{"id":4775,"date":"2021-06-23T06:31:55","date_gmt":"2021-06-23T06:31:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/airbrush-expert.com\/?p=4775"},"modified":"2022-07-18T08:09:03","modified_gmt":"2022-07-18T08:09:03","slug":"best-airless-paint-sprayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/airbrush-expert.com\/en\/best-airless-paint-sprayer\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Airless Paint Sprayer – An Exploration of the Best Airless Paint Guns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting started in paint spraying can be daunting, to say the least. There are so many things you need to consider especially if space comes at a premium or you\u2019re on a budget. Paint sprayers often require a compressor or turbine to create pressure that atomizes the paint allowing you to spray it onto the surface of your choosing. There is a way around compressors, turbines, pressure consistency and paint feeds though. Electric paint sprayers are a fairly new concept, and they offer impressive performance with very few drawbacks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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What Are Airless Paint Sprayers?<\/h2>\n

If you are an avid crafter you have probably seen or heard of conventional air-fed paint sprayers before. They can be challenging to come by especially if you are low on space, not to mention that compressors and turbines take some time to spool up and the noise they make.<\/p>\n

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Airless paint sprayers are a great alternative, requiring less space to operate, store, and clean. There are also fewer components to be purchased and you have the bonus of not being restricted by an airline as hoses can get tangled, pinched, and trip you up if your focus is elsewhere.<\/p>\n

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How do Airless Sprayers Work?<\/h3>\n

At this point, you could be wondering how electric sprayers create air pressure if they don\u2019t have to use forced air induction devices like a compressor or turbine. Surprisingly the answer is quite simple, airless paint sprayers essentially work via the use of an internal piston or impeller pump which then pressurize the paint in the canister attached to the paint sprayer, allowing the paint to be atomized as it travels through the paint sprayers nozzle.<\/p>\n

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The impeller is located inside the spray gun module, which means that instead of having a paint reservoir\/canister, air hose, and compressor you typically have only one device to manage. This does depend on the type of sprayer you purchase though, the type of sprayer we described above are known as \u201call in one\u201d units which are most commonly used for crafting. There are others available which pump the paint to your spray gun from an independent canister, these types of electric sprayers have a pump unit that sucks up paint and feeds it into your spray gun via a hose much like a conventional sprayer.<\/p>\n

These are great when you need to cover large workpieces you could easily use a sprayer that uses an independent impeller unit to spray an entire house if the mood took you.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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What Can You Use an Airless Sprayer for?<\/h3>\n

There are many advantages to using an airless paint sprayer compared to a conventional paint sprayer. One of the most obvious advantages of these devices is having more consistent air pressure while operating your spray gun, this means you avoid orange peel and splatter due to pain that cannot atomize completely which can ruin your workpiece. This is why even some of the best airless paint sprayers are used on bigger projects and even applications outside of DIY crafting and woodwork.<\/p>\n

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A good example of these uses is spraying large workpieces like houses and rooftops. Logistically, using a conventional paint sprayer that relies on a turbine or an impeller for air pressure can be tedious especially when you need to move around a lot. Air feed lines are typically not that long, and although you can have an extra-long hose created for such applications you might need to increase the size and viscosity of your air supply to ensure consistent air pressure throughout your workday.<\/p>\n

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This is made even more challenging if you are working on an elevated surface and your air supply is ground level, where conventional paint sprayers now need to fight gravity and award angles, airless paint sprayers effortlessly feed the paint to your spray gun giving you\u2019re the confidence and peace of mind to focus on the task at hand. Airless paint sprayers aren\u2019t exclusively for our outdoor use either, they can be used in closed environments too, but you should always ensure the space is well ventilated during the painting process.<\/p>\n

Many professionals prefer using airless paint sprayers to paint household interiors because they are easier to move from room to room compared to a sprayer that requires compressed air to operate.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s easy to see why, compared to wheeling around a compressor or turbine you simply plug in your electric pump, pop the hose into your paint canister, connect the pump to your spray gun and you\u2019re good to go. No longer are you limited by air capacity or output, have fewer components to clean, and the pace of your work is limited only by your ambition.<\/p>\n

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What are the Pros and Cons of Using Airless Sprayers?<\/h2>\n

An airless sprayer can be one of the best investments if you are spraying large surfaces often, this is why they are so popular in commercial applications. There are several reasons professionals in both the construction and crafting community prefer these sprayers over conventional ones, but that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re the right tool for every job. Let\u2019s have a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages the airless sprayer presents.<\/p>\n

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The Advantages of Using an Airless Paint Gun<\/h3>\n

Here are some of the advantages of working with an airless sprayer compared to a compressed air unit. You will notice the benefits stretch far beyond not having to deal with those air hoses tripping you up while you work.<\/p>\n

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Speed<\/h4>\n

is the name of the game when it comes to commercial spray painting. If you need to cover a client\u2019s home in a day or two, you don\u2019t want to be tripping over air hoses and lugging a compressor or turbine around the property.<\/p>\n

Electric pumps are lighter, take less time to set up, and provide consistent viscosity regardless of angle or elevation.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Versatility<\/h4>\n

is important in any professional paint spraying application. Having one device that can do everything instead of four or five different machines you need to transport, store, and maintain is critical. Airless sprayers can be repurposed for a variety of applications such as weatherproof coatings for roofing and even UV coatings for furniture and plastics.<\/p>\n

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Quality\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

of work is arguably the most important aspect of any trade. Whether you do a good job, or a bad job can often mean the difference between getting your services recommended or not. This being said you need a paint sprayer that\u2019s as consistent and reliable as you are. An airless sprayer provides consistent coatings and paint pressure throughout its use and requires minimal upkeep to do so.<\/p>\n

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Control\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

is the fundamental aspect of any great craftsman. Sure, you can control your hand but if your sprayer isn\u2019t on the same page as you it can lead to a disaster. Airless sprayers allow you to control paint fluid pressure and spray pattern completely, therefore with the variable of air pressure removed from the equation you have absolute control over your spray gun.<\/p>\n

Now that you know what some of the disadvantages are let shave a look at some of the more positive aspects of this type of sprayer and how they can save you some time and effort on your future projects<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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The Disadvantages of Using an Airless Paint Gun<\/h3>\n

As brilliant as airless sprayers are, they are relegated to certain applications despite their versatility. Let\u2019s have a look at some of the shortcomings these sprayers present in certain scenarios.<\/p>\n

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Maintenance<\/h4>\n

is a word that when uttered can cause one\u2019s eyes to roll back involuntarily. It’s nobody\u2019s favorite chore, but did you think you were going to get performance without any drawbacks? Well, you wanted the best airless paint sprayer, and it requires the best owner to do the best maintenance possible. Cleaning out the spray gun, paint feed and impeller pump can be tiresome, especially if you use it often, but would you rather clean a few lines or have to wait for a compressor to fill up?<\/p>\n

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Wastage<\/h4>\n

is largely considered to be a fading aspect in modern society, and although we\u2019re still working out a lot of the kinks, we have made great progress. Not so with the airless sprayer, you see due to no pressurized air in the atomization process there tends to be a lot of stray paint particles in the air while you\u2019re working.<\/p>\n

This coupled with paint leftover in the line once you\u2019ve completed your job adds up to a lot of wastage.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Setting Up<\/h4>\n

can be annoying no matter what it is you\u2019re going to do. Even ironing your clothes can be a mind-numbing exercise when you aren\u2019t in the mood, but you\u2019re thankful to your past self for doing it the next day. The same goes for setting up airless sprayers, it can seem like a chore when you\u2019re preparing your unit for a small job, but you\u2019ll thank your good conscience for developing the habit when working on larger jobs.<\/p>\n

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What’s the Difference Between HVLP and LVLP Sprayers?<\/h2>\n

Choosing a paint sprayer can be tough especially when you don\u2019t understand which would be best for your specific needs. Considering that there are hundreds of paint sprayers on the market today that all claim to be the best, we\u2019ve gathered some facts about the two main types of paint sprayers you might come across so you can decide what suits you best.<\/p>\n

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HVLP Paint Sprayers<\/h3>\n

HVLP stands for high volume low pressure. These are the kinds of sprayers that usually use compressed air to operate. Essentially, compressed air Is pumped into your paint canister which forces the paint into the nozzle of your paint gun for atomization which eventually lands up on the surface you are painting. The \u201chigh volume\u201d part refers to how HVLP sprayers atomize the paint in high volume using relatively low pressure.<\/p>\n

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You will need an air compressor or a turbine to operate these types of sprayers, which means overall the setup can cost you quite a bit if you don\u2019t already have either. They also tend to use more pressure to set the paint down of the surface you are spraying than LVLP sprayers. These types of spray painters typically take up a lot of space, but you then have the advantage of added air pressure which you can use to spray paint with thicker consistencies such as latex-based paints.<\/p>\n

This is great for spraying protective coatings especially if you\u2019re working in a high output environment or have multiple projects you need to spray on the same day for example.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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LVLP Paint Sprayers<\/h3>\n

LVLP stands for low volume low pressure. The key difference between this type of sprayer and HLVP sprayers is that it operates at roughly ten PSI less pressure at the nozzle than the latter. Typically, they still operate with compressed air via either a compressor or turbine so there\u2019s a good chance you will still encounter some of the issues apparent with HLVP paint sprayers. The \u201clow volume\u201d is most prominent in the spraying process with this type of sprayer as it will produce a finite amount of spray with each pull of the trigger, meaning you\u2019d have to work this type of sprayer to generate any sort of overspray.<\/p>\n

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Overall, this is great in some applications because it widens your margin for error when spraying large surfaces, but it does leave a bit to be desired in the spray pattern department. Due to the low volume aspect of these sprayers, the spray tips are often less adjustable than that of HVLP sprayers. Choosing a paint sprayer has a lot to do with what you intend to do. HVLP sprayers have more PSI out the nozzle, however, if this is something you need (or want) you\u2019re going to have to live with the possibility of splatter and the need for a decently powerful compressor or turbine.<\/p>\n

If you opt for the LVLP prayer you may be able to get away with a less powerful compressor since it runs on relatively low pressure and volume, which could save you a pretty penny if your workload isn\u2019t conducive to an HVLP sprayer.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Our Recommendations for the Best Airless Paint Sprayers<\/h2>\n

Choosing your first airless paint gun can be a difficult process. We recommend you keep in mind what you want to do, for example, ask yourself if you really need a super-powerful machine, or a pump that big? Would a handheld sprayer be better? How much storage space do you have? With those things to consider, here are three of the best airless sprayers we could find.<\/p>\n

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Best Overall Airless Sprayer: GRACO Magnum X5 Stand Airless Sprayer<\/h3>\n

Maybe you\u2019re bringing in the groceries and see the paint peeling off your front wall, or you simply can\u2019t stand the color of your bedroom any longer. Either way, something needs to be done and your trusty brush and roller combination simply won’t cut it this time. The\u00a0Graco Magnum X5 is our top pick for all of your tall order painting needs, in fact, it might be the best professional paint sprayer out there at the moment! The Graco is packing a modest half-horsepower electric motor that will process just about any paint or coating you can think of including gloss, enamel, vinyl, and latex.<\/p>\n