Proper consideration of the Airless pressure setting when spraying paint with an Airless paint sprayer is a vital point to achieve a high-quality work result. In addition to the surface coverage and the uniformity of the spray pattern, the pressure adjustment also has an effect on overspray formation, paint consumption and the wear and tear of the paint spraying machine, spray gun and the nozzles.
How does too little pressure affect the spray pattern and the working result?
In the case of paint application with insufficient pressure, the material is not sufficiently atomized and irregularities in the spray pattern can occur. On the wall or on the object, these irregularities are shown in an uneven distribution of the color. In most cases, striping occurs mainly at the upper and lower edge of the spray jet. There, more material is sprayed on, while in the middle area there may be misfires and gaps with insufficient paint application.
How does an excessive pressure affect the spray pattern and the color distribution?
When spraying too high with an airless sprayer, the paint is sputtered too much and accelerated, resulting in unnecessary formation of paint mist and overspray. In addition, the airless device is loaded more heavily than necessary, which increases the wear of pistons, seals and valves. The same applies to the airless spray nozzles used, which are subject to increased wear and tear at higher working pressures.
The goal should therefore be to work with the lowest possible pressure setting, but still use enough pressure to obtain a uniform spray pattern.
Can you always spray with the same pressure setting using the same Airless machine?
Different materials have different viscosities, so they are thicker or thinner. Thinner lacquers and paints usually require less pressure to achieve uniform atomization. Thick paint, on the other hand, requires a higher working pressure in order to achieve a high-quality work result. But the dilution or temperature as well as prolonged storage also affect the viscosity and structure of the material.
How can you optimally adjust the pressure on an Airless sprayer?
For optimal adjustment, there are usually indications in the technical data sheet of the paint manufacturer, on which you can orient yourself. If there is no data on a new material, proceed as follows in order to adapt to the optimum setting of the print. Start at low pressure and then gradually increase the pressure setting until a uniform spray pattern with good atomization results. For this purpose, it is best to spray on cardboard or cover material outside the working area until an optimal spray pattern is obtained.
How should the optimal spray pattern of an Airless paint sprayer look like?
The perfect spray pattern and the optimal pressure setting on an airless device should deliver the following results:
- uniform distribution of the paint over the entire width of the spray jet
- no banding at the edge
- no paint smearing
What if my machine does not have a pressure readout?
An external manometer or pressure guage can be added to machine. It is placed between the hose and the paint sprayer – where the hose would usually attach.
For any further questions concerning the optimal setting of color spraying equipment, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone at +49 (0) 30/22015436, by mail via our contact form or directly at our service base. If you have any problems you can also send us a short mobile video of your spraying by WhatsApp (Tel. 0152/29535213). We will be happy to help you with tips and tricks.
Love our content? You can find more here:
Check out our Airless Discounter YouTube channel
Airless Discounter Instagram account
Questions or queries?
For any further questions or if you would like to get your hands on one of these products seen in this article, you can contact us on +49 (0) 30 220 15436, fill out our contact form or email us. If you wish to purchase one of the products mentioned above, you can check them out in our online store. You can also visit us at our service base during office hours.
Fill out a Contact Form on our website
[…] Adjusting the working pressure optimally can have a significant impact on the end result, as well as on the quality of the finishes, the material consumption, the wear of the paint station and the nozzles and spray mist. This is why the adjustment of the pressure is so vital: too often the work is done with too strong a pressure, which disperses a cloud of paint in the room and not on the wall. Workload and cleaning time are unnecessarily increased, as is paint consumption and wear and tear. […]
[…] Hello painters and decorators! Today we are releasing part 3 of the video tutorial series “Spray Painting with less Overspray”. The other remaining parts are at the moment available in German, but soon they will published with the English subtitles too. In the third part we are going to talk about how to reach the right spray pressure, a theme we have already explored in a previous blog post. […]
Your spray pressure video shows optimal results above 140 bar. does that mean that the Wagner 250 and 350 Pro products that operate at 110 bar will never get satisfactory results no matter the medium, and therefore a complete waste of money and I should buy an airless sprayer with at least 200 bar capacity?
Hi David, thank you for your message. There is an important distinction between the spray tip used in the video above and the spray tips used with the Wagner 250 and 350 pro models. In the video a standard (yellow) professional spray tip is used. The Wagner 250 and 350 Pro models use the HEA Technology (green) spray tips – these are low pressure tips. On average the HEA spray tips will have an optimal working pressure that is lower than other standard spray tips when spraying similar materials – this means a reasonable finish can be obtained using these machines. Having said that, its important when buying an Airless sprayer to consider your job requirements, materials you are using and frequency of sprayer use. Most professional painters would choose a slightly larger machine with higher delivery rates and higher working pressures. In the professional industry the Wagner 250 and 350 are considered entry level models. We will be happy to assist you with selecting the Airless sprayer that is right for you, we simply need more information about your typical painting job (materials, interior/exterior work, hours per week etc), simply contact us. Have a good day!