There are a number of reasons you might experience a bad spray pattern when working with an airless paint sprayer, leading to issues such as tails, striping, uneven color distribution, and other streaks and disturbances.
Once you’ve identified the root cause of these issues, you can better determine the solution that will help achieve an optimal spray pattern. Here is a closer look at five of the most common such causes and some steps contractors can take to overcome them.
Cause 1: The Spray Tip is Partially Clogged
Depending on the coating you’re spraying, the material may dry and build up on or around the orifice of the spray tip over time, causing the material to flow unevenly. In these instances, it’s a good idea to either clean the tip with the appropriate solvent as recommended by the manufacturer or to simply purchase a replacement spray tip.
Cause 2: Pressure is Too High or Too Low
Airless sprayers depend on consistent pressure to atomize the coating they’re spraying. If there are issues with uneven or inconsistent spray patterns, it is likely due to one of two issues: the pump is not providing the proper pressure or the pump was not adjusted correctly by the operator.
If the sprayer stops pressurizing consistently, start by checking the packing of the pump. Packings help create a tight seal around the piston rod of the pump, helping deliver a consistent and even pressure during the sprayer’s up and down stroke.
You should also evaluate the condition of the ball and seat of the sprayer. These components sit at the top and/or the bottom of the airless piston stroke and help keep it even throughout operation. If you notice the sprayer getting to one side of the stroke and then rapidly returning, it is most likely due to a worn ball and seat.
The second cause of pressure issues is primarily user error. The pressure of your sprayer needs to be correctly set by the operator in order to achieve an optimal spray pattern. Not enough pressure leads to issues like tails, while too much pressure leads to overspray, material waste, added cleanup, and increased operational costs.
Be wary of these issues and increase or decrease your pressure as needed until you see the tails begin to disappear or overspray begin to reduce. If the sprayer is already at its maximum pressure, you may have to use a hose with a larger diameter or shorten the hose length to reduce the pressure.
Cause 3: The Tip is Too Large
All airless paint sprayers are rated for a maximum tip size, and using a tip that is larger than recommended will cause low-pressure issues. It’s important to make sure the tip is also the proper size for the material being sprayed.
Cause 4: The Tip is Worn Out
After extended use, spray tips will eventually wear out, causing a poor spray pattern denoted by an excess of overspray and additional material waste. If the tip is worn out and is simply past its usable life, it is time to replace it with a new, high-quality spray tip.
Titan’s collection of reversible, fine-finish, and HEA spray tips offer something unique for every application and environment.
- Our SC-6+ reversible spray tip has a long-lasting orifice that provides more usable life while achieving up to a 22% wider fan pattern.
- Our SC-6+ Synergy fine-finish spray tip achieves a particle size up to 27% smaller than a standard tip and is pressure-rated at 5,000 PSI.
- Our HEA tips are optimized to spray all architectural paints and coatings at 1000 PSI at production speed, decreasing overspray by up to 55% to allow you to keep on spraying.
Cause 5: The Material is Too Viscous
In certain cases, the material being too viscous can also cause issues with the quality of the spray pattern. If this is the case, it’s time to add the proper solvent to the fluid per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
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