I'm doing some built-ins and furniture for a new apartment and have been asked to install and paint the mouldings. 750' crown, 500' skirting (without base), and 3000' of panel moulding, all over primed sheetrock, the floor ('engineered') yet to be installed. The moulding is 2 meter long pieces of high-density polyurethane foam, primed for painting. The finish will be white latex.

My thinking is to: 1) install the crown and the panel moulding, 2)paint all surfaces. 3)Install the floor. 4)Install pre-painted skirting, detail, mask-off, and retouch the joints. When I say re-touch, it probably means I will have to shoot all the skirting, so maybe it's not worth it to pre-paint.

For painting, I would use my Kremlin Airmix with the Xcite gun. I've never shot latex with it, but only Klima and Milesi WB.

The architect is very concerned about damage to the floor as it's soft imported walnut and wants to consider installing the skirting before the floor, leaving a gap for the flooring. I think that's crazy as no base is being installed.

I would like feedback from those that have done this before. Particularly, I would like suggestions for a tip size on the Xcite.

I think you would be better off here with an airless but I guess sometimes you roll with what you got..... Really kremlin doesnt offer the fan width size vs. orfice you really need for this but I'd start off with an 18-05 thats a 5" fan width and.018 thousandth orfice.... if i was going airless I'd run something like a 217, 218, 221..... 4 inch fan and a few different orfice sizes to play with..

Thanks Shane. I've read a few of your responses to posts and you seem very knowledgeable. Yeah, I gotta' work with what I've got for the moment. I'll check with my Kremlin rep for his comments.

If they are that concerned about the flooring they should have budgeted for ramboard or something heavy over the entire floor prior to the trim/paint. Either that or completely finish all the trim and install the flooring last with some sort of shoe (sounds like they dont want shoe).

Installing the floor, masking off the perimeter with something thin like Uline carpet mask (real thin) and then putting down the ramboard. Then install trim, paint, slice the maskright at the trim, and peel up the mask would seem the best but if they wont pay for the ramboard and the labor who knows.

Airless or a even a turbine would see better than AAA.

no probs...... take my advice like a grain of salt..... I come off as a know it all sometimes but it all comes from my personal experience of working as a professional finisher for 25 years...

why not rent an airless sprayer? Probably cheaper than a new kremlin tip

Craig,

Where are you located? Based on the mix of feet & meters, I’m guessing the UK. Also the mouldings(moldings) and skirting(baseboard).

Do you have shoe(quarterround) covering the gap between the floor & baseboard?

I'm located in Mexico City, Mexico. Very rare to find equipment to rent, and when you can very expensive - so no airless to rent.

What you're calling the 'shoe',I'm calling 'base'. And no, no base. The client doesn't want it.

I'm not familiar with Ramboard; I don't think it's available here off the shelf. For floor protection while installing, we buy 4' rolls of corrugated carton and lay it down.

I'm also not familiar with the Uline carpet mask (I don't know about the US, but I find their products outrageously expensive here. My normal approach is to use kraft paper in rolls, with the dispenser that also allows for a roll of tape, making masking much easier.

I'm going to insist that we install all after the flooring, and protect accordingly.

...now, for the equipment.

The U-line or any type of film mask is just a way of masking to the edge of the flooring (against the wall) and being able to run all your trim then cut the masking at the trim/flooring line and leave the super thin mask under the trim behind as opposed to having to mask to the trim with paper/tape.

Its simply faster. And your hours cost dollars so if the masking costs more but saves you hours its a win.

Thanks Mark, I understand now your suggestion, and it makes a lot of sense.