Critter & Poly

[John Hollaway]

A friend wants to borrow my inexpensive Critter Sprayer to apply Minwax Fast Drying Poly to some T&G ceiling boards. Anyone here shoot this product through this gun. Do you recall percentage of thinner required? Thanks.

John

[Phil Thien]

Nope but if the ceiling boards are already installed and he plans on oil-based poly through a Critter, I'd highly suggest suiting-up.

Respirator, too.

[Curt Harms]

Nope but if the ceiling boards are already installed and he plans on oil-based poly through a Critter, I'd highly suggest suiting-up.

Respirator, too.

And covering/masking everything. I'd think there are better ways to apply poly in a finished space.

[Jason Roehl]

Spraying oil-based poly flat-out sucks. I've done it on smaller things, my colleagues once did the living room of an occupied log cabin. Even with suiting up and masking everything, it was a pain in the rear (I was working on the exterior at the time--and laughing at them the whole way). They eventually shed their shoes and were working in their socks (which they threw out when done), and were still sticking with every step to the drops, plastic and ladder steps.

That was using an airless sprayer. Any sort of conventional sprayer or HVLP would probably be worse--the finer droplets will stay in the air even longer, drifting off and sticking to even more stuff.

[John Hollaway]

Phil, Curt & Jason,

I think everybody knows what happens when we ASSUME. Nobody in their right mind would spray poly on an installed ceiling. The word "boards" appeared in my question to hopefully distinguish that it was not an installed ceiling. The "boards" will be sprayed across some old sawhorses in an open grass field. So, any other takers?

[Jason Roehl]

Phil, Curt & Jason,

I think everybody knows what happens when we ASSUME. Nobody in their right mind would spray poly on an installed ceiling. The word "boards" appeared in my question to hopefully distinguish that it was not an installed ceiling. The "boards" will be sprayed across some old sawhorses in an open grass field. So, any other takers?

I still wouldn't spray it with that product outdoors--despite being "fast dry", you'll still have all kinds of bugs and junk in the finish as it's still 4-6 hours to recoat ( http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/clear-protective-finishes/interior/minwax-fastdrying-polyurethane ). That product also needs a pretty good build to look even, which will take quite a few coats if done with any sort of non-airless sprayer, and each coat will probably be pretty slow going unless the material is thinned excessively and blown out with lots of overspray.

[Phil Thien]

Yeah the Critter is like an airbrush on steroids. I'd switch to a tinted water-based (if you want a warmer look), and apply it with a paint pad, and a brush for the edges. It will go faster, and waste a lot less material.

If you want to proceed with the Critter and the oil-based, I don't think it would require much thinning if any.

[Scott Holmes]

The critter sprayer is great for small projects. Since they are still boards I suggest you have them on sawhorses and use a roller then tip it off with a good brush... more like doing a floor. Outside will be a real pain. A roller and tipping off will be MUCH FASTER than the critter.