Specifying the most effective paint and coating can be challenging, but specification is only half the battle. Once managers have selected the paint or coating, workers still need to apply it correctly. To do that, they need to use the right equipment. Just any old brush will not do.
“If you use those cheap brushes and roller covers, typically your top quality finishes could look like you spent about $2 or $3 on a bucket of paint because you are going to show tracking, fuzz, streaks and brush marks,” says Rick Watson with Sherwin-Williams. “If you’re going to go and use quality product then I would say pair that with the proper equipment.”
Just as different coatings are made for different surfaces, some also require different methods of applications, whether that is a roller, brush or spray gun. Using the required application method is crucial.
“Particularly if aesthetics are involved and a coating is applied the wrong way, you’ll get something that doesn’t look as nice as it otherwise would,” says Johnnie Elliot with Rust-Oleum. “Some coatings can be applied by brush, roller, or spray. Others are spray only, while others are brush and roll only, and they are made to flow out better if they are brushed or rolled. Some paints and coatings have a thinner viscosity so they lay out really well when they are sprayed. We want to protect the substrate but we also want to make it look good.”
Regardless of the application method, it is important for workers to consult with the manufacturer and check the product recommendations and technical data sheets to determine which method of application is best for the specific paint or coating.
“Managers need to know the type of equipment recommended for the application,” says Jake Boyer with Prosoco. “Manufacturers don’t make these recommendations just to keep themselves busy. There are very specific reasons why we recommend a certain kind of application and don’t recommend others.”
-Ryan Berlin
Painting Projects That Perform
Specifying the Proper Paints and Coatings
How to Properly Apply Paints and Coatings
Paints and Coatings: Matching Equipment with Projects
