Because industrial painting is such a diverse and expansive industry, there needs to be an equally comprehensive range of paint application methods that can keep up with all of the different projects. These can traditional or hyper-modern and advanced, but all play their part in the industry.
Here at Shirley Industrial Painters & Decorators Limited, we are industrial painters and decorators with over 45 years of experience, which means we are well-versed in many of the methods of application the industry has to offer. We run you through a few of the most common in our blog post below.
Paint Brushing
To begin with the most familiar, paint brushes are often used in industrial painting to help with the finer details and accessing hard-to-reach places. Paint brushes are also the perfect tool for covering up and blemishes from general wear-and-tear.
Naturally, to use a paint brush to apply industrial paint to the entire exterior of a building is not recommended as this will be inefficient in terms of materials, labour, and time. This would also likely leave brush marks and a finish that is not as smooth as some alternatives.
Rollers
Another method of application we will all likely be familiar with from domestic use, rollers are often used in industrial painting as they are essentially the ideal bridge between paint brushes and the more ‘industrial’ methods. Rollers are great for consistent and quick coverage, but are also very adaptable and can suit most situations well.
Rollers are, however, only really useful when the surface is very flat and smooth already – such as concrete. They can be less effective when it comes to covering the smaller gaps and intricate surfaces.
Air Spray
Air spraying paint in an industrial environment uses compressed air to atomise the liquid paint into a mist or fine spray, which can then be applied directly to the surface in a coverage that is smooth and consistent. The process is quick and effortless in comparison to something such as manual paint-brushing.
Air spraying can be adapted to best suit the context, including changing pressure and pattern, which makes it a highly flexible option although it is best suited to well-exhausted and outdoor spaces as there is a risk for operatives due to the airborne chemicals.
Airless Spray
In a similar way to air spraying, airless spraying is a method that requires the atomisation of the liquid paint, however this time it is carried out at a much higher pressure by forcing the paint through a narrow opening. This makes it quicker and more efficient than air spraying, therefore being capable of providing thicker coatings.
Airless spraying is a more specialised skill than air spraying, though, which means the operator will need additional expertise and more complex equipment is needed.
Dip Coating
Dip coating is a less common method of applying industrial paint, but an important one to consider nonetheless. It is also far more specialised than the previously mentioned methods.
Essentially, as the name suggests, dip coating is the process of ‘dipping’ a component into a vat of the appropriate industrial paint. Specialist paint, which is often going to be much thicker and with adhesive qualities, is required for dip coating as traditional paint would run far too much.
This method is generally used for primers on smaller components, but can leave an uneven finish as the paint drips whilst the component is left to hang dry.
Case to Case
Clearly, there are many options for industrial painting that all differ to better adhere to the context for each specific project. Each of these methods also have their drawbacks that make them inappropriate, so the key is working closely with your painting and decorating firm to come to a conclusion of a realistic method with the results you require.
Shirley Industrial Painters & Decorators Limited
If you would like to reach out to us to discuss the industrial painter and decorators service we provide, please do so by calling 03333 660 408 or filling out our simple contact form.
