Spraying Miniwax® Stains

Miniwax® products include a variety of wood finishes that are available at a variety of box stores like Lowes® and Ace Hardware®.  Given there ready availability and variety of options available for wood finishing, Miniwax® products can be great options to stain and seal a wood project.  While most Miniwax® products are brushed or rolled when applied, people often ask us if they can spray Miniwax ®stains.   Will provide an overview of spraying Miniwax® stains in this guide. 

 

Can you Spray Miniwax® Stains? 

Miniwax® stains are sprayable however most of the technical data sheets provided by Miniwax® do not list spraying as a primary or recommended way of applying Miniwax® stain products.  So, while you can spray Miniwax® stains, the manufacturer doesn’t recommend it as a primary method of applying Miniwax® stain for the majority of their products in there data sheets.  If you have decided you need to spray rather than brush whether for speed, or project size, read on to learn about the specifics of spraying Miniwax® stains. It is important to note that since spraying is not manufacturer recommended finish warranty’s or performance may not be guaranteed by the manufacturer when Miniwax® Stains are spray applied.  

 

Why Spray Miniwax® Stains? 

The primary advantage to spraying will be the speed which you can apply stain to your project.  Additionally, it can leave a smoother looking surface then brushing or rolling will typically yield. Often stain is sprayed for the extra speed you can apply product. 

 

How to Spray Miniwax® Stains 

Miniwax® Stains can be spray applied with HVLP or an Airless Paint Sprayer.  HVLP will provide greater spray control and a bit more control of the volume of material you apply.  This makes HVLP great for smaller projects you will be staining.  Airless will be faster than HVLP but will provide a bit less control of your spray pattern and material volume.  Airless spraying will also be easier to get use to as there is minimal adjusting you mainly select a tip size and dial in the spray pressure.  The increased speed but lesser control makes airless ideal for larger projects or for convenience if you already have an airless from a previous painting project.  

 

Spraying Miniwax® Stains with HVLP 

Stain is not a thick product so it can be sprayed through a relatively small fluid tip.  You can use a 1.3 or 1.4 mm fluid tip with an HVLP to be able to apply Miniwax® Stains.  If you have a compressor, a compress air fed gravity HVLP or LVMP spray gun will work great for applying Miniwax® Stains, a few options will be shown toward the end of this guide.  For practical tips on using an HVLP spray gun check out our guide here. 

 

Spraying  Miniwax® Stains with an Airless Paint Sprayer 

Miniwax® Stains can also be applied with an airless sprayer.  However, it is important to ensure that the airless sprayer you will be using is compatible with flammable solvents.  Miniwax® Stains are typically composed of hot solvents that need a sprayer that is suitable for flammable solvent paints.  When it comes to the specifics of spraying with an airless, you can choose a tip size based on the product size you will be spraying.  The first number of an airless tip doubled is approximately equal to the pattern width. The second two numbers represent how large of a tip opening the airless tip has, and control how much material will flow out of the tip when spraying.  For Miniwax® Stains usually a tip like a 209,309,211,311, or 313 tip will allow you to effectively apply Miniwax® Stains.  Using a fine finish low pressure type of airless tip will be ideal as it will give you a smooth breakup of the stain without as much pressure, which will help you reduce overspray.  When your ready to spray your Miniwax® stain choose an appropriate tip and start with the pressure low, you can gradually increase the spray pressure on the airless until a good pattern is achieved.  Our guide on setting up and using an airless sprayer can help with further guidance on spraying Miniwax® stains with an airless. 

 

Additional Tips on Applying  Miniwax® Stains 

Each Miniwax® Stain product has specific requirements that must be completed before or after the stain is applied.  Common preparation steps include getting the wood surface smooth, dry, and free of any remaining dust.  This can require steps like sanding and wiping the surface clean.  After stain is applied you often will let it sit for a few minutes before you wipe the excessive stain up.  For specific details related to prep and application it is best to check the preparation instructions for the exact Miniwax® Stain product you will be using on there site for instructions.  

 

Options to Apply Miniwax® Stains 

Below you will find a variety of different setups to apply Miniwax® Stains