# Spraying unfinished basement ceiling



## PaintProfessor (Feb 28, 2008)

Hey all-

I am a professional painter, but I have a safety-related question regarding spraying an unfinished area of my basement. The room is about 15X15 with the furnace and water heater in the center. My question: is there any reason for concern to spray the ceiling with an airless sprayer in such an enclosed area. I do live in Wisconsin and the furnace, obviously, runs quite a bit around this time of year. 

Am I just being too cautious or is there a legitimate concern for fire, explosion, etc. 

Thanks!


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

What are you planning on spraying?


To be honest, for a 15x15 room, it would be a waste of time to spray drywall anyway. If you want sprayed trimwork, it might be worth spraying that


----------



## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Shut off the furnace, wear a respirator. Latex paint you will be fine, its not going to blow up. 

Dean, I think he wants to spray the floor joists/exposed sub floor.


----------



## PaintProfessor (Feb 28, 2008)

Ok, awesome. Yes, I plan on spraying the floor joists, wires, pipes, the whole works.

Thanks!


----------



## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

DeanV said:


> What are you planning on spraying?
> 
> To be honest, for a 15x15 room, it would be a waste of time to spray drywall anyway. If you want sprayed trimwork, it might be worth spraying that


I agree. Simple project. Don't make it onto more than what it needs to be.


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

NCPaint is right if he understood better than I about what you are painting. Shut off the furnace and should will be fine with Latex stuff. If solvent, kill pilots as well.


----------



## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

Why not install a drop tile ceiling and cover it all up. It would look a lot better, easy to do by yourself, and not really expensive. You do do it in about 6 hrs by yourself.


----------



## JoseyWales (Jan 8, 2011)

PaintProfessor said:


> Ok, awesome. Yes, I plan on spraying the floor joists, wires, pipes, the whole works.
> 
> Thanks!


Expect a lot of tannin bleed if you just use an acrylic paint to spray all that raw woodwork.[I assume it's raw wood}

-Use an acrylic stain...


----------



## PaintProfessor (Feb 28, 2008)

Not a whole lot of height to deal with, so not too much spare room to install a drop. It is a utility room, but a little too drab and needs some brightening. As all of you know, when you are a painter, every square inch of the house needs to be painted otherwise, it just doesn't feel clean.


----------



## CliffK (Dec 21, 2010)

JoseyWales said:


> Expect a lot of tannin bleed if you just use an acrylic paint to spray all that raw woodwork.[I assume it's raw wood}
> 
> -Use an acrylic stain...


 Excellent point:thumbsup:


----------



## vandy (Apr 22, 2010)

Be safe, shut everything off.
Cover up anything you don't want painted.
Spray & Pray. (use a cheap flat, ave your money)
Demask & Cleanup.

One day project. Tops.


----------



## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

vandy said:


> Be safe, shut everything off.
> Cover up anything you don't want painted.
> Spray & Pray. (use a cheap flat, ave your money)
> Demask & Cleanup.
> ...


2 hour project tops. And I would be tinting primer, not using a flat. Tannins and all


----------



## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

JoseyWales said:


> Expect a lot of tannin bleed if you just use an acrylic paint to spray all that raw woodwork.[I assume it's raw wood}
> 
> -Use an acrylic stain...


 I agree, and would use something like woodscapes. At least for the base coat(s).


----------



## CPFSam (Nov 8, 2010)

Kill the pilots and spray oil base primer sealer. Then topcoat with latex.


----------



## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

CPFSam said:


> Kill the pilots and spray oil base primer sealer. Then topcoat with latex.


Truth be told, this is what I would do as well.


----------

