6 Paint Sprayer Disasters and How to Fix Them

6 Paint Sprayer Disasters You Can Fix

1. Spray Paint Cracking, Running and Uneven Surfaces
2. Spray Paint Drips
3. Bowtie Effect
4. Spray Paint Splatter
5. Wackiness in Tackiness
6. Missed the Mark

#1. Spray Paint Cracking, Running, and Uneven Surfaces

Holding your paint sprayer too close to the surface being painted can create a few issues with your finished look.  Spray paint cracking as it dries, running paint,  and other issues that result in a surface which isn’t smooth.

How Do You Fix Paint Runs and Uneven Paint on Wall

Should this happen to you, wait until the paint is completely dry and then sand it with wet/dry sandpaper of 1000 grit.  

Chances are you will need to apply a second coat of paint.

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#2. Spray Paint Drips

If you have painted on an uneven wall, without fixing holes and other miscellaneous weird spots, you could end of with spray paint drips. 

How to Fix Spray Paint Drips

The best way is to prevent them from happening at all, by patching and sanding all holes and uneven surfaces on your wall.  Also, applying primer will ensure smooth application of your paint and a better looking finished result.

#3. Paint Sprayer Disasters and The Bowtie Effect

Have you noticed that when you apply a line of paint with your sprayer the ends seem wide and thin, but the middle is thick, small, and heavy?

Paint Sprayer Disasters : How to Fix Bowtie Effect

Because you’re using a circular motion instead of a straight motion to apply the paint you’ll get more bowtie effect.

Instead, using a straight motion to apply the paint. Also, don’t stand in one spot, move along the paint line to get results that are a little more consistent. 

#4. Spray Paint Splatter

Also known as “splatter chatter”.  Everything is going along fine. The wall is looking incredible. Then, without warning, you get splatter out of your paint sprayer and the wall looks terrible.

What happened?  Why is my paint sprayer spitting?  Let’s do some paint sprayer troubleshooting.

How to Fix Splatter Chatter: What Causes Spray Paint to Splatter

If it happened at the beginning of your work, then there’s a good chance that an air bubble was still in your hose.  Priming the hose thoroughly before beginning will resolve this issue.

If it happened later into your project, then you’ve either run out of paint or you tilted the sprayer to far upward or downward.

Maintain your technique and most splatter can be prevented.  To fix spray paint splatter from your sprayer, you would quickly take a roller or brush and smooth out the splatter on the wall.

#5.  Wackiness in Tackiness

Not all paint dries quickly. Sometimes it can take quite a while for paint to become dry enough that a surface becomes useable.

Paint Sprayer Disasters : How to Fix Tackiness

How long should paint dry between coats?  You should always plan depending on the humidity level, temperature and ventilation in your painted area.   It could be 2 hours or it could be 6. 

If you expect it to take less time, you could find yourself in for a very unpleasant surprise. 

#6. Missed the Mark

Painter’s tape can be incredibly useful. Its effectiveness is dependent on its actual placement.

If you have bends or bubbles in the tape, then you have places where the paint can find itself. The end result is a splotchy edge that requires a new paint job to fix.

How to Fix Bad Edges

Press the tape down firmly along all surfaces and double check your edge before starting to paint to avoid this common disaster. Some professionals use a putty knife to really push the tape down in surfaces and in the corners.

Paint Sprayer Disasters Conclusion

A paint sprayer can save you a lot of time, but only if you avoid these common mistakes. You can fix any of the above paint sprayer disasters, which is good news, but with a little planning there doesn’t have to be a mistake in the first place.

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