How To Use an Airless Paint Sprayer

When compared to spraying with compressed air, what is airless spray painting? To put it simply, Airless spray painting just uses material pressure without the air. An electric or pneumatical pump or petrol engine places the material under pressure and forces a defined amount of material at a maximum pressure of 250 bar through a tip bore. This transforms the material into a spray.

Airless spraying is the fastest way to complete most painting jobs. Learning how to use a paint sprayer is quite easy, but like anything new, practice and a little knowledge will help you achieve professional-quality results in no time.

Follow Important Safety Precautions

Whenever operating any equipment, take proper safety precautions. Be mindful of potential hazards, wear protective clothing and eyewear, and stay alert.

Proper Sprayer Setup

While the specific steps for preparing your sprayer for use will be different depending on the model of sprayer you own and whether or not you have used your sprayer before, the basic steps include:

Connecting the spray gun and hose

Flushing and priming the sprayer

Installing the tip and guard

Proper Surface Prep

Preparing the surface you’ll be spraying is the most important part of any painting project. For exteriors, use a pressure washer and a cleaning solution to thoroughly clean the surfaces and allow to dry. Once clean and dry, repair any cracks, chips, and holes, and sand any rough areas.

With any airless project, expect a certain amount of overspray. To protect surfaces from overspray, spend a few minutes preparing the surroundings. Cover all baseboards and protect any furniture, shutters, or windows. When painting outdoors, take careful note of wind directions, and cover any plants or shrubs with plastic to protect them from overspray.

Proper Spray Technique

For even paint distribution and quality results, follow these basic spray techniques:

Keep spray gun about 12 inches from the surface

For best coverage, use a long, continuous motion—start your motion before triggering gun and continue your motion after the gun trigger is released

Overlap your spray pattern by about 50%—simply aim the tip of the spray gun on your next pass at the edge of the previous painted area

Sprayers & Accessories

Using the right spray tip can make your project easier. Use our Tip Selector tool to ensure your spray tip matches the job. Whether it is a Pressure Roller Kit or Tip Extension to get the job done faster or Pump Armor to keep your sprayer operating at top form.