it is not bridge engineering but it does require quite a bit of critical thinking. Every situation is different and must be approached individually. 
THINK about what the task requires and PLAN PLAN PLAN and then be ready to completely change your plan because no one else gives a rats ass about your little plan! But plan anyways! There are SO many ways to get the job done. But remember you need to do 2 things on ALL jobs:

1. Do quality work efficiently
2. MAKE MONEY!

Spend as much thinking time as is required to accomplish these 2 things and then go for it. Ask ten painters how they'd do this and you'll likely get ten different answers, but you need to find YOUR way to accomplish points 1&2.
For me I NEVER prepaint trim. It's ridiculous. The carpenters are going to manhandle it step all over it saw it cut it bend it etc., by the time it's up it'll look like hell and it will be full of holes and have gaps everywhere that need to be caulked. Have it installed, then caulk, fill sand. That will take you longer than painting it will. Oh and you better prime it after sanding because if you don't the filler WILL flash! If the guy wants it sprayed be ready to mask off every bloody thing in site and go crazy! Unless it is NC don't even think about spraying unless the HO has bags of money to cover the HOURS andHOURS of masking oh and make sure it doesn't come up just as you spray and you get it all over his nice oak floor! Or you get a call that night saying there's white specks on all the furniture! Oh and if you've never spray painted before well good luck with that. Where I live they rent airless sprayers for 100-125 a day. Oh, and never mind the fact that probably the first 5 times you use it YOU ARE REALLY ONLY LEARNING TO USE IT! Do you know anything about tip selection? proper technique? Have you heard of runs and sags? How about spitting and thin spots or mayber orange peeling?? What would you do if the rental breaks down in the middle of the job? 
Brush and roll is the way to go here IMHO.

Good luck man.....but you'll be alright because painting's easy right?


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Proline said:


> Okay Pre-Spraying is out the window.
> 
> Could you please elaborate on why you would not lacquer pre primed trim?
> 
> My customer is insisting on sprayed trim due to a intense dislike for brush strokes.


Some lacquers can melt/strip other products. The solvent can/will act like a paint stripper, unless its being applied over the SAME solvent based product ie. lacquer over lacquer.

Use a good quality oil base product, take your time, practice on a few boards before you start and you will get a spray like finish. Sometimes even better. Like stated before me, if its not properly done, a sprayed finish can look terrible.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

Proline said:


> This is my second year as a painting contractor. I got into the bis last year by running a student painting franchise while taking my degree in buisness. School ended...Life hits fast... loans come due... wife got preg, so I am having to go back to the only thing I know how to make real money doing


^This should be posted in the* "How did you become a painter?"* thread.


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## painterdude (Jun 18, 2008)

I'm sure a few of us started out after painting in college like I did, and yes the simple scrape, oil prime and paint with oil didn't present too many problems in 1972. I've been painting ever since and still wouldn't know how to spray laquer, cause I never had the need or the knowhow. Do what you know how to do and learn on your own time. If the homeowner wants you do do something beyond your scope, you're just going to mess it up, waste your time, probably be charged by him for the damage and lose whatever good will you might already have. Tell him or her you don't do that...........cause you don't do that. Little steps bro, it aint as easy as they show on t.v. ....pd


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## johnthepainter (Apr 1, 2008)

if the homeowner is so picky he doesnt want brush strokes, he's gonna be really unhappy with your spray job.


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## Proline (Mar 9, 2010)

Great points guys thanks for the input, The job really wasn't going to be worth the risk after I forcasted a potential quote. I ended up passing on the job.


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## Last Craftsman (Dec 5, 2008)

Proline said:


> The job really wasn't going to be worth the risk after I forcasted a potential quote. I ended up passing on the job.


This is a good plan. One thing you may never know is now much of a potential nightmare you just saved yourself.

It's not just a good idea to avoid getting into jobs like this with zero experience because it's unfair to the paying customer, it's a good idea because you could really lose your ass on a job like this.

It would be possibly and quite likely that after having spent all the hours you afforded for the bid, that you would have to wind up having to completely resurface all of that trim, the re-do it it again still with no success, then have to pay an experienced painter to come in and fix the problem.

When tackling a big job like that with no experience, the job could literally *cost* you twice as much as you planned on making profit.

And then to add insult to injury after paying all that money, you still wind up looking real bad.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Proline said:


> Great points guys thanks for the input, The job really wasn't going to be worth the risk after I forcasted a potential quote. I ended up passing on the job.


Good call! As the song goes.... "Know when to fold them, know when to hold them, know when to walk away"..........


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