Paint Help (sorry Long)

[Tim Palmer]

Hello everybody
I've been lurking here for about three years learning from everybody while I did some remodeling on the house and dreaming of the day that I can start making projects like others here. Hopefully in the next six months I will have a chance to do some woodworking (maybe, wife is pregnant with twins). I have a fully equipt shop/garage. Anyway my question is that I am looking to paint a raw wood Pine dresser for the babies' room. What is a baby safe paint that can be sprayed. We are looking for a low emmissions paint. I also need a sprayer (New Tool = very cool). I have a compressor big enough to handle a conversion sprayer but I am open to a turbin unit whatever is the best all around idea. I would like a sprayer that can handle a variety of finishes for any future projects that may come up. If any one has any Ideas or opinions please share them. Brands of paint and spray units with model numbers would be great so I could research them.
Thanks in advance to all that help
Tim

[Fred Craven]

First question, why does it have to be sprayed? furniture painted with a good brush (with good paint) is classic.

It's been a while since my painting days, but low VOC paint tends to be waterborne, and thick, so you might have some difficulties with spraying, unless you get a painters pro model. I used to use is a Wagner Capsray 9100, without problem, but sometimes you need a bigger compressor to push the paint to the gun... but I digress.

There's litteraly a ton of good low VOC paint out there these, days, but "high" VOC paint is really only bad while painting. And an oil based paint will give the "best" finish.

So, the "best" paint is going to be a marine paint (they can still make marine paints with the dangerous stuff because it has to withstand water, etc, but it cost a ton.

If you want a freaking nice low VOC waterborne paint try this
http://www.finepaintsofeurope.com/eco_info.aspx

Yes, it's $143.00 a gallon.:eek:

Yes, it's over priced (it's priced like marine paint), but it is freaking good paint. And if you we're to use it, I would use one of their recommended brushes.

If that's too steep, then go to a Ben Moore store, or the like, and tell them what you're trying to do (if you don't have painter's whites, try looking like a contractor, you'll get better service).:cool:

[Jim Becker]

All finishes sold today are "safe" when fully cured.

I suggest that you spray an acrylic product, such as Fuhr International 380, Benjamin More Impervo (the new, 100% acrylic version) or Sherwin Williams ProClassic water borne. The latter two will require some thinning; the former sprays wonderfully out of the container. All of these can be tinited to the shade of your choice, although the SW product cannot presently be tinted in darker colors.

Do NOT use latex paint on furniture if you can avoid it...

[Jason Roehl]

What Jim said. And, just so there's no confusion, latex and acrylic are not the same thing (Jim's not saying they are). Waterborne acrylic technology is, in general, a vast improvement over waterborne latex, but not always necessary. Latex is good for cost-effectively painting interior walls and ceilings, that's about it.

[Jim Summers]

For spray equipment, you ought to give homesteadfinishing.com a look. Jeff Jewitt will have several good options.

HTH