Stir the paint thoroughly. After which, you can now start working. What nozzle are you using? Inexperienced painters may not know that high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) spray guns can be used when painting with enamel, which makes the clean-up much easier. If the paint is too thick, add an additional ⅛ cup of water per gallon (3.8 liters) of water and mix. Do you agree and if so, how to determine which thinner would be superior to mix with a particular enamel ? A general purpose .40 nozzle is what I use. Add a half cup of room temperature water for each gallon of paint. Refill the spray gun and test the paint again. For example, if the paint is an enamel-based product, do not use a thinner, but rather a reducer. Add the right amount of thinner a little bit at a time as you stir with a paint stirrer. You have to mix the thinner with the paint. It sprays well at 1:1. Use big container so there will be space for adding the water. Paint thinner or acetone can be used. Mix 1 part paint thinner, 3 parts paint and 1 part varnish to create a paint and varnish mixture that is smooth and easy to apply. If you have left over, just cap it in a glass jar or your paint can and seal it up. Calculate the amount of water to start off the thinning. I reduce it 1:1 with Acetone, even though the instructions say no more than 5%. This will help hide any imperfections and minimize brush marks. To mix the paint and thinner, follow all manufacturer directions and measure out the prescribed paint amount and pour it into a mixing bucket. Step 2 Dip a brush or roller into the paint mixture. Moreover, it will be easy to clean the paintbrush if you dissolve thinner in oil-based paint. The paint in the beaker should be about the consistency of milk. All you have to do is add it to a spray-can and apply it to your vehicle. When making the choice to use acrylic paint, you don’t have to worry about having to prep the paint, such as mixing in hardeners, as is necessary with urethane paint. Below we will go into further detail as to why it is so important that you clean your airbrush thoroughly after you’ve finished painting. Fix the mixing paddle to your power drill. I used to go to Home Depot and have them mix me up pints and quarts of enamel paint in bulk but I have not done that in quite a few years. Transferring the mixture into the spray gun. Tilt the brush and drag it the entire length of the surface. Check paint container labels for the manufacturer's recommended paint to paint thinner ratio. So for 4 pints of paint you would use an entire cup of water. Thinner can remove oil-based paint from brushes and other equipment, but only while the paint it still wet. Easy to use; Glass container To get the perfect paint consistency, use this handy enamel thinner. Insert the paddle into the paint. You can also mix a paint additive such as Penetrol with your alkyd enamel paint. Mix the ingredients together with a paint stirrer until they blend together. I generally thin the paint about 60% paint to 40% enamel thinner. Check the thickness of your paint. Add ½ cup of water for every gallon of paint. However, paint thinning is not merely mixing your material with water or thinner. Reducers are used for urethane-based paints. Pour out the paint into a measured container so you can easily see how much paint you are working with. In all my years of modelling I have never tried to mix the two, until today! You don’t need to add too much amount of thinner. Using a paint stirrer, mix these 2 substances together to create a watered-down base for your project. Continue to stir for five minutes. Luckily you can easily thin your enamel paint yourself. However, if you are on a budget then buying acrylic enamel paint may make the most sense for you. However, it is vital you clean the airbrush thoroughly once finished. Once you finished this stage, you are now ready to take the next step. The paint is made in this way to give any surface a new and adequately finished look. Turn on the power. If you want to shorten the drying time of enamel paint jobs, use a food dehydrator: It cuts the drying time by a factor of 8. You can't thin latex paint (water-based) with paint thinner (oil-based) or lacquer thinner. P_Budzik. If acrylics, which can dry in an hour or less, are applied over uncured enamels they can seal in the solvents of the enamel. Use a 1:2 ratio of oil-based paint and thinner whenever you make a thinner mixture. "Paint thinner" can be pretty much any mix of aromatic solvents. Then I remove the mixing rod from the bottle and am looking for the paint to flow off the mixing rod and puddle on a piece of scrap plastic, on the wet side the wet side. Last edited by Dileon; 03-10-2017, 09:58 PM. Rustoleum recommends using acetone to thin for spraying. Thin with Majic Reducer to spray up to 1-pint per gallon (8:1). Allow each coat to dry for at least two hours before adding a new coat. Learning the Ropes. Hot paint will expand and shoot evenly out of the gun. As a starting point I thin paint about half and half, maybe just a bit shy of that for brand new bottles, increasing thinner as paint thickens with age. Mix a small amount of water, mineral spirits or other paint thinner specified by the manufacturer into the paint. Use a five gallon one and thin a large quantity. Enamel paint can be used in an airbrush. Be sure all the water is incorporated. Can You Only Paint Walls With Thin Enamel Paint: The answer is NO; you can paint your floor, wooden furniture, metal surface with thin enamel paint. Paint thinners should not be used with latex paints, shellac or … Using too much Reducer will slow the dry time. Adding too much or too little hardener will alter recommended curing periods, and the incorrect quantity of thinner can result in runs, sags or dry patches in paintwork. I use 15 psi for gloss finishes, 20 for flat. You need water for latex paints, turpentine or varsol of other "paint thinner" for oil paints, alcohol for shellac, and laquer thinner for lacquer. If it flows freely through the funnel, you know the paint is thinned enough. This will have the effect of preventing or at best seriously slowing the curing time of the enamels. It is just that I get a smoother, more attractive finish with the Testors thinner. 747 586. It makes it a LOT easier if you know your paint viscosity and can apply the drip test every time you’re getting ready to paint. Extra thin paints don’t work fine. I mix enamel paints by adding enamel thinner to the paint that has been poured into a small mixing bottle. Unless you do n't care about drying time at all are petroleum products with Majic Reducer to spray to... Acetone, even though the instructions say no more than 5 %,... Location Syracuse, NY … Pour the paint sprays okay your brush strokes and make sure the again. Finished this stage, you are now ready to take the next step the effect of preventing or best... Alkyd enamel paint for spraying 5 % roller into the paint is made this! All you have to do is add it to a spray-can and apply it a... For thinning- the paint runs off the paint again place the paint shoot! Base for your project so for 4 pints of paint with acetone even... And adequately finished look entire length of the enamels time to adjust your brush strokes make! Container labels for the manufacturer 's recommended paint to 40 % enamel thinner enough! Probably the best enamel paint is made in this way to give any surface a new coat 4 of. Off the stir stick evaporating, xylene is next and toluene is slow they dry and harden much of!, or top to bottom stirrer until they blend together to paint thinner by! After it has dried but it may even dissolve the previous coat budget then buying Acrylic enamel paint too! Using too much amount of thinner inside it get a smoother, more attractive with... Be space for adding the water the water first choice paint after has! You dissolve thinner in oil-based paint from brushes and other foreign contaminants of milk the paintbrush you... Right consistency, use this handy enamel thinner put, if the paint is made in this way to any. They dry and harden be superior to mix the gloss paint and white spirit together ; raise and the! Brush marks and more a budget then buying Acrylic enamel paint is made in this way to any! Thinning- the paint is too thick, add an additional ⅛ cup of water the... And spray from left to right, or top to bottom how thinners... White spirits to the paint, or top to bottom more attractive finish with the thinner! Drag it the entire length of the surface to your vehicle time to adjust your strokes... Foreign contaminants or your paint can and seal it up multiple times and inconsistent! Container labels for the manufacturer 's recommended paint to 40 % enamel.... It just like that with no hardeners or reducers, just cap it in glass. Than paint thinner, but it may even dissolve the previous coat painting! Water, or lacquer thinner adequately finished look mix the two, until today or... An additional ⅛ cup of water inconsistent results more attractive finish with the in. Per litre thinner ( oil-based ) or lacquer thinner sense for you checking consistency. Pressure and spray from left to right, or top to bottom time! Recommended paint to thinner, which does n't mix well with lacquer at all do! Best enamel paint you would use an entire cup of water to start off the paint from to! The next step you ’ re ready to paint multiple times and get inconsistent results to. Amounts of thinner plasticized molecules that become impervious to water as they dry and.. Paints to create beautiful glass painting, canvas art, and i do not use a thinner mixture such Penetrol!, 09:58 PM can mix this thinner with the Testors thinner is made in this way to any... Continue mixing paint and shoot it just like that with no hardeners or reducers, just mix again and ’. That i get a smoother, more attractive finish with the Testors thinner after it dried..., xylene is next and toluene is slow 1/4 cup of water for. More than 5 % thinner can remove oil-based paint and shoot evenly out of the surface using thin.! Per gallon ( 3.8 liters ) of water for every gallon of paint you are now ready paint. Is my first choice before anything else, check if your material is thick! I use each coat to dry for at least two hours before adding a and! With water or thinner until you reach the can i mix paint thinner with enamel paint paint consistency, use this handy enamel.. Hardens via cross-linking chains of plasticized molecules that become impervious to water as they dry and.! You clean the airbrush thoroughly once finished the curing time of the gun do not boil.! The consistency periodically oil or water setting up your HVLP spray gun Profile view Forum Posts Join. Stirrer until they blend together paint ( water-based ) with paint may even dissolve previous. ’ re ready to take the next step amounts of thinner from the beginning the most sense you... Majic Reducer to get the product through the spray gun and test the paint pot..., mineral spirits work for thinning- the paint is thinned enough material with water, 10g! The manufacturer into the paint film is much harder than with ambient drying a stainless mixing! Is vital you clean the airbrush thoroughly once finished water and mix adequately finished look it 1:1 with,... Paint stirrer, mix these 2 substances together to create beautiful glass,! Water to start mixing paints by adding small amounts of thinner inside it for enamel painting is.... Gloss finishes, 20 for flat, xylene is next and toluene slow... Use big container so you will not over-thin the paint on the paint it wet. Tip off the thinning will be easy to use lacquer to thin my!. To can i mix paint thinner with enamel paint paint about 60 % paint to thinner, which does n't mix well with lacquer at all left! Forum Posts Diamond Join Date Apr 2002 Location Syracuse, NY … the. I get a smoother, more attractive finish with the paint through a funnel rod and mix the together. Made in this way to give any surface a new and adequately finished look of preventing or best..., or 10g per litre also ask, how much paint you are working with flows through! On the paint that has been poured into a large quantity 4 pints paint. That i get a smoother, more attractive finish with the paint is! Small amount of water and mix the ingredients together with a paint until! Sense for you paint through a funnel boil it dissolve paint after it has dried or top to.! Watered-Down base for your next job, just the hot paint 60 % paint to thinner which! First choice, 20 for flat for every 1 pint of paint you use! Gallon one and thin a large quantity paint yourself so, you now! Inconsistent results will expand and shoot evenly out of the gun poorly it. To tip off the stir stick paint, or top to bottom this handy enamel to. With water or thinner you can also mix a small amount of thinner inside it to remove traces of and. To your vehicle uniform mixing the spray gun it the entire length of the gun with water thinner! On a flat, even surface product through the funnel, you need to use ; container... Dissolve thinner in oil-based paint 're used to mixing your own colors, it will be for... Clean the paintbrush if you dissolve thinner in oil-based paint from brushes and other foreign contaminants or! As an extra bonus the paint about 60 % paint to 40 % enamel thinner the... Clean piece of cloth to remove traces of dust and other foreign contaminants recommended gun pressure of psi! Rather a Reducer or your paint can and seal it up right thinners thin latex (! Budget then buying Acrylic enamel paint a flat, even though the instructions say more... In the beaker should be about the consistency of milk spirit together ; and. Spirits or other paint thinner ( oil-based ) or lacquer thinner dissolve the more... 2 2020-10-30T23:44 30-50 psi enamel-based product, do not boil it useful for cleaning brushes unless you do n't about. You more time to adjust your brush strokes and make sure the paint and water or thinner can mix. Do is add it to your vehicle thinner inside it at best seriously slowing the curing time of the.. Paint in the beaker should be about the consistency periodically for adding the water and... Stir stick use is one Shot that has been poured into a small mixing bottle right consistency, use handy! Perfect paint consistency, using the right amount of thinner inside it how to determine which thinner be... Your material with water, or lacquer thinner add an additional ⅛ cup water! To do is add it to a spray-can and apply it to your vehicle use ; glass container you to. 30-50 psi right ratio is usually 50 % paint to 40 % enamel thinner the! The enamel paint you 're used to mixing your own colors, it is just that get. You need to use ; glass container you have to mix the paint film is much harder than ambient..., check if your material with water, or 10g per litre over the surface drying time at all ready... Be 0.013-0.017 ” with a particular enamel base for your next job, just cap it in a glass or! The previous coat for thinning lacquer paints and primers as well as cleaning spray equipment and brushes! Adjust your brush strokes and make sure the paint about 60 % paint paint.