I feel like such a dope – how can I be having so much difficulty getting the results I want and expect? I am painting two fiberglass columns for my front porch. I cannot get a smooth finish, no matter how careful I am. I’ve tried to include all the info you might need (so it’s LONG) but make it easy for you to find the particular facts that actually matter. The columns are 8′ long, 8″ around, and they are suspended on 2×4’s between two saw horses, so they are easy to rotate. * I primed using Kilz premium * I am using Glidden exterior Endurance paint * I am using Flotrel (1 oz/quart) * I am using good paint brushes ———- * I am painting in my basement (temperature 60-65, dry) * I slather the paint on, smooth it out some with the brush, and then stroke the column from one end to the other * I have put the paint on quite thick and fairly light * I am painting about 1/3 at a time and then rotating the column * I sand between each coat, going down to the level of the “grooves”, which means I sometimes get down to primer ———— The bad results are all the way around. In the past I have sprayed a premium latex with a $100 compressor/gun. I had to thin the latex by 35% to get the right viscosity for the gun. The results were quite decent, but I had to be very careful to avoid drips. That spray job was for some interior furniture – I am worried that it wouldn’t work for an exterior situation (the paint can says it isn’t necessary to thin, which I interpret as “don’t thin it”). AM I CORRECT? The pictures show the finish after 12 hours and after some sanding. Please educate me – PLEASE!
Replies
Please educate me- PLEASE!
This doesn't answer your question but...
I've painted with just about every type of paint using just about every type of technique.
My question for you is why do you want it smooth?
Some things are supposed to be glossy and flat. The glossier and the flatter, the better.
Automotive finishes are a prime example. Anything else wouldn't look right. Can you imagine a brushes finish on a car? It is supposed to be smooth.
The opposite would be woodwork that traditionally was brushed. I could see your collums being smooth but not glossy.
My point is that you want them to look tratitional. Like they were wooden. Having brush strokes on the collums helps make them look like they are wood.
The only reason you don't have wood collums is because it would cost you an arm and a leg.
Maybe this helps. Maybe not. I just don't see why you want these to be smooth.
Somehow, I doubt anyone driving by on the road is going to say "Look at that crappy paint job on the columns, Marge."
You (the OP) don't happen to be an engineer, do you? Sock drawer segregated by color, thickness and date of purchase?
What about trying a foam brush? I've had good luck with those on flat areas (using foam rollers on MDF etc). If need be, load the paint on with a bristle brush, then spread it with the foam...
IMO, asking a latex paint to give a smooth finish (no brushmarks) is like asking a 1972 Chevy Vega to not rust.
Ain't gonna happen. Won't matter how hard you try, or what voodoo you do.
Cuz latex paint doesn't "do" smooth.
Sand it to give it tooth. Prime with an alkyd/oil primer.
Paint with alkyd/oil paint -- your choice of sheens.
You will be truly amazed at the difference.
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And where do you get oil paint today? My local Benjamin Moore store doesn't have any (actually they have a dozen cans of porch and metal paint left, but none that could be tinted to a light color), Home Depot & Lowes don't have any, my local Ace doesn't. I like oil paint.
You might have better luck with another brand of paint. We usually use Sherwin Williams Duration. Some amount of bristle marks will remain, but it should be fairly smooth.
Does the brush start to drag when you're doing your final "stroke?" The paint may be setting up too quickly.
Your basement may be a little on the cool side, also. While it sounds like pretty ideal conditions, if the columns are colder than the paint would prefer, it will kind of bunch up to stay warm.
Your photos look like the paint is probably going on too thickly. Once you start getting brush marks, a thicker coat over the top does not self-level like you would think it would. You might want to just sand down to bare wood again and start over.
(Or don't worry so much about it!)
I don't like painting w latex
I don't like painting w latex trim paint as I find it dries too quick and drags. And the worse is indoors in a heated house in the winter. I think the best latex time is a cool rainy day,,, lots of humidity.
You will get better results by thinning. Manufacturers make their paints to meet unreasonably low VOC regulations and they cannot recommend doing anything that would increase VOC, like adding glycol ethers. They also don't want people dumping a lot of water in and having it fall out of emulsion and then blaming the manufacturer, so they say do not thin.
You can get away with 20% water reduction, but to be safe, add 4 oz household ammonia per pint of water in order to keep the pH high enough that the emulsion won't break.
Double the Floetrol, it'll take it just fine.
You won't find glycol ether solvents at the paint store or Home Depot, but the household cleaner, Formula 409, is a solution of ethylene glycol butyl ether and ethylene glycol cut with water, which should be compatible with pretty much any latex paint. Try diluting a quart of your paint 10% to as much as 20% with Formula 409 and see how well it flows and how well it dries - should be noticeably slower drying to the touch because both of those evaporate a lot slower than water does, but overall cure will be the same. You might even get away without ammonia and don't worry about the blue color, the dye is so dilute that you won't see it in your paint.
Good luck.