Enamel Paint To Thinner Ratio For Spray Gun – Detailed Guide

Is it difficult for you to determine the ratio of enamel paint to thinner for spray guns? As a beginner user of enamel paint, thoughts may come to your mind about how to thin its thickness. Here you will get to know some ideas of ratios.

Enamel paint requires a suggested amount of thinner for the spray gun. Let us discuss the enamel paint to the thinner ratio for spray guns, types of spray guns, and the use of thinner. Along with this here, I will also add some information about enamel paint.

Enamel Paint To Thinner Ratio For Spray Gun

Understanding Enamel Paint

Enamel paint is oil-based paint which means it is thick. Normally enamel paint takes more time to dry as compared to water-based paint. It is more durable and much more resistant to corrosion and rust, so enamel paint can not be easily affected by the surrounding environment to lose its properties.

Enamel paint requires a specific ratio for a spray gun. Enamel paint is quite expensive, but at the same time, its finishing is worth each penny.

About Spray Gun

Enamel paint to the thinner ratio for spray guns can be understood well after knowing some history of spray guns, including when it was invented and how many types of spray guns are available on the market.

Spray guns are tools used for painting and were invented in 1888 by Dr. Allen DeVilbiss in the United States. After that, his son came up with an air compressor’s improved version of the spray gun. Innovation in technology does not stop here. Still, innovation in technology is evolving day by day.

Spray guns appear in two types. Manual spray guns and automatic spray guns. Both have different methods of use. Manual spray guns are operated by hand, such as airless spray, while automatic spray guns, such as HVLP, are operated by a control cabinet.

The enamel paint to the thinner ratio for the spray gun can be different. Essential parts of spray guns are the airhead, flow regulator, and nozzle. Each part has its separate function.

Enamel Paint To Thinner Ratio Reading

Enamel paint is a commonly used paint. It gives a glossy glass-like finish. It is easy to wash, and it resists rust from the surface. It has a thick nature. Enamel paint can not be used as it is. It should be first diluted with the suggested thinner than can apply.

Thinner acts as a solvent in enamel paint for the spray gun. Thinning is a process in which it acts as a solvent to overcome the thickness of oil-based paint, which means it can dissolve oil-based paint in it.

There are so many thinners available in the market.  Different types of thinner are available for the customers. One is for oil-based paint, and the other is for water-based paint. Sometimes one gets confused about which one is better to use with enamel paint.

Depending upon the texture of the color, thinner such as acetone, turpentine, and mineral spirit, is used to mix with enamel paint for the spray gun. Mineral spirit is a better substitute for turpentine. So the mineral spirit is also known as the turpentine spirit or petroleum spirit.

To thin enamel paint, use proper thinner in the ratio of 3:1 based on the type of paint. This 3:1 means three parts of color and one part thinner. Some studies show that 4:1 is also a good ratio which means four parts of paint mixed with one piece of thinner.

A 50/50 ratio is also suggested by some brands of color, which means fifty percent part of enamel paint and fifty percent part thinner. The ratio of 3:1 is safe to use as a beginner and has less risk of becoming so thin or hard.

Add the suggested thinner correctly to the enamel paint jar. The mixture should not be so thin that it becomes difficult to handle. Mix them very gently and use clean and dry equipment for thinning, such as a stirring stick, the spare jar should be clean and dry.

Otherwise, paint gets spoiled. There should also be a check on the nozzle of the spray gun. Sometimes, the spray gets stuck there due to dryness or dirt in the nozzle area.

Fina Remarks

The enamel paint to the thinner ratio for the spray gun is described above very briefly. The amount of enamel paint for the spray gun should be more than the amount of thinner. It results in a shiny finish and an eye-catching look. The wrong ratio of enamel paint and thinner can spoil the result.