Hi
So we have some office furniture - Writing Desk, Armoire, 2 Bookshelves & 2 Filing Cabinets - They are about 10-years old - They came from the factory with a matte-black, painted finish.
My wife would like to have them re-painted to a light/medium gray. I will clean thoroughly and then sand down/scratch up the black surface so it can be re-painted.
I don't want to do oil-based coatings.
I can think of at least 3 ways I could re-finish them
1 - Water-Based Primer, then SW Pro-Classic or SW Emerald Urethane Trim Paint
I like these paints, but I don't think I could spray them without alot of thinning....
I know I can do this with a brush & roller, but I don't want to - This would be alot of work. Painting by hand is "boring" to me. (Spraying is fun!)
2 - General Finishes - Primer, then a Milk Paint, then spray GF High-Performance Poly
I haven't tried the GF Milk Paint - they have lots of colors. I have sprayed alot of the GF High-Performance Poly - I really like it.
Can the Milk Paint be sprayed with an HVLP Gun?
3 - Spray Zinsser BIN Shellac Primer, then spray EM 6500 pigmented lacquer
I think I can take the EM6500 to the local Benjamin Moore dealer and have them tint this to one of their light gray colors.
I am leaning towards this - unless you can talk me out of it.
My current spraying equipment
a - I have a Turbinaire 1235 3-stage HVLP siphon-feed gun with turbine - I have sprayed lots of clears with it in the last 15 years - Nitro Lacquer, Target EmTech 6000 and General Finishes High Performance Poly. I have 5 different spray tips for it - from 1.0 up to 2.5. I haven't sprayed pigmented coatings, but would like to learn.
b - I have a Harbor Freight Purple Gun with the 1.4 tip, but I can drill out the cap to be a 2.0 cap very easily, if I need to
Your Thoughts?
I am leaning towards Option 3 - BIN Primer and the Target EM6500 pigmented lacquer.
I see this as a way to please my wife and learn some new techniques by spraying pigmented lacquer.
I see that the EM6500 is KCMA-rated for kitchens - so I think it will be a "hard-enough" finish for furniture - this furniture gets light use - not heavy-use like a kitchen.....
I have never sprayed BIN Primer or the EM6500 pigmented lacquer - but I want to try it, if it makes sense for this furniture.
There are 6 pieces to paint - Too much work to paint by hand. I would be more happy if I could spray it.
Feel free to give me your honest opinions.
Also would like other options - these are just the ones I can think of.
Thanks Alot
Nate