# Spraying cabinets badly



## Ryder (Jun 3, 2018)

Hi folks. 
I am very unsatisfied with my cabinet spraying. I’m pretty sure the homeowner is going to feel the same way. I’m using an airless, Graco 390, new fflp 310. I’m spraying breakthrough. The main problem is that I either have a light dusting or else it’s so heavy it runs! I know, it’s an airless, but I thought the fflp made this at least possible. 
Any thoughts out there? I’m unfortunately self-taught with using a sprayer, as no one else I ever worked with knew jack about them either. I’ve been able to do decent work on exteriors and new interiors as well although those got back rolled anyway. 
Thanks


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## Mr Smith (Mar 11, 2016)

Ryder said:


> Hi folks.
> I am very unsatisfied with my cabinet spraying. I’m pretty sure the homeowner is going to feel the same way. I’m using an airless, Graco 390, new fflp 310. I’m spraying breakthrough. The main problem is that I either have a light dusting or else it’s so heavy it runs! I know, it’s an airless, but I thought the fflp made this at least possible.
> Any thoughts out there? I’m unfortunately self-taught with using a sprayer, as no one else I ever worked with knew jack about them either. I’ve been able to do decent work on exteriors and new interiors as well although those got back rolled anyway.
> Thanks


I would suggest first learning how to spray before you take on cabinet work. 

Don't practice on a customer's property. Buy your own cabinet doors and go to work learning the trade in your free time. it's not difficult. 

There are tons and tons of videos online to learn from and countless threads in here for advice.

Sorry for the salty sounding response, but it had to be said.

For your immediate concerns, spray the doors flat on each side. This will reduce the runs.

With Breakthrough you can sand out the runs after a couple of hours. If you punch through to the wood just use a spray can of BIN primer, let dry for 1/2 hour, light sand, and then respray them.


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## Ryder (Jun 3, 2018)

Thanks for the advice. 

I’m having one main specific issue. I’m going to use some numbers that are not exact but hopefully illustrate my point. I take .50 seconds to make a pass on the door. It looks good. I take .45 seconds and it looks thin and spotty. I take .55 seconds and it runs. I have watched quite a few videos online and never saw anything addressing this problem of amazing ability to control timing down to the hundredth of a second. 

Trying to take the “salty” response with a “grain of salt.”


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

It’s not really a salty response, he’s just saying that the best way to get a feel for spraying is to practice on items prior to doing working on site. I recommend getting a few used full sized entry doors from a reclamation center to practice on. 

Have you experimented with turning your pressure down? I purchased a pressure gauge for my 395 so I could get it to a fairly consistent spot when doing my fine finish work (using the fflp tips). Spraying fine finish is way more precise than doing walls and siding (as you are discovering) so practicing with various products and pressure settings to see what gives you your desired results is the best way to hone your skills. There’s nothing easy about it, just takes some time. I’ve been doing it way longer than I care to admit and am still constantly improving my techniques - and screwing up from time to time.

And remember, the guys in the videos were once crappy at it as well - what you are seeing are the end results of their practice and experience so they generally make it look easy.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

It's probably not you or your machine. After much trial and error I've found that you need to use a 308 with breakthrough. Try that size and I'm willing to bet that all your problems will be solved. 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## PNW Painter (Sep 5, 2013)

The high VOC version of Breakthrough is one of the more challenging products to spray. With practice you can master it, but the margin between apply too much and not enough is very small. It also dries really fast which presents another set of challenges.

While you’re learning to spray you may want to switch to a product that’s more forgiving to spray. 


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Ya, spray your doors flat so your paint can flow out. Your pressure sounds high. .50 seconds on a pass sounds really fast.? Never really timed it, but thinking with those margins you should turn your pressure down and ya, I like a 208fflp


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## Repaint Florida (May 31, 2012)

It take time to learn spraying cabinets and spraying breakthrough adds to learning
We hang ours and spray both sides then put in room 10 x 10 with ceiling fans on low to circulate air 

You'll get it it just takes time & practice. i second not trying this in a customers home until you can give a good finish

And btw using denatured alcohol on any latex runs works better that sanding imho
alcohol will smooth out the run and feather the edge too








.


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## PNW Painter (Sep 5, 2013)

Here’s three other things that can help to prevent runs and speed up drying:

1) Low humidity
2) High room temps - try for at least 71 if not higher
3) Air movement - box fans work well. If you’re worried about dust put a 20”x20” furnace filter on the box fan.


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## Ryder (Jun 3, 2018)

Thanks all the suggestions... I was able to implement a few, namely sanding them out and laying the doors flat for the final coat ... finished before I read the denatured alcohol for rubbing out runs, I would have tried that. I would have swapped out tips too but it was a time crunch and Sunday... 
I turned pressure down as low as I could and still not getting tails, so I don’t think that was it, it probably was closer to 1 second per pass than .5 seconds. 

I like the hanging strategy, but were those hooks screwed into the doors? I would think customers wouldn’t want that. 

My customer wound up being quite happy with the results. I gave a significant discount due to the time I put in dealing with it (this was Time and Material) and it looks way better than I feared. I know it’s smart to avoid jumping into something that you are not experienced with, but sometimes you gotta go for it! I try to be someone who says yes, not no. This was the closest I came to getting burned, but even so it turned out all right. 

By the way, how long do you wait for Breakthrough to cure before hanging those doors? The label mentions 7 days before washing, but I know a lot of latex stays so sticky for so long...

Anyway thanks again everyone.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

The whole idea of breakthrough is thats supposed to be super durable right away. That means, you can spray the back sides, then flip them the next day (maybe even late the same day) with no worries. This is why I like to use Durapoxy, for the same reason. Im doing my first scuff-x cabinet job now. So far, Scuff-X seems just like Durapoxy to me.

Cabinet coat is also very quick turnaround time. Once they've been dry for a few hours, They're damn near fully cured.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

Ryder said:


> Thanks all the suggestions... I was able to implement a few, namely sanding them out and laying the doors flat for the final coat ... finished before I read the denatured alcohol for rubbing out runs, I would have tried that. I would have swapped out tips too but it was a time crunch and Sunday...
> I turned pressure down as low as I could and still not getting tails, so I don’t think that was it, it probably was closer to 1 second per pass than .5 seconds.
> 
> I like the hanging strategy, but were those hooks screwed into the doors? I would think customers wouldn’t want that.
> ...


I transport hang them the day after spraying the final coat. 

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## PNW Painter (Sep 5, 2013)

With products such as breakthrough, it’s not an issue to install the next day. Under the right circumstances you might be able to install the same day, but you’re running the risk of damaging the finish during install.

I’ll also wear nitrile gloves when I’m installing doors to prevent getting oily hand prints all over the doors. 


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

I've never sprayed breakthrough, but I spray our local product Aristoshield, its urethane/oil/acrylic, great stuff. Just sprayed out a built in with four doors and ten drawers. I always use a FF310 at about 1500 psi. I don't know how anyone cannot spray?
Heres a pic of the built-in, my guy is cutting and rolling the insets. Sprayed the doors flat.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

MikeCalifornia said:


> I've never sprayed breakthrough, but I spray our local product Aristoshield, its urethane/oil/acrylic, great stuff. Just sprayed out a built in with four doors and ten drawers. I always use a FF310 at about 1500 psi. I don't know how anyone cannot spray?
> Heres a pic of the built-in, my guy is cutting and rolling the insets. Sprayed the doors flat.


Did ya spray the shelving too?

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## CK_68847 (Apr 17, 2010)

PNW Painter said:


> The high VOC version of Breakthrough is one of the more challenging products to spray. With practice you can master it, but the margin between apply too much and not enough is very small. It also dries really fast which presents another set of challenges.
> 
> While you’re learning to spray you may want to switch to a product that’s more forgiving to spray.
> 
> ...


I don’t know why people even use breakthrough. It’s one of the most frustrating paints. If it’s a darker color it’s like water. The only advantage of it is dry time. If I was doing cabinets and using Ppg, I would have went with advantage 900. It’s easy to work with and builds up nicely with the semi gloss sheen. Otherwise use SW.


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

finishesbykevyn said:


> Did ya spray the shelving too?
> 
> Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk



The shelves were built in, but yes sprayed it all. Here is the finished.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

MikeCalifornia said:


> The shelves were built in, but yes sprayed it all. Here is the finished.


Very nice. What kind of sprayer did you use?

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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

finishesbykevyn said:


> Very nice. What kind of sprayer did you use?
> 
> Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk



Just my 440i with a FFLP310


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