How to Spray Paint With an Airless Sprayer

There is a bit of a learning curve to operating an airless sprayer. You can't just pick up a spray gun and point it at something and expect professional results.

Application of an even, smooth coat of paint requires knowledge of the spray machine as well as of spray tips and application methodology.

Start with a good spray pattern

Use the minimum pressure required to deliver a good spray pattern

A good spray pattern is atomized well, full and even, and has no heavy lines (known as “fingers” or “tails“) on the ends of the pattern

Test out the spray pattern on a piece of cardboard before spraying

Increase pressure until you get a good pattern

If you can’t get a good pattern, you need to reduce the tip size or thin the paint a little to get better atomization.

Spraying technique

Spray at a distance of 12” - 18” from the surface

Keep the gun perpendicular to the surface at all times

Do not arc the gun at the end of the spray stroke

Move the gun before you trigger the gun and release the trigger while the gun is still moving. This will eliminate heavy starts and stops.

Overlap each stroke by 50%

Alternate the direction of each stroke

Spray and back roll

If you are spraying certain surfaces or if you want to be able to touch the paint up if you ever need to at some point down the road, you will need to “back roll”. Back rolling means that you follow up the sprayer by rolling the paint to lay the paint off after spraying it on.

The purpose of back rolling is two - fold, firstly it s done to push the paint into the pores of the wood or to push the nap of roughed up drywall paper back down. A downside to spraying is that it just lays the paint on the surface. There is no tool contact with the surface and no applicator pressure to work the paint into the surface. Following up with a roller will push the paint into voids and make the paint look more uniform.

With drywall, the sanding process will scuff the nap of the paper and leave it rough. Following up with primer and roller application, pushes the roughed up nap back down and leaves the surface smooth.

Touch up

Paint looks different when applied with different application tools. If you spray the paint on, it will not touch up invisibly with a roller unless you back rolled. Note: Sheen paints often will not touch up well regardless of application method. See Touching Up Paint.

See Related Links: Airless Sprayer Basics, Filtering Your Airlesss Sprayer

The Wagner Paint Crew

Spray and backroll can be done with two (one spraying and one rolling), or with one applicator

Note that the roller man is also wearing a paint respirator (as he should) since he is working in the same paint and vapor environment as the spray man.

Spray and Back Rolling

Note: if you are new to airless spraying click here to learn about the dangers of injection injuries caused by airless sprayers and read your manufacturer's equipment cautions.

How to Spray Paint with an Airless Sprayer

Search This Site

Custom Search

The

Concourse eStore

Painting Tips and Advice

Painting and Decorating Concourse

Painting and Decorating Concourse Home > Interior Painting Tips > How to Spray Paint

Our "terms of use" governs your use of our website; by using our website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of our "terms of use", do not use our website.