Using a paint sprayer makes home paint jobs more effortless, but you need to know how to use one for thinned latex paint to get the job done right.
You also need to make sure your paint is at the right consistency for spraying. If the alkyd paint is too thick, it can block the paint for a sprayer or disperse unevenly, creating splotches and bubbles on your thin latex paint job.
Certain types of paint are more prone to this than others. This guide is to help all DIY painters learn how to thin paint for sprayer application. Read on for all you need to know about thinning latex paint for sprayers.
How To Thin Paint For Different Sprayer Types
Thinning Paint For Airless Sprayers
Airless sprayers can sometimes handle paints without thinning, particularly larger airless paint sprayers. But that's not a guarantee, so make sure you test the paint with your airless sprayer.
Follow these steps to thin paint for airless sprayers:
- 1Pour your emulsion paint into a paint bucket.
- 2Add half a cup per gallon of paint or follow the manufacturer's ratio if it's on the label. Then, introduce it slowly so you can gauge how it's thinning as you go.
- 3Mix with the latex paint stick by scooping in an arc from the bottom to the top.
- 4Pour the more paint through the funnel. If it’s passing through easily, it’s where you want it. Make sure there are no interruptions as these could point to lumps or uneven stirring.
- 5Add small amounts of water or solvent if the latex paint is still too thick.
Thinning Paint For HVLP Spray Gun
Unless you have an industrial paint sprayer, you’ll have to thin your HVLP spray system more when using a high volume low pressure (HVLP) gun.
So you have to thin the latex paint a bit differently. Here’s how to get the thin latex paint HVLP spray gun or spray guns models work best with:
- 1Start with acrylic paint. Pour out some into the spare paint can.
- 2Stir it vigorously to activate everything.
- 3Add a small amount of water and continue stirring until everything is uniform. Lift your stir stick until latex paint is coming off. It will be dripping in clumps at first.
- 4Add a bit more water. Repeat stirring, measuring, and adding more water until the latex paint is so thin that it runs off the stir stick in a single stream. The paint should drip all the way to the paint can.
Thinning Paint For Compressed Air Sprayers
The power of the compressed air could cause really thin paint to disperse widely, making for inaccurate spraying latex paint, a mess to clean up, and the potential for more fumes and paint in the air.
In this case, you need to make sure you don’t add too much water. So we’d recommend thinning the paint with even smaller amounts of your diluter (water, solvents, etc.)
Steps Required For Thinning Different Types Of Paint
How To Thin Acrylic Paints
- 1Pour between ⅓ and ½ of the paint into an empty paint bucket.
- 2Make sure you're using water and nothing else, or you'll ruin your acrylic paint.
- 3Stir the paint conditioner thoroughly to activate it.
- 4Get ⅓ of a cup of water for each gallon of paint. You can measure the paint you pour with smaller measuring cups to make this equal.
- 5DON’T add all that water at once in thin acrylic paint! Pour in a little and stir until you have a cohesive mixture. Continue adding water until paint flow the stir stick test.
How To Thin Latex Paints For Sprayer
Latex paints are entirely water-based [1], whereas acrylic paints are chemical-based, which allows them to expand better. You can follow the same process for thinning each one.
Thinning latex paint for Wagner paint sprayer models is more like thinning for an HVLP paint sprayer, and you should try to get it thin enough before use because those Wagners are really tough to clean when they clog with dried paint.
How To Thin Oil Based Paints
A good rule of thumb when using a sprayer with oil-based paint is to remove a bit - maybe 1.5 cups - and then add back that same amount of thinner solvent in oil based paints.
What I don't like about running with this rule is that it's easy to overdo it, although you do have some oil based paint set aside if you need to thicken oil based paint, and you do have more solvent (hopefully) if you need it.
Maybe I’m overly cautious, but I still add a bit at a time and stir thoroughly. This gives you a chance to see if the color of oil based paints is going in a direction you didn’t want it to.
How To Thin Enamel Paint For Spray Gun
Semi-gloss enamel paint takes a little bit of mineral solvent to thin it out properly for the paint spray gun. You could use up to a pint of thinner solvent if the enamel paint is thick to begin with.
The process is pretty much the same except for using mineral spirits. You’ll want to give it a test spray paint once it’s reached the paint's viscosity level you think it needs to be at, so don’t fill up your paint sprayer all the way right away , it can affect paint viscosity.
How To Thin Gloss Paint For Spraying
Get your gloss paint for spraying to a smoother finish by thinning it out for airless spray gun. Pour 10g of mineral spirits or turpentine per liter of gloss paint in to thin it out.
Gloss paint for spraying tends to have a diminished finish if you thin it for spray guns. To get it thin enough for low-pressure paint sprayers, it can get so thin that it will create a fine mist that covers everything.
That’s great cause your wall will be covered fast, but you’ll spend more time cleaning up everything else.
Why Is It Important To Thin Paint For Sprayers?
The primary purpose of thinning paint for sprayers is to get it to the right consistency so it will spray paint evenly without gumming up in the nozzle of spray gun.
If the paint is too thick, it can get stuck or even damage the spraying paint sprayer if the buildup is left in the sprayer for too long.
Occasionally you won't need to thin paint for spray gun, but lots of the time, you will. You might need to thin it extensively or just a little.
It depends on the paint you're using and the way your spray gun handles that kind of paint.
What is thinning paint, though? Basically, you’re diluting it with water or another fluid to increase its volume and reduce its thickness so that paint flows freely.
When you’re using a paint sprayer or spray gun, you’re more likely to have to dilute your paint so that paint flows freely form spray gun and spreads on the wall in even layers.
Paint Thinning Questions Answered
Do I need to thin paint for Graco sprayers?
Yes, you need to thin paint for Garco paint sprayer. If you spray thicker paint than it’s rated for, it can destroy the tip of a Graco sprayer. You can also just abide by the “if it sprays, it paints” rule and replace the tip piece when it wears down.
Do you dilute chalk paint for sprayers?
Yes, you can dilute chalk paint to use it in a paint sprayer. However, it's best to use hot water for thinning.
How do you strain paint?
You usually strain paint by putting a filter on top of a paint container and pouring the paint through [2].
How long does it take to thin paint?
Depending on how thick the paint is to begin with, you could have it all thinned out in a matter of minutes, or it could take a little while longer to get it thin enough to shoot through the sprayer tip.
Conclusion
Thinning paint isn’t necessarily difficult, but there are different ways to do it depending on what type of paint sprayer and what kind of paint you’re using.
Follow the instructions in this guide to thin out your paint and get nicer, more even layers up on the wall.
References:
1. https://www.paintritepros.com/blog/the-guide-to-water-based-paints/
2. https://sawsonskates.com/how-to-strain-paint/