Fine Finishes
Spray finishes
A sprayed finish can be very even, free of brush and roller texture. It depends even more than brushwork on preparation and masking, and it is not the right method for every surface.
Masking and overspray
Sprayed paint travels. Everything not being coated is masked with film and paper — floors, worktops, glazing, ironmongery, appliances and adjoining surfaces — and the room is sealed from the rest of the house with dust screens. Ventilation is planned so the room does not fill with mist, and outside, spraying stops when wind would carry overspray towards neighbouring property or cars. Masking often takes longer than the spraying itself.
Equipment
We use spray systems suited to the job: low-pressure equipment that atomises paint gently, for cabinetry and detailed joinery, and airless equipment for large, plain areas such as ceilings and walls. Each product is thinned, if at all, only as its data sheet allows.
Finish quality
A good sprayed film is uniform in thickness and sheen, which is exactly why it reveals what lies beneath: spraying is no substitute for preparation, and dents and ridges show as clearly as ever. Sprayed surfaces are also harder to touch up invisibly later, since a brushed repair can show against them, so we leave spare paint and a record of the system at handover.
When a brush is the better tool
For small areas, where masking outweighs any benefit; on period joinery, where a fine brushed finish often suits the house; in occupied rooms that cannot be sealed; and for touching up. Our joinery finishes page explains how we decide for kitchens and cabinetry, and premium surface finishing covers building a surface for raking light.
Common questions
Is spraying quicker than brushing?
The spraying itself is quick; masking, preparation and drying between coats are not. On large, plain areas or a full kitchen the overall time can be shorter, but for the woodwork of a single room, brushing is often faster once masking is counted.
Can walls and ceilings be sprayed while we live in the house?
Sometimes, if the room can be emptied, sealed and ventilated for the duration. In an occupied house we more often spray joinery taken off-site, or rooms that are empty early in a project, and brush and roll the rest.
Discussing spray finishes?
Tell us about the property and the rooms involved. We will visit, look closely at the surfaces and prepare a written quotation.
Request a quotation