Spray painting is quite exciting. People are now switching to spray paints, ideal for DIY projects. Also, spray paint's range of colors is much wider than any other paint. If you are new to spray painting, there are several things that you must be aware of. Spray paints are interesting, but they come with certain hazards. You must safeguard yourself against these hazards if you plan to use spray paints.
Graffitis has become quite popular in recent times. More and more people are impressed by the idea of painting their walls and creating something that resonates with their personalities or interests. If you are interested in painting graffiti, you must also use spray paint. Spray paints are easy to use as the paint dispensing mechanism is simple. If you are searching for some tips on using spray paints, you are at the right place. Read on to know everything about using spray paints.
Using a Spray Paint
There are several things that you must keep in mind when you use spray paint. When you choose a spray paint to work with, you are selecting a paint dispensing mechanism that involves air sprays. Therefore, when you spray the paint on a surface, most of the particles might diffuse in the air. Paints are created from several toxic substances, and you must safeguard yourself from the particles.
Let's look at some of the best ways using which you can safeguard yourself and use the spray paint effectively:
Ventilation
When you are using spray paint to create graffiti outdoors, you are safe from the harmful particles of paint as they diffuse in the air. However, if you are creating graffiti inside your house, you must ensure that the house is properly ventilated. Ensure all the doors and windows are open when working with spray paints. Ventilation is paramount, and you should not begin the activity if there's no ventilation. Avoid using spray paint in a closed setting, as the fumes of the paint can have severe health implications.
Buy a Thinner
Spray paints are usually oil-based, making the paint stick to the surface. While the presence of oil is an excellent advantage to the painters, it becomes a hassle if you spray the paint on a surface where you do not intend to. You might not be able to remove the spray paint from those areas. Therefore, you need to keep any alcohol-based thinner while using the spray paint. Alternatively, acetone can remove the spray paint from your skin or any other surface.
You must buy a painting medium before you start using your set of spray paints. You can buy a thinner or a solvent to easily remove the paint stains from the floors and the countertops. However, these products only clean the surface. You must use skin-friendly products like coconut oil to remove the paint stains from your skin.
Use a Canvas Board
You must have all the spray paint tools handy before you start with spray paint. A canvas board is one such tool that can be of great help when you spray paint. You can use the canvas as a surface for spraying the paint. These boards hold the paint better than any other medium. Also, the spray paint does not drip and distort the shape of the graffiti if you use a canvas board.
If you are using a canvas board, ensure that you spray the paint on the glossier side of the board. The oil of the spray paint sticks better to the glossy surface. Hence, the graffiti will have shine and luster.
Have a Protective Gear
Paints contain toxic substances that can have a direct impact on your health. Also, when you use spray paint, the risks become even worse as the spray leads to the diffusion of the paint particles in the air. Therefore, you need to protect yourself while using spray paint.
You must cover your arms and legs before you start using spray paint. Try wearing full-sleeved t-shorts and full trousers while creating graffiti using spray paints. While covering your lower body is important, covering your mouth and face is even more important. You must buy a good respirator mask that safeguards you from the fumes of the spray paint.
Paint fumes can cause severe breathing issues and other respiratory problems. Therefore, you must avoid using a cloth or single-use disposable mask. You should buy a heavy-duty or a good respirator mask to keep yourself away from the fumes of the spray paint.
Use Newspapers
You should take a few precautionary measures to ensure that the spray paint does not reach any other surface apart from the area where you want to paint the graffiti. Hence, you must use newspapers and sheets from old magazines to cover the floor and the other expensive objects nearby. You can create a layer of newspapers on the floor and tape a few on the wall where you do not wish to paint.
You can wrap the newspaper around the objects you don't wish to paint. Newspapers are the best way to prevent your walls from staining. You can also use newspapers to cover the painted areas so that a different color does not drip or stain the colored surface.
Choose the Right Surface
The surface you choose to paint on must be compatible with the spray paint. If you are planning to apply paint on your furniture or create graffiti on a wooden wall, you must purchase spray paint compatible with wood.
Most spray paints work on concrete walls. Therefore, if you want your paint to stick properly to a wall, you should paint the graffiti on a smooth brick wall. Avoid glossy surfaces like glass, as the paint might not stick well on the surface. You can also use a spray paint canvas to create graffiti. You should try to prime the canvas before spraying the paint for better results.
Buy or Create Stencils
While painting on paper might be easy for you, it gets much more complicated when you paint on a wall. Also, when you use spray paints, you need to check the optimum distance from where the spray would give the best results. While figuring out the right distance, you might spray the paint disproportionately on the surface.
To avoid such situations, you can buy a stencil of the shape you want to create on the wall. Instead of buying these stencils, you can also create these stencils at home using a thick cardboard sheet. Stencils will improve your color application technique and the precision you need to use spray paints. You can also use stencils to protect the surface where you don't want the paint to spill.
Other Important Tips
Apart from the spray-painting considerations discussed above, there are several other things that you must consider before you spray-paint a wall or any other surface. These considerations include:
- You should always try to create or paint graffiti outdoors. This is because the toxic chemicals in the spray paint diffuse in the air, and you are not in direct contact with these particles. Additionally, a good amount of air will help the paint to dry quickly.
- Spray paints are created out of solid and liquid ingredients. Therefore, when you keep ab spray paint upright, the solid particles tend to settle at the bottom of the can. Hence, when you spray the paint on a wall, you will see a diluted share of the paint. Hence, you must shake the spray paint can quite well before you use it. When you shake the bottle, the paint will become consistent throughout, and when sprayed, it will give the best results.
- You must also take care of the temperature of the place where you are creating graffiti using spray paint. When you paint under the sun, the spray paint might dry before reaching the surface. Hence, it will lead to a rough texture, and the paint might peel off in a few days.
Also, when you use spray paint during cold weather, the paint will not dry off soon. Hence, graffiti will likely be ruined if someone touches the surface.
- When using spray paint to create graffiti on a wooden wall or any wooden surface, you must prime the surface. You must use sandpaper to sand the surface so that the surface becomes even flatter and holds the paint.
- Test spraying the paint is also important to ensure that the consistency of the paint and everything else is right. You can use a newspaper or a cardboard sheet to test the spray before applying it to the wall or any other surface n which you are painting your graffiti.
- You must also try to hold a can at a distance from the surface that you want to paint. If you stand too close to the area, you will apply a lot of paint to one area itself. Try maintaining a distance from the surface to ensure that the paint is consistent and applied evenly.
- If you want the spray paint to yield better results, you can apply a double coat of paint to the surface.
Final Words
Spray paint provides a great painting experience. However, the hazards that come along with the paint make it challenging. Therefore, you should try incorporating all the tips discussed above for a better spray painting effect and safeguard yourself while using spray paints. Also, you must invest some money and buy protective gear like respirator masks before you start spray painting.
