Is A Paint Sprayer Worth It? Should I Buy One?
The age-old DIY questions. Is a paint sprayer worth it? And should I buy a paint sprayer? It’s a tale as old as time, scratch that, a tale as old as the invention of the HVLP sprayer for homeowners.
This post is all about exploring the pros and cons of a paint sprayer vs using a paint roller or paint brush. Because who doesn’t love a good pro/con list?! Okay probably a ton of people but I love them so lets go.
The question of whether or not to buy a new paint sprayer came up a couple of weeks ago when we were working on the playground renovation.
Did we really want to paint the playground by hand? How long would that take? Would a paint sprayer be a better choice? Spoiler…here’s the answer to those paintbrush vs. sprayer questions.
We have a couple of fine finish paint sprayers but did we need a larger, airless paint sprayer? Should I buy one? I mean, it’s my birthday so we could buy one and call it a birthday present. Honestly, we had this conversation on my birthday. Happy birthday to me!
Spoiler alert, we ordered a new airless sprayer for the playground project. But more on that in a minute.
The Pros And Cons Of Using Paint Sprayers
Is a paint sprayer worth it? The short answer, it depends. I know. Officially the worst answer, but it’s true.
Deciding on whether or not to use a paint sprayer and the type of paint sprayer truly depends on the project you’re doing. There’s a big difference between painting a house exterior and applying a smooth finish to refurbished furniture.
Before we dive into the pro/con list, just a plug that this is from a DIYer’s perspective. Professional painters may have different opinions.
My experience is one of going through hundreds of gallons of paint, not the thousands that professional painters go through. I’ve been painting and DIYing my way through two houses and multiple outbuildings, using a variety of paint sprayers, some we owned and some we borrowed.
The photo above is of our first paint sprayer, a budget-friendly DIY-er Graco Handheld HVLP.
My early career years working in industrial tool sales and marketing were super helpful in learning the professional tools of the trade and accessing demo tools.
Paint Sprayer Advantages
Faster Paint Time
Painting time is much faster with a paint sprayer since you can cover large surfaces faster and in less time than painting with a brush or roller. This is straight painting time and doesn’t include the prep work.
Last summer, it took Colby and I almost an entire day to put one coat of paint on two sides of our home. Using a paint sprayer could have cut that painting time down significantly.
Excuse the man on the ladder. His safety practices are often suspect.
Access Hard To Reach Places
Some painting projects are hard to paint using a paintbrush or a roller. Think of tight spaces like small closets or small areas like staircase balusters. Using a paint sprayer to cover hard-to-reach nooks and crannies is much easier than using a small brush and often yields a better finish.
Professional Finish
With some practice with the spray pattern and the right sprayer, you can get a smooth finish using a paint sprayer. Granted, it depends on having a smooth surface to start with. But you get a professional finish without brush strokes or texture.
More Uniform Layer Of Paint
Paint sprayers also produce a more uniform layer of paint. It does take practice to get the best results, but the coverage can be much more uniform than using a paint roller.
Relatively Quick Cleanup
Cleaning a paint sprayer is relatively quick, especially compared with how long it takes to clean up a paint tray, brush, or roller. Just clean it in the sink with hot soapy water.
Although, be sure to check the instructions for your particular paint sprayer. You likely also need to run some water through the sprayer as well.
Paint Sprayer Disadvantages
Learning Curve
There is definitely a learning curve to using a paint sprayer. And that learning curve can be steep the first time you pick up a paint sprayer.
With settings to learn, how fast to move the sprayer, figuring out whether or not the paint needs to be thinned, and by how much. It can take a while to learn.
Increased Prep Work
Paint sprayers tend to overspray which means increased prep work.
Break out the drop cloths, plastic sheeting, and masking tape to protect every surface you don’t want getting sprayed. Depending on the project location, inside vs outside, it can be a lot of prep work.
Uses More Paint
Another disadvantage due to overspray is you use a larger amount of paint. Like SO much paint.
I once used a paint sprayer to paint 8 dining chairs, two coats of paint on each chair. I went through more than a gallon of paint for the project. It would have used much less paint utilizing a small brush but there’s a slight chance I would still be painting those chairs today.
Limited To Types Of Paint
Not all paint sprayers are created equal and some are limited to certain types of paint. Many are geared toward using latex paint or water-based paint. So if you’re looking to spray stain or oil-based paint, look for a sprayer that accommodates those materials.
Paint In The Air
Interior use with a paint sprayer means paint lingers in the air until it settles. Protecting yourself while painting inside with a face mask and PPE appropriate for spray painting is important.
It can also mean taping off an entire room if you’re painting a lot, like interior walls, to protect the air quality in adjacent spaces until all the paint particles settle.
Thinning Paint
Some of the beginner-model paint sprayers you find at the hardware store require thinning thicker paints to achieve a fine finish with airless spraying. With water-based paint, it’s a matter of adding water to the paint. Each sprayer provides a guide on how much water to use but it turns into trial and error.
My first two paint sprayers needed paint thinning which added to the learning curve. It took some time to learn but once I figured out the right ratios for the brand and type of paint I was consistently using, it was easy.
While it was great as a novice, now I much prefer to use a sprayer that doesn’t require thinning.
Wind Effects Spray Painting
Wind can affect using a sprayer for exterior painting. Windy days are not good for using paint sprayers. Or at least no good for effective paint spraying.
Increased Costs
The cost of a paint sprayer is much higher than that of a paintbrush or paint roller. Depending on the type of sprayer and the quality of it, the cost could be significantly higher.
Because of overspray when using a sprayer, the project will consume more paint, increasing costs.
If you’re looking for the most affordable price for your painting project, using paint sprayers isn’t the way to go.
Types of Paint Sprayers
Before I share our story on how we decided to buy a paint sprayer, let’s define the two different types of paint sprayers—an HVLP paint sprayer vs an airless paint sprayer. The main difference between the two is how they spray the paint.
The best analogy for these paint sprayers I’ve ever heard is an HVLP sprayer is a brush (small jobs) and an airless sprayer is a paint roller (large jobs).
HVLP Paint Sprayer
An HVLP system uses compressed air to atomize paint before leaving the nozzle.
Because of how an HVLP gun works, makes it a great choice for detail work or fine finish work. Like spindles, cabinets, furniture, doors, etc.
Airless Paint Sprayer
Airless sprayers use a piston to pressurize the paint and push it through the nozzle at a tight squeeze yielding particulate paint.
Because of how airless models pressurize the paint, they are a better choice for large areas and big projects. Like exterior siding, fences, and walls.
Why We Decided To Buy An Airless Paint Sprayer
Now let me tell you the story of deciding to buy an airless paint sprayer.
My Paint Sprayer History
I have a love/hate relationship with paint sprayers. I love them for the finish but hate the prep work required before you can start painting. It’s likely because of impatience and I want to jump in and paint. Scratch that…it’s VERY LIKELY because of that personality trait.
Most projects I’ve used a paint sprayer with have been furniture painting projects. Things like cabinets, chairs, bookcases, side tables, etc.
The two paint sprayers I had, a HomeRight Finish Max Sprayer and a Critter Siphon Gun are meant for small projects.
I tried to use the Critter to paint a shed once but was so frustrated with how often I had to fill up the 16-ounce mason jar attached to it that I gave up and broke out my paint brush.
The Great House Painting Saga
When we bought our old farmhouse, it desperately needed a paint job. Oh, and so did the TWELVE outbuildings on our property. So. Much. Painting.
In the nine years we have lived here, we have painted three outbuildings with one coat of paint and put two coats on most of our house. But because we’ve been so slow at painting, there are still parts of our home with only one coat of paint. We are perpetually in a state of needing to paint the house exterior.
Painting siding is a project that takes SO long with a brush. Last summer, our big project was painting two coats of paint on the front of the house. It took us most of the summer to get it done. Although last summer was exceptionally rainy and was hard to find a window of opportunity to paint.
While typically I’m the painter in the family, because of the sheer amount of exterior painting we have around here, Colby helps me. And he has been BEGGING for us to get a large, airless paint sprayer for years to help us speed up the process.
I, a lover of the traditional method of painting with a paintbrush and loather of spray painting prep, resisted.
Fast Forward To The Playground Project
So as we were wrapping up the playground renovation project and starting to think about paint, I caved and said it was time to buy a paint sprayer.
I thought about all those nooks and crannies on the playground. All those hard-to-reach spaces. I didn’t want to crawl around and under that playground for the next few weekends trying to paint the structure with a brush.
We briefly thought about using the Critter Siphon Gun to spray it, and I still might use it on the beams to reduce overspray, but the idea of filling up that tiny jar of paint over and over and over again convinced me it was time for a larger project paint spray gun.
Colby was right. Exterior painting projects aren’t getting done because they are time-consuming and we needed a way to speed the process up.
After some research on a mid-range spray rig with a long hose to reach our second story, we settled on a Wagner Control Pro 170 High-Efficiency Airless Paint and Stain Sprayer. We paid $298.40 for the paint sprayer at Home Depot, which must have been on sale because now it’s listed at $370.
Happy birthday to me! This sprayer ranks up there as the best gift ever along with the tile saw Colby bought me for Christmas our first year in this house. Hashtag I love DIY and tools.
Spray Painting the Playground Game Plan
The paint sprayer took about two weeks to ship to our local store for pickup. It finally arrived and we picked it up yesterday. It’s very humid and rainy this weekend so we’ll likely wait for a dryer weekend to break out the sprayer.
The game plan:
Use the new airless sprayer on the playground decking, railings, and balusters. Then (maybe) use the Critter Siphon Gun for the beams and smaller parts.
One reason we chose the Wagner Control Pro 170 was it touted more precision and less overspray for an airless sprayer. So depending on what the overspray looks like, we may or may not use the finer finish Critter. Stay tuned.
As always, come back for updates on how the playground painting project went, an honest review of the Wagner Control Pro 170 sprayer, and overspray opinions.
So is a paint sprayer worth it?
So is a paint sprayer worth it? And should I buy a paint sprayer?
It boils down to what project you’re trying to tackle, cleanup, speed, and cost.
For me, fine-finish paint sprayers are worth the cost and prep work associated with using them. They do wonders for furniture refinishing and take a lot less time than using a brush or small roller. Even when you factor in prep work.
I don’t think you’ll ever see me breaking out a paint sprayer to spray trim, the walls, or ceiling of our home’s interior. Those projects don’t seem worth the effort of a paint sprayer compared to using a brush or roller. But that’s just my personal opinion. To each their own.
As for using an airless spray gun for large exterior projects, stay tuned. I have a feeling my attitude is about to change when I can quickly paint our largest outbuilding and make playground painting quicker and easier.
