Wagner FC5500 XVLP Sprayer Review

In my role as a professional decorator, most of my work is what I would describe as “small domestic work” – painting Mrs Johnson’s spare room. But I have done some spraying in the past. I had a couple of jobs come up recently where spraying would be the best option, and I was extremely fortunate to be able to borrow a Wagner FC5500 XVLP machine from the wonderful team at Paintshack.  Now the jobs are done, I thought I’d write up a quick Wagner FC5500 sprayer review to let you know how I got on.

Wagner FC5500 – What You Need To Know

• Machine Type: XVLP (stands for eXtra Volume, Low Pressure – more in a moment!)
• Mains or Battery: Mains (230V)
• Suitable for (with the correct attachments) solvent and water-based paints, stains, primers, varnishes etc.  With the correct attachments you can spray regular emulsions through one of these, but I would guess that masonry paints, intumescent paints etc would not be suitable.
• Ideal for small domestic jobs, such as ornate coving, doors, other woodwork, furniture upcycling, etc.
• Not really suitable for emulsioning whole rooms.
• Available from Crown Decorating Centres or online, including Paintshack and and plenty of others.

Wagner FC5500 In More Detail

The Wagner FCC5500 (FC stands for “Finish Control”, by the way) is an XVLP spray machine – it works in a very similar way to the better-known HVLP, but with a greater volume of air, which gives optimum atomisation of the paint.  It’s not an airless system, it’s not designed for spraying entire rooms; it’s designed for smaller jobs and delivers a great finish.  It will cope with emulsion (with the right spray head attachment), but it’s not designed for big jobs.  But talking of design, it is of course German engineering, and as such has lots of clever little design features:

• With a 4m mains cable and a 5m hose, working my way around a large room to paint ornate coving was never an issue; I didn’t have to unplug the machine once and move it, and the hose was always plenty long enough to reach.

• Wagner’s “Click & Paint Technology” means you can detach the spray head and paint reservoir, and attach a new one, in a matter of seconds. So if your reservoir was running low on paint you could simply replace it with an already-prepared one.  Or you could switch from doing the woodwork in one room to the coving in another room almost instantly.
• The gun is very ergonomic, fitting comfortably in the hand and surprisingly – even with a full paint reservoir – not feeling that heavy.  All the key controls – air volume, paint volume and fan width – are there on the gun, so you can make any adjustments instantly and simply.
• Being XVLP, and being so controllable, means that overspray can be kept to a minimum.
• The main turbine unit has a warning light to let you know if the air filters need cleaning.  It also has an integrated storage box to keep spare filters and cleaning tools (which are provided) in.  There’s also a storage space to sit the paint reservoir in while not in use.

I managed to complete two projects with the Wagner FC5500 XVLP before I had to return it; the above-mentioned coving, and a small furniture upcycling job. On both I found the machine to be accurate, easy to handle and super-simple to use, which as a relative newbie to XVLP was a huge bonus. And most importantly, the finish is superb.  If you’re looking for a sprayer for small jobs, this would be a good place to start your search.  Many thanks once again to Colin at Paintshack for the loan of the equipment.

Review Summary

FAQs

Which Wagner sprayer is best for furniture?

The Wagner FC5500 sprayer is the best for furniture. It’s an XVLP, so it’s very controlled and easy to use, even if you have only had limited training. It is expensive though, which is why it’s mostly used by professionals. The cheaper Wagner HVLP sprayers might be more of a realistic option for a DIY job.

Can you paint kitchen cabinets with Wagner sprayer?

Wagner sprayers are perfect for painting kitchen cabinets. You might struggle to achieve a flawless finish with one of the cheaper Wagner HVLP units that you can buy from Amazon or Screwfix, but with the right paint, you’ll get a factory finish if you use a Wagner FC5500.

What is the best spray painter for a DIY?

Wagner offer a full range of budget options. They seem to be good at delivering usable sprayers for a very low price, which is perfect for DIY.

Can you paint walls with HVLP?

You could spray walls with a HVLP or XVLP sprayer, but it would take a very long time. The spray is too fine and controlled, meaning it’s more suited to painting woodwork or uPVC. Airless sprayers are a lot better for painting walls and ceilings.