What proper masking and containment for spraying involves

Building the containment before the gun starts

Floor protection, wall sheeting and door seals go up first, sized generously beyond the immediate spray zone rather than tight to it, because overspray drifts further than the visible mist suggests. Fixed fittings, sockets, ironmongery and flooring transitions are masked individually rather than sheeted over in bulk, which avoids paint bleeding under a loosely draped sheet.

• Floor protection extended well past the spray footprint
• Ironmongery and fittings masked individually, not just draped
• Door and window gaps sealed to stop drift into adjoining rooms

Managing air movement, not just surfaces

Ventilation and air handling systems are shut down or isolated in the area being sprayed, because a live extract fan or open window can carry overspray a surprising distance into a corridor or the room beyond. Where extraction is needed for solvent-based products, it is directed and filtered rather than simply opened to the outside.

Working around what cannot be moved

Fitted kitchens, built-in furniture and permanent fixtures that cannot be removed get masked in place with a plan for the awkward junctions — worktop edges, appliance gaps and wall-to-cabinet joints — agreed before spraying starts, since these are the points where a rushed masking job usually fails.

• Worktops and appliances sheeted with taped, sealed edges
• Junctions between fixed and sprayed elements identified in advance
• A dry run through the masking plan before the first spray pass

Taking it down without leaving a mess

Removing masking is done in a set order, generally from the top down and away from the finished surface, so dust and paint flakes trapped in the tape do not fall onto wet or freshly cured paintwork. Containment sheeting is bagged and removed rather than shaken out in the room, which simply redistributes any dust it has collected.