What Is An Airless Paint Sprayer? – All you need to about it

Airless spray painting is not very common among people as it is an expensive painting technique. It is the best way to get a smooth painted wall or a cabinet with an even finish. You can paint all the big surfaces in much less time as it uses high pressure and is efficient too. To clarify all the misconceptions, I have written a detailed article on what is an airless paint sprayer.

This article will help you have a clear idea about the airless sprayer and how it works. I have also compared it with the air paint sprayer and how they are different. The pros and cons along with some of the precautionary measures are also mentioned below for your convenience. You can read the details before investing in an airless paint sprayer.

What Is An Airless Paint Sprayer?

The airless paint sprayer is a very famous technique that uses high pressure to paint bigger surfaces. The pressure helps the paint to reach the hose and the small nozzle of the paint sprayer. This technique is widely used by professionals and some homeowners who want to quickly paint big areas and want to have a smooth even finish. Most people like the airless paint sprayer because it is efficient and also protects surfaces from any kind of damage.

How Does An Airless Paint Sprayer Work?

The airless paint sprayer looks very complicated and is difficult to use but once you get ahold of the sprayer, there’s no going back to the rollers and brushes. Although the sprayer is made with small parts and each one of them has a different role that helps the paint to travel from the bucket to the nozzle of the airless sprayer. People are often confused about how the airless sprayer works, so I will try to discuss and make things easier for you all.

The fluid suction of an airless sprayer or in simple words, a pump is used to create high pressure that moves the paint stored in the bucket. It is durable as it is manufactured with heavy-duty steel so it does not run out of order.

Before you start using the airless paint sprayer, take two buckets and fill one of them with the paint you plan on using. After pouring the paint into the bucket, take the small tube that is attached to the suction tube and place it into the other bucket.

Open the valve of the suction tube and let the paint flow from one bucket to another. After a minute or two close the valve when you are sure that both the tubes are clear and ready for painting.

Although this wastes a lot of your paint, you have to do this for the sake of a smooth finish. You can also pour the paint from the waste bucket back with the remaining paint after filtering it with a cloth.

Now, take your spray gun and fill the hose with your paint. Remove the guard that is present on the gun and fill it. Try it before you start painting by placing it into the bucket with the waste. The trigger should be opened so the paint runs out of it and you become sure that it works fine.

After setting the sprayer gun, you have to adjust the pressure of the airless paint sprayer. Take a flat wooden piece or a tile to check the flow and pressure.

Maintaining the pressure can be crucial as both high and low pressures won’t give you the desired results. If you use low pressure, the paint won’t spread evenly on the surface you want to paint.

Whereas, the high pressure will overspray the paint which will eventually result in cracking. Hence the medium pressure is ideal if you want a smooth finish that lasts for a longer time.

Not everyone can use an airless paint sprayer for the very first time. You have to practice and learn some techniques to get the desired finish when done with painting.

For instance, if you are painting cardboard with an airless paint sprayer, you should spray the paint in layers and perpendicular directions. Cover the four edges first and then paint the mid portion of the cardboard. This will help in spreading the paint equally to get an even finish.

Air Paint Sprayer vs Airless Paint Sprayer

The air paint sprayer and an airless paint sprayer use two opposite painting techniques. The air sprayer uses the air pressure that helps the paint to come out through the nozzle. Whereas, the airless paint sprayer uses a high-pressure motor/pump that transports the paint from the bucket to the nozzle area. Both of these have different ways to paint but give a smooth finish and are efficient to use too.

The air paint sprayer is connected with an air compressor which adds up to the cost of the entire unit and consumes a lot of space too. You can only use it at a few places and it limits your accessibility as well. Whereas, the airless paint sprayer is more convenient to use because of its portability. You can even connect the suction tube directly from the paint’s bucket.

The finish of both, the airless sprayer and the air sprayer is even and smooth but there is a slight difference that is unnoticed by most people. As the air sprayer uses the air compressor so there are high chances the paint has bubbles which can be observed on the surface being painted. Whereas an airless paint sprayer just uses high pressure, so the end result is flawless without having air gaps or bubbles.

Using brushes and paint rollers is the cheapest way to paint your cabinet or a wall. If you draw a comparison between the price of an airless paint sprayer and an air paint sprayer, you will find that the airless paint sprayer is two times the price of the air sprayer.

A good quality airless painted prayer costs around $300 to $1000. Whereas an air paint sprayer can be purchased from $150 to $400 depending upon the model. Hence you can purchase any of the paint sprayers depending upon your budget and personal liking.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of An Airless Paint Sprayer

Just like everything else, using an airless spray painter has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let me cover the pros first and then I will move to the cons as well for your clarification. The first reason that people love using an airless paint sprayer is that it works efficiently. You can cover a big wall or doors around the house in a few hours only. Whereas when you use a paintbrush or a roller, it will take ages to paint the doors and layer them up.

Secondly, people love the smooth finish of the paint sprayer which is not possible when you use brushes or even a roller. The nozzle of the sprayer is thin and releases the paint with high pressure. This spreads out the paint evenly and you can layer it up as well. The front nozzle comes in many shapes and sizes which can be used to paint in different patterns and styles. 

Using the airless paint sprayer has its own disadvantages as well. The nozzle spreads the paint evenly and gives a smooth finish but it uses twice as much paint as compared when you use a brush/roller. As you will be using more paint when using an airless paint sprayer, it will eventually add up to the cost as well.

Moreover, the nozzle sprays the paint on the surface which results in tiny droplets spreading everywhere. The paint spots can be observed once you are done with your painting.

Another major disadvantage is the price of an airless paint sprayer. It is an expensive unit and comprises many different parts. You have to maintain each part and clean it after the painting. This can be hectic and time-consuming too.

Precautionary Measures while using Airless Paint Sprayer

Some of the precautionary measures are discussed down below that should be taken care of when you are using an airless paint sprayer around your house.

• Firstly, you should always wear gloves when dealing with airless paint sprayers. These will help you keep your hands clean and also protect you from the high pressure of the paint.
• Always check the suction tubes before using the airless sprayer as it can get a hole because of high pressure. The paint coming out with high pressure can cut through and give you a wound too.
• Make sure the room or the area you are painting in has a lot of air circulation or ventilation because a fire can break out if the paint comes in contact with inflammable material. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby to save yourself in such situations.

Is Buying An Airless Paint Sprayer Worth The Money?

As mentioned above, the airless paint sprayer is expensive but saves time and has a good finish. To decide whether it is worth your money or not is totally your decision.

If you like painting your house yourself or you are a professional painter, then investing in an airless paint sprayer is a good decision. Whereas if you are just a homeowner who paints their house once every five years then I believe that this is not your best bet.

All the advantages and disadvantages are also mentioned above so you can make your decision. You can also purchase a low-quality airless paint sprayer that works one or two times only. This is much cheaper and will get the job done too. You won’t have to spend on an expensive sprayer that costs a thousand dollars and won’t be used again in the next 5 to 6 years.

FAQs about Airless Paint Sprayer

What is the difference between an airless and an air paint sprayer?

The first and the most important difference between the airless and an air paint sprayer is that the air sprayer uses an air compressor for creating the force/pressure. It is attached with a big air compressor which generates pressure so the paint evenly spreads onto the big surfaces and has a smooth texture or finish.

What are the benefits of the airless paint sprayer?

The benefits of an airless paint sprayer are its efficiency and smooth finish. It only needs a few hours to paint a big surface whereas you will have to work for days when using brushes or paint rollers. Moreover, it gives a seamless finish and can be used with different front nozzles for creating patterns on the walls or your cabinets too.

Does the airless sprayer use more paint?

Yes, an airless paint sprayer uses twice as much paint as when you are doing it manually with the brush or a roller. You will have to prime the tubes first which wastes a lot of paint too. Moreover, the pressure results in spreading the paint onto the surface and to the surroundings too. Hence an airless paint sprayer uses way more paint and is expensive too.

It is hard to use an airless paint sprayer?

Yes, it is hard to use an airless paint sprayer initially but once you get a hold of it just like any tool or machinery, you will find it easy to use. You can practice on extra cardboard pieces and wooden blocks to learn more about the pressure and nozzle.

Conclusion Airless Paint Sprayer Guide

A detailed article on an airless paint sprayer is given above to clarify the doubts. It uses an efficient painting technique that saves a lot of your time and energy but is expensive too. If you plan on using an airless paint sprayer for painting your apartment, you should buy more paint than you estimated. It uses a lot of paint but gives a flawless end finish. I hope this article has all the information about an airless paint sprayer that you were looking for on the internet.