[slantedview]

I'm a relatively new first-time homeowner and could use some guidance on finding a sprayer that is versatile enough to use on various projects and durable enough to keep and use for years to come. The projects I'm considering include painting interior built-ins (my first job), cabinets, and my house's exterior at some point in the future. Is there a type of sprayer that would be suitable for a variety of tasks like this? It would be great if it was easy to maintain/clean and didn't require thinning paint (if possible). I'm open to pretty much any setup, including buying a separate compressor if needed (which could be useful for other things I suppose).

As for why I'm interested in spraying and not brushing (which I've done a bit of) - it's mostly because the cabinets and built-ins feature a lot of detailing that would be hard to prime and brush well, and also if I do decide to tackle the exterior (siding), spraying seems like a no-brainer.

Any general recommendations on a type of setup to get? Thanks!

 

[slantedview]

Here are some quick images of the cabinetry detail I'd like to paint. I'm not sure I could brush into this detail, especially primer, and get a good result:

We have one matching cabinet in our house that was professionally painted when we first moved in. The painter sprayed some shallac based primer (Zinsser I think) underneath latex paint, and the finish seems really well bonded and durable. This is what I was thinking of doing for my own projects...

 

[slinger58]

For versatility, it's hard to beat an airless sprayer. With the proper tip-size, you can do anything from siding to cabinet work. Don't know what your budget is, but for somewhere around $1K you can get a small professional grade unit that will last a lifetime if it's properly cared for.

The box stores sell some Graco units for much less than a grand, but I can't vouch for how well they perform or hold up.

 

[slantedview]

For versatility, it's hard to beat an airless sprayer. With the proper tip-size, you can do anything from siding to cabinet work. Don't know what your budget is, but for somewhere around $1K you can get a small professional grade unit that will last a lifetime if it's properly cared for.

The box stores sell some Graco units for much less than a grand, but I can't vouch for how well they perform or hold up.

Thanks for the response. I'd probably be more in the Graco range. I do want something to last for years, but I'll probably only use it occasionally since I only have one house Anything in particular I should look at when evaluating these things? Also curious, would you spray those cabinets or brush them?

 

[slinger58]

Thanks for the response. I'd probably be more in the Graco range. I do want something to last for years, but I'll probably only use it occasionally since I only have one house Anything in particular I should look at when evaluating these things?

Graco is a professional brand, they have a "homeowner" line of pumps that the box stores sell. What to look for is mainly the pump's output capacity. In that class of pumps, I would guess somewhere around .5 gpm is what you'll get. That should be fine for what you will do with it. It'll probably limit your tip size to no larger than .515 and limit the length of spray line to no more than 50'.

And that should be enough to do what you want to do.

 

[slantedview]

Graco is a professional brand, they have a "homeowner" line of pumps that the box stores sell. What to look for is mainly the pump's output capacity. In that class of pumps, I would guess somewhere around .5 gpm is what you'll get. That should be fine for what you will do with it. It'll probably limit your tip size to no larger than .515 and limit the length of spray line to no more than 50'.

And that should be enough to do what you want to do.

What size of tip would be more appropriate for interior cabinet stuff versus, say, exterior siding?

 

[slinger58]

What size of tip would be more appropriate for interior cabinet stuff versus, say, exterior siding?

Cabinet work - .210FF or .310FF (Fine Finish)

Siding- .415 or .515

with tip sizes the first number doubled gives the fan width (the width of the spray pattern)

The second two numbers are the size of the orifice, the larger the orifice, the greater the volume of paint coming out.

 

[slantedview]

Cabinet work - .210FF or .310FF (Fine Finish)

Siding- .415 or .515

with tip sizes the first number doubled gives the fan width (the width of the spray pattern)

The second two numbers are the size of the orifice, the larger the orifice, the greater the volume of paint coming out.

Thanks for the info! So how do those tip sizes correspond to the max tip sizes described in the product descriptions, like .017? Also, the sprayers in the .5 gpm range cost around $1k. The units more the 500 range are .3ish gpm. Seem fine?

 

[slantedview]

Also interested to know from readers - would you brush or spray those cabinets pictured above (the moulding in that second picture would have to be done indoors - the cabinet doors can obviously be moved to a better location)?

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

I bought this one for spraying the outside of barns ans shops..worked great, no complaints.just read the specs if it will spray what you want to use.well under 1k..https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XZLJIW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Gymschu]

Also interested to know from readers - would you brush or spray those cabinets pictured above (the moulding in that second picture would have to be done indoors - the cabinet doors can obviously be moved to a better location)?

I don't do a lot of spraying so I normally roll and brush or brush and roll depending on the look a customer wants. With a mini roller, you will get slight stipple and you won't get that flawless look you get when spraying. A brush can leave brush strokes, but, some folks like that "old-fashioned" look. That molding is not difficult to brush and/or roll. And, yes, you really have no choice but to brush/roll the boxes in place. Always nice to take the doors off which makes them easy to clean, sand, prime, and paint. I like to do a side at a time, lay them flat after the paint coat so the paint will level out to make for a more glass-like appearance, and to avoid runs.

P.S. I'm gonna say it and I'm sure some are thinking it, but, wow, that's some BEAUTIFUL oak. I know the trend is to paint over it, but, if it were me, I'd clean up the doors and keep the oak look. It's gorgeous. And, once you paint it, you can't go back.

 

[slinger58]

Thanks for the info! So how do those tip sizes correspond to the max tip sizes described in the product descriptions, like .017? Also, the sprayers in the .5 gpm range cost around $1k. The units more the 500 range are .3ish gpm. Seem fine?

The tip sizes I recommended are smaller than .017 so they'll be fine. The problem you may run into with the lower gpm's is they won't have enough power to pump the heavier bodied paints. Thinning the paint may be necessary for it to atomize properly.

BTW, the tip recommendations on the paint can labels are almost always larger than necessary or even optimal. Using a smaller tip than recommended is fine.

 

[wptski]

BTW, the tip recommendations on the paint can labels are almost always larger than necessary or even optimal. Using a smaller tip than recommended is fine.

Suggested tip sizes work great if your name is Usain Bolt!

A .015" tip pushes .24GPM or almost one quart every minute.

 

[slantedview]

The tip sizes I recommended are smaller than .017 so they'll be fine. The problem you may run into with the lower gpm's is they won't have enough power to pump the heavier bodied paints. Thinning the paint may be necessary for it to atomize properly.

BTW, the tip recommendations on the paint can labels are almost always larger than necessary or even optimal. Using a smaller tip than recommended is fine.

Thanks for the info. I'm comparing some of the Graco setups:

http://magnum.graco.com/products/compare/

Two things I'm wondering - is it possible I might need a .017 tip for my exterior painting? And how can I determine how much power I need for exterior paint?

 

[slantedview]

I don't do a lot of spraying so I normally roll and brush or brush and roll depending on the look a customer wants. With a mini roller, you will get slight stipple and you won't get that flawless look you get when spraying. A brush can leave brush strokes, but, some folks like that "old-fashioned" look. That molding is not difficult to brush and/or roll. And, yes, you really have no choice but to brush/roll the boxes in place. Always nice to take the doors off which makes them easy to clean, sand, prime, and paint. I like to do a side at a time, lay them flat after the paint coat so the paint will level out to make for a more glass-like appearance, and to avoid runs.

P.S. I'm gonna say it and I'm sure some are thinking it, but, wow, that's some BEAUTIFUL oak. I know the trend is to paint over it, but, if it were me, I'd clean up the doors and keep the oak look. It's gorgeous. And, once you paint it, you can't go back.

Thanks for the response. That second picture (above) is actually part of the built-in, so I'll have to paint that in place however I do it. I brushed a dresser with oil based zinsser primer not too long ago and in my inexperienced opinion that stuff was pretty hard to work with. I had trouble getting into the details which is why I was thinking of spraying the entire built-ins. As for the sides and interior of the built-ins, why not just spray those too? Anyways, here's a better picture of one of the built-ins I'm planning to tackle (there are 2):

As for the color of the oak - it is beautiful, but it's just not ideal for us. I'm really looking forward to the crisp clean look of white

 

[slinger58]

Thanks for the info. I'm comparing some of the Graco setups:

http://magnum.graco.com/products/compare/

Two things I'm wondering - is it possible I might need a .017 tip for my exterior painting? And how can I determine how much power I need for exterior paint?

No, you don't need a .017 tip to spray exterior paint. You could use a .015 or a .013. They won't be as fast as a .017, but you'll have better control and you won't work the pump so hard. But slow with an airless is still many, many times faster than a brush and/or roller.

As for power needed, it's not really an exact science. Depends on the tip size and the viscosity of the paint. Most all pumps come with a booklet giving the basics of airless spraying. #1 rule is, the gun needs to be moving when the trigger is pulled. If not, you've just piled too much paint in one spot.

Good luck with it.

 

[Gymschu]

As long as you scuff sand the finish on the oak and remove the sanding dust, Zinsser's latex-based 1-2-3 primer will work just fine.......no need for the oil-based.

***One note to remember......no matter how good the bonding primer is that you use, no matter how good the paint is, no matter how good your prep is.......you will have constant touch-ups to do on painted oak. It's such a hard surface that bumping into it with toys, moving things, doors slamming shut, etc. is bound to produce blemishes, marks, and the like.

 

[slantedview]

As long as you scuff sand the finish on the oak and remove the sanding dust, Zinsser's latex-based 1-2-3 primer will work just fine.......no need for the oil-based.

***One note to remember......no matter how good the bonding primer is that you use, no matter how good the paint is, no matter how good your prep is.......you will have constant touch-ups to do on painted oak. It's such a hard surface that bumping into it with toys, moving things, doors slamming shut, etc. is bound to produce blemishes, marks, and the like.

Thanks for the info. What do you think of the Zinsser shellac primer - is it worth the hassle? The reason I'm considering it is because of how excellent it bonded to the finish on the one oak built-in in our house that was professionally painted.

As for spraying or brushing/rolling these built-ins as my first project, what do you think?

 

[Gymschu]

If you like ProClassic and feel comfortable using it, it's a nice paint to brush and roll. I'm not gonna say it will have that GLASS-like look to it that you get with spraying, but, if done correctly, you can achieve a very nice durable finish. I've done a couple dozen over the years with ProClassic with NO callbacks even though I offer to come back (free of charge) to do minor touch-ups.

As for primer, yes, the Shellac-based and oil-based primers bond a bit better to wood coated with a clear coat and they sand out a bit better than latex primer like 123. The downside is the smell which can be nearly intolerable for some.

 

[ToolSeeker]

Sorry late to the party. Just my $.02 The Graco units at the box store will suit your needs just fine. Several years ago I bought the Magnun 9 as my first sprayer since that time I have bought bigger sprayers, the magnum was to see if I liked spraying. I can guarantee I worked that little sprayer harder than you will. I still have it and use it for small jobs.

I would encourage you to use it a few times on other jobs before you tackle that beautiful oak cabinet. Any sprayer has a learning curve and a couple bigger projects will get you more accustomed to the sprayer.