How to Airbrush With Paint on Wood

Wood should be fully prepped before being airbrushed with paint.

Wood presents different challenges than other painting mediums. Canvases are basically white or beige and start out blank. Glass is smooth and clear and usually without surface defects. With wood, however, the grain becomes a consideration. Wood grain is like fingerprints: no two grains flow the same way. Airbrushing, which uses air to disperse paint droplets through a trigger-controlled sprayer, can give a painter control over the look of their painted wood piece by altering the flow of paint from the airbrush. It only takes a few items to begin painting wood by airbrushing.

Things You'll Need

• Paint mask
• Safety goggles
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• Clean, dry cloths
• Wood object
• Art masking tape
• Airbrush
• Air hose
• Compressor tank
• Airbrush paints
• Water
• Dish detergent
• Paint primer, if necessary

Instructions

1. Use fine-grit sandpaper to smooth any imperfections in the wood. Wipe with a clean cloth.

2. Cover any parts to be painted another color with masking tape to prevent them from getting sprayed.

3. Paint in a ventilated area. If possible, use a paint booth to contain excess spray. Wear a paint mask and safety goggles.

4. Fill paint tank with paint. Check to make sure the air compressor is full. Turn on sprayer and tank and let line bleed for a few seconds.

5. Spray the wood. Avoid painting at an angle to ensure even coverage. Adjust compressor if paint flow is too light or too heavy. If you want to keep the wood grain visible, spray a light coat of paint on the object. Allow to dry.

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6. For additional colors, clean the airbrush tip with water and a small amount of dish detergent. Remove paint from reservoir and rinse clean. Dry inside with clean cloth and add next color of paint to reservoir. Continue until the object is completed.

Tips & Warnings

• Wood is a porous material, so you should not need a primer. If you see that the paint is not sticking to the object well, use a paint primer first.

References

• ARTtalk.com: Airbrush: Painting Wood with Grain
• How To Airbrush.com; Airbrush Lesson One
• Mike Ashey Productions: Airbrushing a Wood Deck; Mike Ashey