Once the planter was built, I used my Wagner FLEXiO 3000 Paint Sprayer to stain the base of the planter in a rich, black stain. It blends beautifully with our dark fence (also stained with a Wagner sprayer!) and the colors of the plants really pop against the black.

Staining with your Wagner paint sprayer is really easy and makes for an absolutely beautiful finished product. It can be easy to forget that paint sprayers aren’t just for latex paint! I’ve used mine to spray stain and multiple types of sealant and it works like a dream every time.

Here are a few quick tips and tricks for using your Wagner FLEXiO 3000 Paint Sprayer to stain:

• Be sure to start off with the lowest possible settings for both air pressure and material output. Stain is much lighter than paint and is much more likely to have overspray issues if your settings aren’t correct! I always recommend starting with the lowest settings and increasing as needed until you find your sweet spot.
• It’s always important to keep your arm moving and stay close to the material when you’re spraying, but when you’re spraying stain it’s even more important. Drips are much more likely with the thinner material, so proper spraying technique is key! This means don’t get more than 8-10” away from the project you’re spraying, and don’t linger in any one spot for too long.
• Be sure to go back and wipe off excess stain after it sits for 5-10 minutes, just like you would with any other staining project.
• When it’s time to clean up, you’ll need more than just soap and water. Most stain is oil-based, and will require mineral spirits to clean up. I generally add a couple of inches of mineral spirits to the bottom of a five gallon bucket and use that with an old rag to clean off the stain. I alternate between the mineral spirits and soapy water until the sprayer is clean - it’s really no more difficult than a regular cleaning is!

If you haven’t ever tried staining with your Wagner sprayer, you’ll be absolutely amazed at how fast it is! It took me less than 5 minutes to stain the entire planter box!

Now, we have a simple, beautiful DIY planter box that we can use all summer (and fall!) long to grow some beautiful herbs, veggies, and flowers!

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