Minor imperfections are the hallmark of artistry, but they’re also something to be kept to a minimum. Fisheyes, or the little cratered bubbles of paint that happen when a speck of dust or dirt gets trapped beneath sprayed on paint or primer, are one such imperfection and one that painters dread. While much can be done to prevent fisheyes, they’re not always evident until after the first coat has been applied. When they do occur, it’s sometimes possible to fix them without stripping and re-doing an entire job.
Preventing Fisheyes
The best proactive step you can take to deal with fisheyes in your work is to make sure the surface you’re painting is absolutely clean. After sanding and prepping the surface to be painted, give it a thorough cleaning with detergent and hot water. After that, go over it with a solvent cleanser to remove any grease or oil left behind by the detergent -- trisodium phosphate is a common solvent cleanser to use. Wipe your surface using microfiber or other lint-free cloths. Ensuring enough bright light in your workspace can help you spot minor grease blots or dust specks that can lead to fisheyes.
Preventing Fisheyes with Air Filtration
Depending on your jobsite, there may be floating dust, debris and grease particles. Since you can’t totally change your jobsite, it’s wise to invest in a portable air filtration system to keep the area or room you’re working in as free from contaminants as possible when spraying on paint and primer. Choose a system capable of handling oil and moisture as well as regular dirt and dust. Make sure to drain, clean and change the filters on your system routinely for the best possible results.
Dealing with Fisheyes in Primer
If you’ve laid down a coat of primer and notice fisheyes appearing, you have a couple of options at your disposal. Not every solution will work on every project, so knowing your options helps choose the best one for the job at hand.
First, you can grab a roller brush and backroll over the coat of primer to increase adhesion, create a smoother surface and possibly fill in the fisheyes. This has the added bonus of allowing you to inspect your work for other imperfections as well as making it easier to do touch-up work later by creating a brush rolled surface that a client without a sprayer can match.
If backrolling isn’t a desirable option or leaves you with deflated craters, you can also opt for a second coat of primer to even things out. This is more time and cost-intensive, however, and might only be viable if you have the extra time and cost built into your job’s budget.
Dealing with Fisheyes in Paint
If your primer was clear but fisheyes appear in your first or base coat of paint, techniques like a second coat or backrolling aren’t as effective. It’s wise to stop working and remove the affected area. Allow the paint to flash -- usually 20 to 30 minutes -- and then spray a mist coat over it.
For final layers or single layers of paint, remove still-wet paint with a solvent, clean and refinish the area. If you only notice the fisheyes once the coat has dried, lightly sand the area to expose the primer or base coat and refinish the area with a mist setting.
Fisheye Solutions
Prevention and attention to detail as you paint are two of the biggest defenses against fisheyes. Remedying the problem while paint or primer are wet is easier to accomplish than having to sand out a fisheye later and try to blend a sprayed-on touch up. Make sure the surface you’re working on is clean and maintain proper filtration to keep it that way as you work.
What’s your favorite tip or trick for dealing with fisheyes in your work?
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Preventing Fisheyes
The best proactive step you can take to deal with fisheyes in your work is to make sure the surface you’re painting is absolutely clean. After sanding and prepping the surface to be painted, give it a thorough cleaning with detergent and hot water. After that, go over it with a solvent cleanser to remove any grease or oil left behind by the detergent -- trisodium phosphate is a common solvent cleanser to use. Wipe your surface using microfiber or other lint-free cloths. Ensuring enough bright light in your workspace can help you spot minor grease blots or dust specks that can lead to fisheyes.
Preventing Fisheyes with Air Filtration
Depending on your jobsite, there may be floating dust, debris and grease particles. Since you can’t totally change your jobsite, it’s wise to invest in a portable air filtration system to keep the area or room you’re working in as free from contaminants as possible when spraying on paint and primer. Choose a system capable of handling oil and moisture as well as regular dirt and dust. Make sure to drain, clean and change the filters on your system routinely for the best possible results.
Dealing with Fisheyes in Primer
If you’ve laid down a coat of primer and notice fisheyes appearing, you have a couple of options at your disposal. Not every solution will work on every project, so knowing your options helps choose the best one for the job at hand.
First, you can grab a roller brush and backroll over the coat of primer to increase adhesion, create a smoother surface and possibly fill in the fisheyes. This has the added bonus of allowing you to inspect your work for other imperfections as well as making it easier to do touch-up work later by creating a brush rolled surface that a client without a sprayer can match.
If backrolling isn’t a desirable option or leaves you with deflated craters, you can also opt for a second coat of primer to even things out. This is more time and cost-intensive, however, and might only be viable if you have the extra time and cost built into your job’s budget.
Dealing with Fisheyes in Paint
If your primer was clear but fisheyes appear in your first or base coat of paint, techniques like a second coat or backrolling aren’t as effective. It’s wise to stop working and remove the affected area. Allow the paint to flash -- usually 20 to 30 minutes -- and then spray a mist coat over it.
For final layers or single layers of paint, remove still-wet paint with a solvent, clean and refinish the area. If you only notice the fisheyes once the coat has dried, lightly sand the area to expose the primer or base coat and refinish the area with a mist setting.
Fisheye Solutions
Prevention and attention to detail as you paint are two of the biggest defenses against fisheyes. Remedying the problem while paint or primer are wet is easier to accomplish than having to sand out a fisheye later and try to blend a sprayed-on touch up. Make sure the surface you’re working on is clean and maintain proper filtration to keep it that way as you work.
What’s your favorite tip or trick for dealing with fisheyes in your work?
