How To Spray Oil Finishes

One of the questions/concerns we get a lot is how to get the sheen of the finish even, especially satin sheens. The biggest issue seems to be that the sheen is streaked. The issue seems to be getting the flattening agents to lay down evenly. Oil finishes normally go on very thin and when wiped they are super thin. The main problem seems to be the flattening agents just don’t have the ability to “flow out” evenly.

Here are the keys to getting a great sprayed oil finish.

1. Use good varnish oil that dries well. Pure oils dry excessively slow and are not good candidates for spraying.
2. Use a .08 or 1.0 needle/nozzle.
3. Cut the fluid down and turn the pressure up a little; you want to “mist” the finish on, especially the first coat. Keep an eye on it and as soon as it “tacks” up do another slightly wetter coat but again, you’re not looking for a full wet coat. Remember it’s going to dry much slower and it’s going to flow more.