The best way to effectively paint a rough exterior surface like stucco, brick, or hardwood is to use a pneumatic spray gun instead of a paint roller. Since you will probably need to rent a gun for a few days, it is important that you properly maintain it to keep it working and spraying a consistent stream. Most paint gun rentals will come with basic instructions, but they usually focus on the actual operation of the gun and fail to explain the best maintenance techniques. The key is to thoroughly clean the gun at the end of each day of paint, but also in between short breaks throughout the work day. This article explains a few key tips that you should follow when painting with a spray gun.

Taking Breaks During the Day

When you take a short break from paint, you need to prevent the gun nozzle from drying up. Usually, the best way to do this to simply place the gun in a bucket of water. It is mainly important that the spraying tip is submerged in water so it does not dry up. When you return to painting, you need spray for a few seconds to clean any water that might have soaked into the nozzle.

What to Do at the End of the Day

At the end of a day, you need to take more extreme measures. First, you need to clean the hose lines. To do this you need to replace the paint bucket with water. When you submerge the intake siphon in water, you can then spray it through the hose line until only water is coming out. You also need to remove the spray tip from the nozzle. Unplug the power supply and cover the bucket of paint. Soak this nozzle in watered-down paint thinner overnight. When you return to paint in the morning, you can just put everything back together and start spraying.

It is also important to note that you should follow all of these steps if you are using primer as well. Primer is often stickier and harder to clean than normal paint, so you have to be more thorough when cleaning. In the end, your paint job will be much easier and your gun will run much smoother if you properly maintain it throughout the project. Furthermore, a clean gun produces a more consistent paint stream, so the end result will look better.

If you need more assistance, consider contacting an exterior painting service for help.