Stain is generally very easy to spray with an HVLP. Turn air and fluid flow way down. In my mind the only way to do trim packages. Very efficient method. I never did it with an airless, I imagine with a FF tip you could do it. Even a compressor and the cheap cup guns from Harbor Freight will work OK for applying stain (generally you won't hear me saying these guns are good for much). My process is as follows: 1. sand 2. vacuum or dust brush 3. spray 4. wipe stain (time varies -immediately to several minutes depending on desired depth) 5. dry rack

Be sure you have good ventilation. Lacquer level ventilation!

 

ML Campbell Woodsongs II. It’s designed for use under ML Campbell’s lacquers and their other clears. It’s a sprayed wiping stain. It can also be brushed. Easiest stuff I’ve ever worked with. Many of the pro millwork shops use it. Very user friendly, with quick redcoat time.

https://www.paintdocs.com/docs/webPDF.jsp?SITEID=MLC&doctype=PDS&prodno=744815028018&lang=2

 

ML Campbell Woodsongs II. It’s designed for use under ML Campbell’s lacquers and their other clears. It’s a sprayed wiping stain. It can also be brushed. Easiest stuff I’ve ever worked with. Many of the pro millwork shops use it. Very user friendly, with quick redcoat time.

https://www.paintdocs.com/docs/webPDF.jsp?SITEID=MLC&doctype=PDS&prodno=744815028018&lang=2

Used any of the lenmar alkyd/lacquer stains?

 

A tip for when doing trim packages - either stain or paint. I imagine most have figured this out on their own, it took me a couple of years. Some guys never do.

I'll take a bundle of trim - casing usually 10 pieces, base maybe 6 or 8. I throw it on the saw horses, cut the bands and prep it. I then stack the bundle back up and spray the sides of the bundle. This gets all of the trim edges at once and you're hitting several edges with one pass instead of one pass for each edge. Then spread the trim out across the horses and spray the faces . The couple minutes saved on the edges of each bundle really adds up at the end of the day, plus doing it this way seems to get a better coat on the edges.

 

I love to watch Scott's videos. He's a professional cabinet maker and finisher. On this video he uses "Aqua Tone' (By Aqua Coat) which he says is the easiest waterbased stain he's ever applied. He sprays the stain on with a HVLP and wipes it off with lint-free shop towels.

Aqua Tone Water Base Satin
Aqua Coat Water Base Lacquer: Satin (self seal)

 

I wonder what it costs to get one of those industrial ventilation systems.. That thing would be sweet.

I love to watch Scott's videos. He's a professional cabinet maker and finisher. On this video he uses "Aqua Tone' (By Aqua Coat) which he says is the easiest waterbased stain he's ever applied. He sprays the stain on with a HVLP and wipes it off with lint-free shop towels.

Aqua Tone Water Base Satin
Aqua Coat Water Base Lacquer: Satin (self seal)

https://youtu.be/EtGbk2jxunA

 

I have a Jet Filtration System set up in my workshop, (costs about $400). It works pretty well... cleans all the air in the room several times an hour. Cheap filters can be used as a pre-filter, as they are standard sizes. It can use several filters in a day if I’m spraying a big job. I’m thinking about getting a second one to put on the opposite side of the room (as recommended) to create a cyclical wind movement. Only drawback is that the exhaust creates more wind than I would like.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200450941_200450941

 

I have a chance to bid on a trim package for a builder I’ve never worked with, but I don’t know if I want to get into spraying stain and lacquer. It’s pretty nasty stuff, and I think my neighbors might start to complain. Even with a filter, it’s gotta be strong...?

 

I made a decision long ago to stay away from lacquer for health reasons. It's very nasty stuff and the lacquer painters have a short life span.

Back in the day all the builders wanted the trim pack & everything shot with lacquer. I decided to specialize in repaints only. Nowadays it's different with most trim packs shot with acrylic paints.

I still come across some quotes which has lacquer trim/doors that they want touched up or want the same coating. I turn them all down.

It's a commitment to be a lacquer sprayer as you'll need a separate sprayer and an expensive ventilation system if you have a commercial shop. In Canada they have inspectors who check out your ventilation system and can put you out of business if not done to code.

 

You dont HAVE to spray the stain, but it can save quite a bit of time, especially if you are using a prestain, and on big doors. You have to spray it on kinda heavy, especially if your using a lacquer stain. Heavy enough to make a bit of a puddle. If you fog it on, it dries in before you get a chance to wipe it. I do as much outside as possible. I always spray on the sawhorse, then grab the boards by the end, and lean them right up against the house to dry.

As far as jambs and windows, I dont mess around with spraying the stain or prestain. I only spray that stuff outside.

Before submitting a bid, remember that the base and case need to be puttied at some point. Usually, builders will let you slide by prefinishing the base and puttying after installation, but on jambs and windows and stuff, its best to putty before the final coat. I did work for a company that made a deal with the GC so we prefinished all case and puttied afterwards. Personally, if I have to spray lacquer over the putty, I only stain the boards beforehand. I dont lacquer them down. I dont think its worth it myself.

Also, ask about caulking. We always had to caulk the wall to the trim, and it takes a lot of extra time, cuz it needs to be wiped REALLY good. If you dont realize thats part of your job, you'll be eating a lot of time. A lot of places dont want them caulked though.

 

If you don’t want to use solvent lacquer’s there are water base alternatives. I’ve had excellent results with SW HydroPlus and Milesi top coats. Both can be catalyzed for improved performance, but you don’t have to.

I’ve had good results with General Finishes waterborne stains, but I’ll typically custom mix everything because I can’t find a pre-mixed stain that works.


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Good suggestion for future.

 

This day in age, I wonder why someone would deem it necessary to spray trims with laquer when there are so many options available. Could you not have suggested a waterborne system?

 

I will suggest alternatives next time... What would you suggest over stain? Something that can be sprayed and/or brushed?

 

I ditched the solvent born lacquers almost 30 years ago, having done a lot of it, but still periodically use the lacquer stains. You really need an explosion proof exhaust/filtration setup when working with them, solvent borne lacquers having a low flash point . Shooting them in a home shop utilizing a Jet air filtration system is just asking for trouble due to the potential for static discharge which can ignite the solvent vapors in the air. Flash fires from solvent borne lacquers have resulted in loss of life and property...happened to a floor finisher I knew, just from running lacquer sanding sealer on hardwood flooring.

I’m with PNW, Mr Smith, and FBK..there’s lots of good -Zero- HAP/ low to no VOC products out there to choose from.

 

How are the dry times for the waterborne lacquers?

I love real lacquers for the very quick drytimes, and how easy it is to get a perfect coat.

A long time ago, this company I worked for use to take all the 9' doors for the house outside on sawhorses to lacquer laying down. He just finished spraying all of them (like 16 at a time, I believe), when a freak hailstorm came from nowhere. Only two or three of them needed to be fixed.