favorite paints, giveaway from HomeRight
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I have been using HomeRight Paint Sprayers for almost 2 1/2 years now! I can’t believe how long it’s been, and how much time it has saved me with my projects. If you’re not familiar with the HomeRight FinishMax—you’re missing out! It’s an electric paint sprayer that gives you THE best fine finish—it will amaze you. I am a HomeRight Ambassador, but anyone who knows me, will tell you that I truly trust and believe in this product.
Today I’m going to tell you my favorite paints to use when using my FinishMax to paint furniture projects. 
Let’s start with my very first project that I completed with my HomeRight CommandMax way back in the beginning, this sweet little black gossip bench.
I used Behr Premium Plus Ultra in Semi-Gloss on that very first project and it is still my favorite paint to use on furniture projects. It’s fun to look back, because everything looks so clean and new. This must have been one of the first times I used that ladle.
Because Behr Premium Plus Ultra paint IS wall paint, I like to give an added layer of protection with some Wipe-on Poly.
If you love a great chalkboard, with a perfectly smooth finish, then the FinishMax is the tool you need!
This is one of those former art pieces that everyone had hanging over their couch in the 60’s and 70’s. I sprayed the chalkboard paint directly onto the cardboard with the FinishMax. For more details, you can check out my post Using a FinishMax with Chalkboard Paint.
To be honest, my least favorite paint is oil based paint. However, when doing cabinets, it’s a necessary evil.
It made this kitchen cabinet makeover so much easier. If you have a kitchen makeover in your future, a FinishMax will make your project go much smoother.
The finish you get with this sprayer is so fabulous, but it doesn’t have to be your last step. After painting this toy box made from cabinet doors with my FinishMax, I went a step further to make it special using stencils and craft paints. The top coat was Minwax Polycrylic.
Did you know that you can use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in your HomeRight FinishMax? Even though ASCP is pretty easy to apply, painting pedestals and spindles are still time consuming when you do it by hand with a brush.
Now, are you ready for my absolute favorite way to use my FinishMax? This is my secret to getting a great finish in record time. I use my DIY chalky paint as a primer.
This is after one coat of the home made primer (Plaster of Paris) sprayed with the FinishMax. Getting a smooth finish like this on spindles by hand with a brush it nearly impossible.
Twin beds makeover after a coat of the diy chalky paint primer and 2 light coats of the Behr paint without Plaster of Paris. To clarify. These beds were painted with Behr Premium Plus Ultra (Semi-Gloss Naval) mixed with Plaster of Paris to make my own chalk paint. Then they were given 2 light coats of the Behr Premium Plus Ultra (Semi-Gloss Naval) straight out of the can. The finish is flawless. This is my go-to paint technique that I use 90% of the time.
If you’re new to spraying furniture with a FinishMax, you should read my post on how to make an Easy Diy Paint Booth
Now for a giveaway! One lucky reader will win their very own HomeRight FinishMax!
How to enter: Visit the HomeRight blog, and tell me something you learned from one of the Brand Ambassadors. I think you’ll find that we all are very enthusiastic about the HomeRight brand. Leave your comment below, then use the Rafflecopter widget to enter. One winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries. Winner will have 48 hours to respond via email notification or an alternate winner will be chosen. US residents only, void where prohibited by law.
Would you like to see more of my FinishMax projects?
As I said above, I am so happy to be a HomeRight Brand Ambassador. That being said, it’s a no-brainer that this is a sponsored post, but as always, all thoughts, opinions, ideas, and projects are my own.
Just came across your website when I was looking for information using Behr Premium Plus Ultra and the Finish Max sprayer. I did the viscosity test with this paint (semi gloss) and after 2 1/2 minutes the cup still had not emptied out. Behr recommends adding not more than 1 cup water to a gallon paint, which I have not done yet. I wanted to see if Floetrol would make a difference, so put 1 c. paint in another container, added 1 Tbsp Floetrol and it was still running slow from the viscosity cup.
I’m curious what your experience has been and how much thinning you usually do with the Behr paint. As I said, I haven’t tried adding water but it doesn’t seem like one cup of water is going to do the job, however, I don’t want to over-thin it.
Thank so much! Very informative website.
Colleen,
I use Behr Premium Plus Ultra semi-gloss for nearly 99% of my furniture projects. I thin it every time I use it. It’s a very thick paint. I must confess I have never used the viscosity cup a single time. It’s still in the wrapper it arrived in. That being said, I only dilute it 1 Finish Max paint cup at a time.
At the bottom of this post, you will see thumbnails of my other projects, with the newer (latest) projects near the top. Click on any of those for more details.
These days, I use the semi-gloss paint mixed with plaster of paris (paste) as a primer, then I use the semi-gloss paint without the plaster as a top coat. It’s my favorite way to paint because it’s so easy.
I would never thin the entire gallon, only what you’re using at one time. You didn’t say what you were using it on, furniture or a wall.
It’s difficult to say how much I thin it, but it’s quite a bit. If your paint won’t come through your sprayer, it’s too thick, if it runs, it’s too thin. One last tip, I strain my paint. It’s a necessary step to keep from clogging the nozzle. If you haven’t used your sprayer yet, you will need a pair of pliers to unscrew the nozzle for the first cleaning. It is screwed in very tight from the factory.
You can reach me by email, or on facebook, or leave a comment on any post if you have more questions.
gail
ps I’ve never used Floetrol
Thanks for the quick reply. I’m repainting kitchen cabinets in a rental that were last painted probably 10 yrs ago. (I saw were you recommend oil paint for cabinets, but I’d already bought the Behr and am not a fan of using oil paint.) We used a less quality wall paint and rolled it on, so it didn’t look the greatest. Plus we hadn’t sanded or primed, and the paint was chipping so they looked really sad. I brushed the drawers since there are only five of them, but with 11 doors I decided to buy the sprayer and give that a try. I’m a bit nervous since I’ve never used a sprayer, so hoping it goes fast and easy.
wishing you all the best on your kitchen redo Colleen!
Wow !!!!!! Stain uses in a pint sprayer now that is new to me.TY
OMG I didn’t know this paint sprayer exists until I found Your blog. I do paint a lot with brush, but LOVE to try this sprayer!! …but knowing my luck I’ll never win …. Love You blog!!
I learned the the paint sprayer is easy to clean which is a huge plus.
You can use Chalk Paint in your HomeRight FinishMax.
Love chalk paint. Would love to try it in a sprayer, if only I had one…
I didn’t know for sure if you could use the chalk paint in the sprayer. Thanks for the tip! I would love to make over an old desk (lots of ridges and grooves!)
I found the chalk paint information to be very interesting.
I learned from Rain on a Tin Roof that using a polisher would make painted pieces look fab! A paint sprayer has been on my Wishlist for a very long time… 🙂