How To Paint Stainless Steel

Painting Stainless Steel with Preval

I'm sure you'll agree, that bare stainless steel makes for a great sleek look or professional appearance but; sometimes you or your client may desire a custom look or a completely different finish. Here's how to obtain that with our Preval Sprayer.

To Get Started Remember These Tips and Warnings:

• Spraying is ideal for finishing as it affords a smooth, even finish.
• Always be sure to take proper safety precautions when spraying paint, including hand, eye and breathing protection, as well as ensuring there is plenty of ventilation and no source of possible fume ignition.
• Avoid painting in direct sunlight or excessively hot or cold temperatures.
• Follow all directions supplied with paint material for proper application and dry times.
• Be sure to carefully mask off areas not meant to be painted, and mask off or remove hardware, emblems, etc..
• The key to any lasting finish is proper cleaning and prepping of the surface.

Consult with a paint professional to:

• Be sure to-Determine what type/grade the stainless steel to be coated is, if possible. Some grades simply don’t accept coatings very well.
• Be sure to-Determine the optimal type of bonding primer and paint if the stainless will accept coatings.

Materials:

Eye protection

Respirator or paint mask

Preval Sprayer

Masking tape + paper

Bonding primer

Paint suitable for spraying

Sandpaper

Degreaser

Tack cloths

Prep:

• Sand any scratches smooth.
• Sand entire surface, going with the ‘grain’ of the stainless, to promote good finish adhesion.
• Wipe down all surfaces to be painted with degreaser to remove dirt and oils, again promoting good finish adhesion.
• Mask off any other areas or hardware not to be painted.
• Prior to painting, wipe down all exposed areas with a tack cloth to ensure a dust-free surface.

Application

1. Fill the Preval Sprayer with the bonding primer and apply the first coat.
• Be sure to follow primer directions for recommendations on number of coats, dry times and whether sanding is required between coats or before paint coats.
2. Allow to thoroughly dry.
3. Fill Preval Sprayer with paint and apply.
• For even, uniform color and coverage, be sure to overlap spray passes by about 25-50% and hold the sprayer such that the spray pattern is always 90 degrees in relation to the surface; do not spray at an angle.
4. Apply several, lighter coats rather than one heavy one to achieve a smooth, uniform finish and to avoid runs or drips.
• If a run is discovered, allow paint to dry, sand the area flush, and then re-spray.
5. Allow proper paint cure time per the paint directions.

You’re off to a great start...ENJOY YOUR JOB!