HVLP (short for high-volume, low-pressure) sprayers and airless paint sprayers have different strengths and weaknesses on the jobsite, especially when it comes to fine finishing. Some projects call for one over the other depending on specific parameters, and knowing which one to go with can save you hours of production while also impacting the quality of your work.
To help streamline decision-making to that end, we’re going to take a closer look at the functionality of these different finishing methods and how to decide when to use which for optimal results.
How Airless Spraying Works
Airless paint sprayers do not use a compressor, instead leveraging a pressurized pump to siphon paint to the gun through the fluid line, then forcing it through a small orifice in the spray tip for atomization. Airless paint sprayers can spray essentially all coatings and are especially useful on jobs that call for high efficiency and production.
Pairing and airless sprayer with a fine finish spray tip – like the Titan SC-6+ tip – is a great way to achieve increased atomization and transfer efficiency without wasting paint. It may slow production a bit and won’t work as well with many medium- to high-viscosity coatings, but it can serve as a good middle ground between airless and HVLP finishing.
How HVLP Spraying Works
While airless spraying makes use of a pump to get the job done, HVLP sprayers use a compressor or turbine to atomize paint. HVLP sprayers like the Titan Capspray Series hold paint in a cup attached to the gun with a fluid needle and nozzle to deliver maximum control and consistent fan patterns.
Now let’s take a look at how these two types of sprayers compare in some of key areas of fine finishing.
Overspray
Because airless sprayers perform at a much higher pressure, they produce quite a bit more overspray than HVLP. A given material might call for 2,000 PSI with an airless sprayer but only 10 PSI with an HVLP.
Finish Quality
HVLP clearly has the edge in finish quality thanks to its ability to atomize paint at a much lower pressure. This results in a finer finish and provides you with more control over the paint flow and coating thickness. You can essentially dial in the perfect spray pattern for a smooth finish every time. Somewhat similar results can occasionally be achieved with an airless sprayer, but only if you’re using the right fine finish spray tip.
Thinning
Most airless sprayers are powerful enough to be able to pump paint to the gun without having to thin your material first. With HVLP, thinning is much more of a requirement in most cases, as the orifices in the gun are much smaller and commonly clog when spraying a material that is too thick. The Titan Capspray 115 is capable of atomizing thick latex- or solvent-based paints, enamels, or varnishes with little to no thinning.
Efficiency
Another key consideration of your project is the scale of production and the need for efficiency. Airless spraying allows you to work directly out of your paint container to spray multiple objects at a time without having to stop to refill. While HVLP may deliver a higher-quality finish, it requires a bit more time to get the job done and is typically better for smaller production runs. Airless spraying can also come with more intensive cleanup work required.
When to Use an Airless or HVLP Sprayer
Given the unique characteristics of airless and HVLP finishing, there are certain projects that favor one over the other.
Airless spraying is ideal for high-production jobs and when working with high- or medium-viscosity coatings not in need of high atomization.
HVLP spraying, on the other hand, is best when the primary concern is the quality of the finish. HVLP can help keep emissions down and is often the way to go when the efficiency of your fine-finishing project is not a top concern.
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