Accessibility Statement

Spraying Techniques


The spray techniques you employ will determine the quality of the finish.


Spraying a horizontal surface.

Spraying Techniques


  1. Always keep your spray gun level and spray equally from side to side or up and down, about 10" to 12" from the surface. Do not twist your wrist as you spray to avoid runs on the surface (Photo 1).

  2. Hold the gun and container with both hands to let your arm control the left-to-right movement until you are familiar with spraying the surface evenly (Photo 2).

  3. Start the spraying off the edge to avoid overspraying the edge (Photos 3 & 4).

  4. When spraying large surfaces, use a crisscross pattern, spraying from left to right, then up and down or vice versa to ensure full coverage. Overlap each stroke by about 1/3 of the spray pattern. Remember to release the trigger at the end of each spray movement to avoid excessive spraying (Photo 5).

Starting with the gun off the work before depressing the trigger.

Photo 1 – Hold the gun about 10”- 12” from the work


Depressing the trigger as the gun approaches the work.

Photo 2 – Begin a pass off the work. Be sure to support the gun with both hands.


First pass with the gun.

Photo 3 – Begin the first pass, moving the gun as smoothly and evenly as possible.


Overlapping subsequent passes with the gun.

Photo 4 – Subsequent passes overlap the previous by about 1/3 the width of the spray pattern.


Ensuring good coverage by moving the gun perpendicular to the first series of passes.

Photo 5 – Ensuring good coverage by moving the gun perpendicular to the first series of passes.

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