In the early days of commercial painting, using a sprayer almost always meant using a compressor to go along with it. These heavy, expensive pieces of equipment greatly limited mobility on the jobsite and typically led to slower project timelines and a fair amount of frustration among contractors looking for a more portable, versatile, and easy-to-use solution.
When airless paint spraying came onto the scene, many of these wishes were granted for professional painters. Whether working a residential or commercial, interior or exterior job, airless spraying afforded contractors the quality finish and heightened efficiency they had long desired – while also delivering reliability and affordability.
As an introduction to airless paint spraying, here is a closer look at how airless spraying works and the leading benefits it provides across just about any environment and application.
How Airless Paint Spraying Works
To understand how airless paint spraying works, let’s first review the three other most popular spray methods.
- Air spraying uses highly pressurized air from a compressor to atomize fluid and deliver it onto the work surface.
- High-volume low-pressure (HVLP) spraying uses compressed air and a turbine to deliver a large volume of air at a low pressure to atomize and spray the fluid. A sprayer must be 10 PSI or less at the air cap to qualify as HVLP.
- Air-assisted airless spraying combines the elements of air spraying and airless spraying to achieve the finish quality of HVLP with the efficiency of airless. This is done by adding compressed air to the airless spray fan pattern.
Unlike each of these three methods – and as the name suggests – airless spraying requires neither a compressor nor a turbine. Instead, most airless paint sprayers use either a gas engine, electric motor, or air-powered piston to build pressure internally before driving it out of the spray tip.
Rather than being driven by the force of the piston, airless paint sprayers use a series of one-way valves to force pressure into the machine and hold it there, with each cycle adding more fluid and pressure to the closed system. This pressure is then released via the spray gun in the form of a fine mist of droplets.
The spray gun’s tip is designed to distribute paint at a high speed, evenly and in a fan-shaped pattern. This combination of steps help makes airless paint spraying the fastest and most versatile way to achieve professional-grade results on any project.
Electric Airless vs. Gas Airless
As mentioned, most airless paint sprayers use either a gas engine, electric motor, or air-powered piston.
Electric airless sprayers are the most common type of airless paint sprayer, offering a cost-effective solution for contractors. Typically limited to about 3,300 PSI, electric airless sprayers can be less effective for thicker coatings like some elastomerics and block-fillers. The electric motor also requires a power source in order to function, which is something to consider in regard to your jobsite.
Gas airless sprayers can be either hydraulic or standard, with the hydraulic option using power from the gas engine to power the motor that drives the fluid section. This method can provide greater potential gallons per minute and pressure than electric airless and does not require an external power source, which may make it a more viable option on certain jobsites.
Benefits of Airless Paint Spraying
Airless paint spraying has numerous advantages over other common methods, including:
- Increased Efficiency – With airless spraying, you can complete more jobs in less time and with less labor. Increased mobility on the jobsite (due to no need for a compressor) also make it easier to navigate the working environment and to get the job done quicker – without sacrificing on quality.
- Increased Finish Quality – The airless spraying method makes it easy to apply an even coat of paint on essentially any type of surfaces.
- Increased Versatility – Airless paint spraying can be used for a wide range of coatings in both residential and commercial settings, spraying everything from stain and lacquer to varnish and latex paint.
- Ease of Use – Airless paint sprayers are also a breeze to use once configured, affording operators an almost “point and shoot” level of ease. Streamlined portability and minimal maintenance also make navigating even the most complex projects much simpler.
Spray Smarter with Titan Tool
Boost every job with the unbeatable power, speed, and control of a Titan airless paint sprayer, designed to get the job done right the first time. Built for maximum durability, Titan is the smart business choice for best-in-class ROI and dedicated support whenever you need it.
Browse our electric airless paint sprayers and gas airless paint sprayers, or contact us today to start experiencing better results, every time you pull the trigger.