Faux Masters Studio Blog

The best way to prevent an equipment issue is to educate yourself on the product you are using and/or equipment you wish to use by attending a class, and most importantly, MAKE A SAMPLE TO TEST THE FINISH FOR BEST RESULTS.

We’ve compiled a list of the most common mistakes that are made in the learning process. Not to worry, we’ve made quite a few of these ourselves!

MY EQUIPMENT . . .

1. Is too dirty / how do I clean.
2. Is leaving hairs or particles in my surface.
3. Is leaving brush marks.
4. Is scratching the surface.
5. Won’t spray / sprays inconsistently.
6. Drips when spraying.
7. Sprays too much / too little.
8. Causes clouding or uneven surfaces.
9. Causes “fish eyes” (areas of separation like pools that don’t fill).
10. Causes texture or orange peel-like surface when sprayed.
11. Causes bubbling on surface.

This information is provided as a way to further assist you in your equipment knowledge. This may not be a complete solution to your issue. For additional assistance, blog your question under “Technical Support,” or contact Faux Masters Studio 1.888.977.FAUX for immediate assistance.

1.  How do I clean – Stay away from cleansers with ammonia in them. This may work against you when applying Faux Effects products. Mild soaps, or organic cleansers work best, those with citrus work even better! FauxCenter has a product called EZ Kleen that has been specially formulated to clean water based systems.

Brushes are made from real hair like boar, badger, sable, and horse, and some brushes are synthetic, but both need the same treatment. They both need a good cleaning or shampoo and conditioning just like your real hair! Reshape your brushes before they dry for best use again and again. If your brush is made from real hair and product was left on them too long, you can clean off the paint by soaking in fabric softener, or if its really bad with Acetone, but ventilate and use protection (read manufacturers label! And don’t do this very often it will burn the hairs just like over styling yours). If the brush is synthetic, you’ll need to soak in a good cleanser or fabric softener to loosen. Drain / dry all brushes with BRISTLES DOWN.

Trowels are either stainless steel, or plastic. Clean using a Scotch Brite pad or steel wool if regular cleansing isn’t doing the trick. Be extra careful with plastic ones as these will scratch easily and cause problems when burnishing. A straight edge blade will sometimes lift unwanted paint – be careful these are sharp! It’s just best to keep wiping the trowel as you work to keep it clean.

Sponges used to be a real sea animal so, treat him well and you won’t need to keep buying a new animal! Always keep moist while in use and before cleaning. Clean every time you use with mild cleansers and rinse well. Soaps and product will always soak up deep into surface if you don’t pre-moisten before use or rinse well.

Graco 4900 gun needs to be disassembled to clean properly at the end of every working day! If you wait too long, you may have to soak the parts in lacquer thinner (good ventilation and protection – read manufacturers label) to completely remove paint residue, then clean the oily reside left behind from the lacquer thinner with an organic or citrus-based product! Look up your gun’s schematic from the manual to see how to disassemble. Clean the air cap, tips, needle, swivel tube (feed), and cup or reservoir. Use pipe cleaners with a good non-ammonia cleanser and scrub surfaces with a Scotch Brite pad (FauxCenter has a product called EZ Kleen ). Allow all parts to air dry on a thick towel or cloth.

2.  Leaving hairs – Your brush / badger / or sponge are leaving loose hairs or particles behind. Use another clean and dry chip brush to “pick” out and away instead of trying to pick them out of your finish using your fingers. Try scrubbing new brushes before using them to loosen hairs. Keep your sponges clean before putting them away and never let them dry out before cleaning as well.

3.  Leaving brush marks – You need to thin down the product with enough water to make it run like corn syrup for topcoats, or thick cream for paints. Use only clean pure china or sable bristles on a quality brush. Apply a minimum of 2 layers. Apply “with the grain” on wood, or for topcoats, first application in one direction and the second the other direction. Let dry completely between coats. Some brush evidence will always be there unless you decide to spray your topcoats.

4.  Scratched –

• Your tool is dirty! Clean it.
• Some scratches are caused by your trowel picking up what we like to call “hitchhikers,” meaning that a piece of dried product attached itself to the edge of your trowel and scratched into the area you are working on. Keep your trowel clean and free of burrs (burrs are gouges in the trowel, sand the edges and clean before creating a fine plaster, and/or choose a newer trowel).
• If a scratch was made after your finish was dry, in some cases you can very artistically “patch” this area. In most cases, if you or the client just can’t live with it, the finish it may need to be redone for that surface area (or if its inconspicuous, you may have to hide it, or live with it).

5.  Won’t spray / sprays inconsistently –

• Your gun is dirty! Clean it.
• Your product is too thick for your tip size or application tool. Change tips or thin product with some more water.
• You forgot to assemble the “O-ring” on nozzle.
• Wrong needle size for tip selection. Check markings.
• Not properly pressurized. Check gasket, cup cover, and fluid tube.

6.  Drips when spraying –

• If gun drips – Wrong needle size for tip selection. Check markings.
• If paint drips – Paint is applied too thick and too quickly. Apply thinner layers and allow layers to dry completely before new applications.

7.  Sprays too much / too little – You will need to adjust your fluid flow control or back off the trigger.

8.  Cloudy –

• Your application is too thick and moisture is trapped within this layer.
• You’re applying a new layer before the previous was completely dry.
• The area you are working in is too humid and moisture has been trapped in the surface. (especially true for urethane products)
• The product you are using has flattening agents in the mix (satin or dull). On dark surfaces, you should start with a layer of gloss, then use satin or dull.

Uneven –

• Your application is not even or the product is too thick and needs to be thinned down.
• The product you are using has flattening agents in the mix (satin or dull). On dark surfaces you should start with a layer of gloss, then use satin or dull.

9.  Causes “fish eyes”- (areas of separation like pools that don’t fill). Your gun or working surface is contaminated with a silicone or oil-based product. Clean your gun with a good degreasing agent, like citrus cleansers.  Check your receiving surface for wax or oil residue, it may need to be etched or cleaned before application.

10.  Causes texture or orange peel-like surface – Your paint droplets are too large and drying too fast on you. Try reducing fluid flow, providing more air flow, keep the temperature of the fluid and the receiving surface the same, or warm up the working area – it may be too cold or wet!

11.  Causes bubbling on surface – The new layer is drying faster on top than it is within the layer.

• If you are working in plaster with a trowel, apply thinner coats (refer to “bubbles up” in Troubleshooting – Product).
• If you are spraying, try drying more slowly so the product has more time to release its moisture and gases. Or, apply fluid in lighter coats.

All information contained in this site are the rights of Faux Masters Studio. All information posted by Faux Masters Studio is copyright protected.