Orange Peel Paint Defects

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Q:  How can I get rid of orange peel paint defects?

A:  Orange peel is a coating defect that occurs when the coating that emerges from the spray gun is not properly atomized.  As a paint sprayer consultant, I usually give two predominant methods to eliminate orange peel:

1. Without changing the air atomizing pressure, DECREASE the flow of paint to the gun by turning the fluid control knob to the right, clockwise.

2. Without changing the fluid flow to the gun, INCREASE the air pressure to the gun.

With HVLP guns you are only allowed to increase the air pressure so that the pressure at the cap of the gun does not exceed 10 psig.  There is a third method, namely to add some thinners (solvent) to the paint but as an environmental coating consultant, I never recommend this as it adds to air pollution.

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