# Acrylic Eggshell



## PJ (29 Jan 2008)

Has anyone had good success painting MDF with acrylic eggshell? The plan was actually to spray the MR MDF cabinet, but it needed thinned to much to spray in a hvlp gun with a 1.9mm tip setup, so I'm going back to the roller and brush. I will add some water and Floetrol to see if it will extent the working time, but this will be the first time I've used a water based eggshell.
Anyone been there and got any tips or horror stories?

The paint is Permoglaze ,as I use their oil based eggshell and it is hard to beat.

Philip.


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## tim (29 Jan 2008)

Everything I have painted over the last two years has been with Acrylic Eggshell. No problems at all. Sometimes sprayed for complex mouldings but mostly using a roller. 

I don't think you'll need to extend the working time. I used Floetrol on this job and it was my first time using it. Admittedly its mostly birch ply and beech but the fireplaces are predominantly MDF (inc corbels). Can't say I saw any great improvement in application or finish.

The key to success with MDF is good prep - high quality primer and for the edges I am now a big fan of Zinnser BIN white tinted shellac.

I generally using Crown paints.

Cheers

Tim


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## PJ (30 Jan 2008)

Hi Tim, Thanks for the advice. You say you spray complex items, but how much do you end up thinning it to get it to flow, and what sort of setup are you using. The original thinking for the Floetrol was to help with overthinning with water for spraying but when I reached 50/50 paint/water I gave up on the spraying idea. 
Is it a foam roller and synthetic brushes you get best results with? 
I have been sealing the edges of mdf with blond shellac as it works well and is pretty fast drying.

Sorry for more questions.

Thanks

Philip


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## tim (30 Jan 2008)

PJ":3cboyq10 said:


> Hi Tim, Thanks for the advice. You say you spray complex items, but how much do you end up thinning it to get it to flow, and what sort of setup are you using. The original thinking for the Floetrol was to help with overthinning with water for spraying but when I reached 50/50 paint/water I gave up on the spraying idea.
> Is it a foam roller and synthetic brushes you get best results with?
> I have been sealing the edges of mdf with blond shellac as it works well and is pretty fast drying.
> 
> ...



I use an ordinary roller (short pile); I find that the foam rollers put tiny bubbles in the paint and frankly put so little paint down as to be ineffective for eggshell. I rub down the primer with an abrasive pad - generally 360.

My spray set up is a Fuji HVLP and you are right that the thinning is tricky - if you are not careful then you end up spraying coloured water. I have given up spraying for the time being because my w/s isn't big enough to have a dedicated set up and I find it too disruptive as a result.

HTH

Cheers

Tim


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## PJ (30 Jan 2008)

Thanks Tim, I will try a short mohair roller and good brush. The Permoglaze has quite a high solids content so I think I will start with 10% water and 10% floetrol and see what happens.

Thanks for the advice

Philip


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