I’m using Zinnser cover stain primer and didn’t thin out before using my Wagner HVLP spray for the first time (they said no need to thin). It came out orange peel like and I think I sprayed too much for the first coat.
First coat:
I tried sanding it down but it took forever with 220 grit so I tired 120 and it took a while to get it somewhat smooth but even that didn’t make it completely smooth:
After light sanding:
Questions:
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Do I need to get it completely smooth before moving to painting? Or is what I have in the photo enough?
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The paint chipped a little when I sanded it. Is this bad? I can always go over it with primer again but is the rest of it at risk of more chipping cause it’s too thick?
These were some test run cabinets so I wanted to get the technique down before I did my full kitchen. Any advice to help save time and have a better finish is appreciated!
Best Answer
The smoother it is before each coat, the better the coat will look. I run my fingers over the surface while sanding to find and remove imperfections that aren’t visible.
If 120 grit is slow, go with 80 grit, then 120, then 240 and finish with 320 or even 400. For between coats you should only need a very light sand with 400.
(Instead of buying 400 grit, you can keep your used 320 grit since they get smoother before becoming useless).
Painting requires patience and practice. All paint behaves slightly different and the air temperature/humidity will also affect it.