I’m going to write a very quick guide to paint spraying. I’ll include all sorts in this blog, including the different types of sprayer available, PPE, how to spray a room, and even the best masking tape to use. Feel free to skip ahead if you only need specific advice.
It’s worth mentioning straight away that paint sprayers are expensive, and you’ll get much better results with a professional set-up than you will with a cheaper one (I’ll go into more detail later). You can always hire a proper set up if you can’t afford one, and have it delivered anywhere in the UK. Just email Airblast Eurospray on sales@airblast.co.uk for a quote.
The Different Types of Paint Sprayer
There are two different types of sprayers available to purchase, and I couldn’t write a guide without talking about both. They’re very different to each other, and although there is some cross-over in their abilities, most jobs require one or the other.
Airless Sprayers
Airless sprayers have an inlet (either a hopper, or a tube that you feed into a bucket of paint), a pump, a hose, and a gun. As the name suggests, it’s a completely airless system.
The paint is kept at a high pressure inside the machine and is atomised as it comes through the tip of the gun. This shoots tiny particles of paint at the surface you’re working on.
Airless sprayers are mostly used to paint walls and ceilings inside a building, woodwork on new-builds and empty properties, and exterior masonry. They’re not as controlled as HVLP sprayers (which we’ll get into later), so you’re more likely to experience overspray.
Tip sizes are important when using an airless sprayer. There are three single digit numbers on each tip to indicate its size (515, 110, etc.) The first number tells you how much paint will feed through the tip. The second is how small it is inside the tip is. The third is the fan width.
I use tip sizes 515 and 517 for emulsion and exterior masonry. I use the smaller tips for woodwork.
HVLP Sprayers
HVLP sprayers are a completely different technology. They have a compressor, an air hose, and then a pot that contains the paint next to the gun.
Air is pushed through the hose at high pressure into the pot, which creates a vortex that atomises the paint.
HVLP sprayers are mostly used for kitchen cupboards, uPVC doors and windows, and interior woodwork. It’s very controlled. You’re creating a very fine mist and dispensing it with pinpoint accuracy.
HVLP sprayers are perfect for coating spindles or railings. You could use an airless for this, but the overspray would be a nightmare.
How Easy is it to Use a Paint Sprayer?
Providing you do some research and you’re methodical, there’s nothing to stop you from being able to use a sprayer with no training. I’m a Professional Decorator and I’ve been spraying about 14 years. I had no training; I just picked it up as I went along.
I’m lucky to have worked with some very good Decorators who specialise in spraying since then, but at first, I just winged it. That said, if I had to learn now, I’d make a point of doing a course at The Dulux Academy. The courses are cheap enough and they only last a day or two. Click here for more information.
If you do have a go at paint spraying without training, there are two very important things I will say.
- Wear proper PPE (I’ll get into that later).
- Always keep the gun moving while it’s engaged. Do not press the trigger unless your hand is already moving.
Kitchen spraying and uPVC spraying is a bit more specialist. I wouldn’t recommend “having a go” at this without training or you might cause some serious damage.
Using Cheap Paint Sprayers
As I said right at the start of this blog; a professional setup costs a lot of money. Worth it if you’re a Decorator, but probably not if you’re DIY. You can still hire one, that email again is sales@airblast.co.uk. Or you might consider a cheap sprayer.
I’ve trailed several cheap sprayers over the years. Some are better than others. Tilswall HVLP is a very cheap sprayer, but it’ll do the job. Deco Style from Aldi is a good shout too (when they have it in).
Cheap sprayers are generally a lot louder, you will need to dilute your paint more, and they won’t last. As an example, you might get 100 working hours out of a Tiswall HVLP before it breaks.
That said, the cheap sprayers are normally made for the DIY market, so they’re designed to be easier to operate. I apply paint for a living, so I couldn’t cope with a cheap sprayer. I need a proper work horse like my Titan 460e, but if the only decorating I did was around my own home, then I’d be tempted to buy a cheap Wagner and use that.
What Safety Equipment to Wear When Spraying
We haven’t really touched on how to spray yet (it would be difficult to explain the techniques via text anyway), but I thought it was important to talk about what safety equipment you should wear (PPE).
Paint contains all sorts of nasties, including biocides, solvents, and loads of other stuff. It’s important that you protect yourself.
Respirator
A normal dust mask won’t cut it. When you spray, particularly inside, atomised paint fills the air around you. It can take ages to settle. If you breath it in, you will harm your health.
They are expensive; mine cost over £100 (you can buy cheaper ones for £20). They fit tightly around your face and filter the air you breathe. Do not try spray painting without a proper respirator, it isn’t worth it.
Some of the more expensive respirators use charcoal filters. I suppose it just depends on how often you’re going to spray and what paint you will be using. I have linked to a couple of options below.
Safety Goggles
I only really use goggles when I’m spraying for a full day. And considering you can spray three coats on every ceiling in a 5-bedroom house in an afternoon, that isn’t very often. That said, I probably should do, and so should you.
You need to opt for the goggles that fit tightly, otherwise you’ll still get paint in your eyes, which isn’t ideal.
Full Body Suit
You can get cheap spray suits that go over your clothes and cover almost every bit of skin. You don’t need to wear one when s[raying, but I do. I think they’re brilliant. They keep paint off your skin and out of your hair, which makes it a lot more comfortable while you’re working.
Being covered in a fine coat of paint from a sprayer feels horrible. It feels like your skin is suffocating. For the sake of a few quid, you may as well get suited up. Use it for a few jobs and then just throw it away.
How to Spray Paint a Room
My guide to paint spraying should really include a section on how to spray a room. I’m going to assume the room is previously painted in this description, but you can adapt if you have bare plaster and new wood.
Preparation
Get your prep done. Fill, sand caulk, and tape up sockets, lights, cover furniture, mask windows. Just get everything ready to paint. Remove all dust (this is important).
Paint the Walls
Apply one coat of emulsion to the walls.
Paint the Ceiling
Apply two coats of emulsion to the ceiling. One of the advantages of spraying is you can apply the second coat before the first has fully dried, which speeds the process even further.
Paint the Woodwork
Spray two coats of paint to the woodwork. Again, you don’t need to wait for the first coat is fully dry before applying the second coat. Make sure the surface is completely dust-free before you start.
Wait
Allow everything to dry fully, preferably over night and with a fan running to increase airflow. Touch dry isn’t dry enough, your woodwork paint needs to have started curing.
Finish the Walls
Run some low-tack masking tape around the top of the skirting board, then apply the last coat to the walls with brush and roller. You will need to cut around the top and bottom of the wall twice (do it once, allow to dry, then apply a full coat to each wall).
NB – you can achieve a spray finish on every surface, but it’s very difficult to do. You would need to paint the woodwork, mask it up. Paint the walls, mask it up. Then paint the ceiling. However, even the most sensitive of masking tapes can damage emulsion, and even if it doesn’t, getting a sharp line is almost impossible. It’s far easier to finish the walls with a brush and roller.
The Best Masking Tape to Use When Spraying
I know it may seem daft to mention “the best masking tape”, but it makes a huge difference when spaying. You can’t just use general-purpose crepe tape, and you need different tapes for different jobs.
A good quality washi tape is a lot thinner than crepe tape, so doesn’t leave a fat edge of paint when you take it off. The best brand I’ve used is Masq Painters Tape. I use loads of Masq Red, which is the high-tack tape, for covering windows and switches. There’s very little bleed through and it’s never let me down. Honestly. It’s fantastic!
I use a lot of Masq Purple too, which is the sensitive version. This is great when spraying because it’s safe on newly painted surfaces. It has just enough tack to protect a surface without damaging it.
I’ve used almost every brand of masking tape over the years. I always come back to Masq. It makes spray painting so much easier.
Final Thoughts
We’re over 1,500 words into my guide to spray painting, and I feel like I’ve only just scratched the surface. There is loads more I could talk about, from the best sprayers available, to spraying outdoors, and even uPVC spraying.
I think the actual techniques will need to wait for now. I might put together a different blog on how to spray, but it’s best to watch videos really. Or you could go and do that course at The Dulux Academy if you’re serious about spraying.
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