For example, a '517' has a 10-inch-wide fan and a. Manufacturers use a numbering system that's easy to decipher: The first digit refers to half the width of the spray, or fan, from 12 inches away, and the rest of the number denotes the size of the opening in thousandths of an inch.

Which one you choose depends on the coating you're applying and the size of your work piece. Many spray guns have interchangeable tips. Similar to shown: Wagner HVLP sprayer about $500 Picking the Right Gun Tip Photo by David Hamsley Pros: Good for interior use since low pressure (3 to 10 psi) creates little overspray and a very smooth finish mid-range cost ($200 to $500 for better home-use models).īest for: Finishing inside trim, cabinets, moldings, and doors. Similar to shown: Wagner conversion gun about $150 High Volume/Low Pressure (HVLP) Photo by David Hamsley Pros: If you already own an air compressor, all you need is a gun and a hose (about $125 for good-quality ones) produces very smooth finish.Ĭons: Has the greatest overspray of any rig can't spray thick paint.īest for: Finishing furniture and cabinets-anything you can isolate in a closed spray booth. Shown: Titan Tools piston-pump about $1,300 Air-Compressor Gun Photo by David Hamsley Pros: Most powerful sprayer type can spray high volumes of any coating quicklyĬons: Overspray more complicated maintenance most expensive (typically over $1,000)-renting for about $70 a day is a better option. Shown: Campbell Hausfeld airless paint sprayer about $350 Piston-Pump Photo by David Hamsley Pros: Will handle most paints without thinning and spray large areas efficiently easier to maintain and less expensive than piston-pump sprayers (quality machines start at $250)Ĭons: Overspray (known as low “transfer efficiency”)-sometimes less than half the paint ends up on the work not good for interiors.īest for: Decks, siding, or house painting. Similar to shown: Wagner power products 305 painter sprayer about $63 Diaphragm-Pump Photo by David Hamsley Pros: Inexpensive (quality models start at $100) better ones have enough pressure (1,800 to 2,400 psi) to handle thick latex paints as well as stains.Ĭons: Don't have power or capacity for big jobs least expensive models (1,400 to 1,600 psi) sputter and can't handle thick paint.īest for: Craft projects and small painting jobs. The injury may not look all that serious, but most coating materials contain dangerous toxins that must be removed.Ĭlick through the slide show at left to see a range of sprayers, their uses, and the pros and cons of each. If this happens, seek emergency treatment immediately, and be sure to inform the care provider you have an injection wound. If your finger (or any part of your body) gets too close to the tip, paint can be injected under the skin.

Both have advantages and disadvantages, and there is a wide range of quality and price within each category.Īirless sprayers operate at extremely high pressure. Generally, there are two categories: sprayers that use air to atomize the finish and airless sprayers. Start by considering what you'll be spraying and what finish you'll use-sprayers vary a lot in the thickness of the finish they can handle, the amount of paint they deliver, and the overspray they produce, among other factors. But when a sprayer makes sense, success depends on choosing the right one for the job and mastering a few techniques. Small jobs seldom justify the tedium of cleaning them (sometimes a simple can of spray paint will do), and a brush is better at giving you control where neatness counts. Sprayers aren't always the best choice, though. And because sprayers atomize liquid into a fine mist, they can create a mirrorlike finish on cabinets or furniture where even minor brush marks are unacceptable. But just as important is their ability to apply an even coating to uneven surfaces like window shutters and stair balusters-fertile ground for brush drips. Paint sprayers have an obvious advantage: They can spread paint, stains, and clear finishes faster than any brush or roller.

Paint pro sprayer