Spray-Painting Beaded Face Frames
Suggested techniques for getting good coating coverage inside the narrow recesses of a beaded profile. March 29, 2008
Question
How do you paint beaded face frames? We are spraying a solid white tinted lacquer and we are having a hard time getting into the recess beside the bead. Any hints?
Forum Responses
(Finishing Forum)
From contributor M:
Brush.
From the original questioner:
Can't brush fast dry lacquer and look good.
From contributor A:
Turn the spray width down to about 3". Make sure you hold the gun perpendicular to the frame. Whatever film thickness is on the bead is in the groove as well. One problem with white paints is the shadow (actual lighting) makes the groove appear darker.
From contributor D:
Look into Sherwin Williams vinyl basecoats. This is a very thin and concentrated product and will color into open grains and recesses where heavier primers and topcoats have trouble crawling into. For an opaque color, spray it full strength at low atomizing pressure. Since it is so thin, you won't need much air to atomize it, and it does not produce a thick film such that you need to worry about orange peel. It flashes off almost instantly, so runs are not really a problem. Check the SW product data sheet for precise user information.
From contributor J:
Turn the air pressure down as far as possible. Basically, the air pressure from the gun is causing turbulence in a recessed area, not allowing the finish to settle there. Some retarder may also help flow by reducing the surface tension of the finish.
From contributor T:
For me, it's "all in the wrist," but just as the others have introduced, getting coverage in the recesses with the primer, under low fan pressure, will fill the inside of the bead profile. It builds too much on the flats, but I just sand a little more to level it. I've also spot primed the beads and come back with a full seal-coat.
