Lux Investing

Is it OK to Use Canned Spray Paint on Unfinished Furniture?

My wife and I have been brush-painting our unfinished Alder kitchen chairs by hand, and we're getting drips and uneven blotches everywhere. If we want to speed up the process and make things look nicer, do we have to invest in a Spray Gun, or can we use good ol' canned spray paint?

Public Comments

1. I use spray paint... just give a light sanding. I always spray a primer on first then paint then I put a clear coat or two.. best to have 2 coats of paint with spray paint than one heavy coat. start from almost at the edge spraying off the wood then go across the wood in an even stream don't let up until your are off the other side. This gives you an even coat all the way across. some people do short spirts of spray but that leaves paint marks and can drip also if it is to heavy. you can even buy a spray paint helper.. it is a black trigger looking thing that attaches to the top of the can. instead of you holding that sprayer down and getting it on your hands. it push the sprayer down when you pull the trigger... it's like a dollar or 2 at walmart cool huh happy painting
2. First off the canned sprays cover poorly unless you buy the top of the line and then you'll go broke because a single can does not go very far and you'll be buying can after can . They are good for caned furniture and furniture with spindles etc. that are difficult to paint by hand . A high end spray gun is a great investment time wise but how often will you use it after the furniture project is finished . For furniture with flat surfaces primarily ,you are best off with a good qualty brush and alkyl based paint . Latex is certainly easier to use ,but suffers a little from durability problems altho they have improved the enamels . The blotches are due to alder having uneven porosity -just sand between coats (and the drips )and as the surface builds up the color will even out , (you probably didn't start off with a primer coat which would have saved a lot of grief ,but your first coat of base color can be considered your primer coat ) Get a good random orbit sander and go all over everything ,dust well and repaint . To prevent drips ,don't load the brush up too much ,and if you don't mind a slightly pebbled surface ,you can apply the paint with short pile rollers (they make foam rollers also for enamel painting and call them smooth surface and they come in 4 and 6 inch sizes ) Most important is to take your time and brush the paint out well ,don't just slop it on in a hurry .
3. I have spray painted furniture before with great results. But if it's unfinished, you really should at least put a coat of primer on first. It'll keep the paint from soaking in, less recoating & you'll get a smoother finish.
4. Canned spray paint is oil-based and won't give you good coverage...and you still run the risk of drips and goofy splotches. But a sprayer gun will work very well and you get to control the flow. I use them on lots of projects and the only time there's a less than desirable finish is when you're doing a large flat surface like a dresser or a table. Then you end up with a pebbly finish from the tiny dots of paint landing and drying too quickly. You'll also want to put a coat of shellac or sanding sealer over the wood before painting to seal it and help the paint have a longer life. It acts like a primer, but is stronger than normal primers for pieces that get a lot of wear and tear.
5. I would try a foam brush, rather than a paint brush. Then, if that doesn't work I would rent a spray gun. You can get runs with spraying the paint as well. Make sure when you are painting the spindles, paint going one way. If it were me, I would take my time and use a foam brush. Spraying inside is not a good idea and if you go to the garage or basement, it may be too cool(temp).