Airless sprayer - Buy or Rent?
 

I am finishing my basement....including new stud walls, drywall and I also intend to paint my entire ceiling flat black instead of drop ceiling or drywall.

Would purchasing an airless sprayer be worth the money in this case or just rent?

All depends on how often you'll use it. A commercial airless spraying (not a wagner or other gravity fed....which will take a long time for a ceiling) is going to be most likely in the $400 neighborhood and renting is gonna run probably $75/day. If it's only for one job, I'd rent it.

I would be looking at something like this Graco X5.http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Magnum-2...+paint+sprayer

I would be doing ceiling and probably walls in basement. PLUS I have a friend who said he would pay me to do his ceiling. So I was thinking the machine would pay for itself.

However I don't want to buy a piece of junk and I don't want to spend $500 either when I could just rent for $75.

Are the ones you can rent a much better quality?

Looks like a good sprayer. The only thing I noticed is the Amazon description says max tip size is .023. That bothered me as I've never seen a half horsepower sprayer that will handle a tip that large. I went to the Graco site and pulled the operator manual and it specifies a max tip of .015 which sounds more like it. Probably not a big issue except that some of the heavier latex paints, S-W Emerald for one, need a tip size of .017. Most quality paints will specify a minimum tip size on the can. FWIW:)

For that little bit of painting get out your brush and roller.

LOL really? Cause you can paint a ceiling full of joists and cross members with a brush and roller? That would take FOREVER!

I used to own an airless sprayer, but that was back in the day when we lived on an acreage and I had to paint outbuildings. It also worked extremely well for exactly what you're talking about doing.

Mine was about $450, and was well worth it.

However, if I was in your shoes, I'd probably rent one to do what you're talking about doing.

Sorry, JD, you didn't mention the ceiling was joists and cross members. By all means get the sprayer out!

I have the Ryobi airless.....works well for the money....

Do NOT buy the cheap Wagner.....might be ok for one room....but it's noisy and slow....

If you think there is a chance you will use it more than once....buy one....

Just remember....houses will always need to be painted....wife's always change their minds on what colors they want.....and kids do terrible things to walls....