Spraying is (by far) the quickest way to coat a surface with paint, ensuring you’re not left with unsightly brush strokes.

Unlike rollers and paintbrushes, sprayers release small particles of paint through the nozzle. This allows you to cover every single nook and cranny – not just larger areas.

There’s no denying that a paint sprayer can provide a smooth finish to the most uneven surfaces. However, the quality of the job often depends on the equipment and techniques you choose.

Unsure which paint spraying equipment is best for you?

Here at SFEG, we supply a wide range of spray painting equipment – including airless spray pumps, conventional systems, spray guns and spare parts.

Below, our team outlines the different types of spray equipment, along with their pros and cons, to help you to make an informed decision as to which is most suitable for your needs.

·        Airless sprayers

Airless sprayers pump out paint at high pressure to achieve a smooth coating on the surface. They produce less waste, as almost no paint stays in the air.

Thanks to a specifically designed spray tip, this type of sprayer offers unrivalled control – making it perfect for painting interior and exterior surfaces, including ceilings and walls, fences and decking.

Unlike other paint spraying equipment, airless spray guns can also be used with thicker paints and still provide uniform coverage. However, these sprayers operate at high pressure – so, you need to make sure that your fingers (or any other part of your body) don’t get too close to the tip.

·        Compressed air sprayers

A compressed air sprayer uses compressed air to provide a mist of tiny particles onto the surface.

This type of paint sprayer is not only one of the more affordable options but is also straightforward to use, requiring very little experience to achieve paint perfection.

Though compressed air sprayers can apply paint coatings quickly and reliably – both indoors and out – their output is difficult to control. Meaning they’re less suitable for tasks that require precision.

In comparison with other types of paint spraying equipment, these are also significantly noisier and more wasteful.

·        High volume low pressure sprayers (HVLP)

As its name suggests, a HVLP sprayer dispenses a large amount of paint at low pressure. As a result of the paint being released via the tip slowly, the sprayer is easy to control and less paint is wasted.

HVLP spray equipment is a brilliant choice for interior projects, achieving a perfectly smooth finish every time.

The only downsides to this type of sprayer are that it’s relatively expensive when compared with others and is slower in its application, meaning it will take you slightly longer to complete your project. It’s also important to note that HVLP sprayers are not suitable for spraying thick paints.

·        Pressure pots

A pressure pot is designed to hold and pressurise the paint used by a conventional or HVLP paint sprayer.

Powered by compressed air, these force paint to the tip of the spray gun, applying a layer to the surface faster and more efficiently than painting by hand with a brush.

·        Diaphragm pump packages

A diaphragm pump is powered by an electric motor and transfers paint to the spray gun. It builds up the pressure so that it can be separated by the nozzle and sprayed on the surface.

Suitable for use in fixed and mobile locations – with manual and automatic spray guns – a diaphragm pump operates continuously. This means that it won’t experience fluctuations and you’ll end up with an even spray pattern without pulsations.

One of the biggest drawbacks of a diaphragm pump is that it produces an overspray, which isn’t recommended when painting indoors.

Ready to invest in spray painting equipment?

Now you know a little more about the different types of equipment you can buy for paint spraying, you should have a better idea of what you need to complete the job properly, safely and efficiently.

Be sure to explore the different products within our spray painting equipment category and identify the best one for your needs.

If you’re unsure or would like to discuss your requirements with a member of the team, get in touch today. You can contact us by calling 0161 480 8087 or emailing sales@sfeg.co.uk, and we’ll respond as soon as possible.