With winter fast approaching, I was looking to make a few changes to my house. And if you’re a DIY enthusiast, I’m sure you are too!
Lacquer spraying requires a careful application process and can be quite a challenging task. So, to ensure that you preserve all of that hard work, you’d need to purchase the right product that will help obtain a consistent finish.
And to do a thorough job, you’d need to use the ideal product you can get your hands on. But what should the spray gun do?
Apart from providing a smooth finish, a good spray gun should handle nitrocellulose lacquer, shellac, and every other type of finish. It should also ensure an even spray free from ripples and bubbles while handling the extra adhesive qualities of lacquer.
Hi, I’m Stacy Smith, and I’m here to help you find the best lacquer spray gun for your projects.
Top 5 Lacquer Spray Guns
1. Fuji 2202 Semi-PRO
A professional finish is slightly harder to achieve. But what if I told you that you can do that a lot more easily and efficiently? Not only is this easy to use, but it also offers the most powerful 2-stage system on the market!
Product Highlights
If you're a beginner, that wouldn't matter much with this product because of how easy it is to use. If you’re looking to add the perfect finish to your furniture pieces, doors, shutters, fences, and more, then the Fuji Spray Semi-Pro 2 Model would be an ideal choice!
It is the most powerful 2-stage spray system on the market so far, offering anyone from a serious hobbyist to a start-up business the perfect combination of versatility and performance. As such, it allows you to lay down that professional-looking finish.
This product comes along with a Fuji M model spray gun to further enhance your experience of using it. Having a dedicated fan control that helps adjust your pattern size from wide to small circular and every other increment in between makes for an easier experience.
What’s There To Like About It?
I enjoyed using the M model spray gun for various reasons. Not only was it easy to use, but the dedicated fan control helped add a finish to my kitchen cabinets and the fence on the same day. And I didn’t spend nearly half my day trying to clean the lacquer off the gun. All I had to do was disassemble.
What’s surprising is that the Fuji spray can handle almost every coating, despite most HVLP systems not having enough power for spraying.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
While I did say that it could handle almost any coating, I eventually found out that dry paints could cause “common” issues with the Fuji spray. Because the paint dried up so quickly, it kept clogging one of the tubes, which would result in me having to stop and clean it immediately.
Pros and Cons of Fuji 2202 Semi-PRO
Pros
Cons
- Professional non-bleed Spray Gun with Adjustable Pattern Fan Control
- 1.3mm Air cap set installed
- 1Qt Bottom Feed Cup
2. Graco Magnum 257025
Working on a DIY project means constantly working on and keeping up the appearance of it. And you can do that with ease with this Graco model. It would be the ideal choice for you, especially if you paint up to 50 gallons per year.
Product Highlights
This product has a powerful sprayer that offers high-speed performance, cutting your project time to nearly half compared to using brushes or rollers. The fully adjustable pressure makes controlling the paint flow a lot easier while the flexible suction tube allows you to spray directly from 1 or 5-gallon buckets.
It gives your project the reach it requires, seeing how the lightweight sprayer can support up to 50 ft. of paint hose.
The TrueAirless spray tip will give your finish a softer, more airbrushed look. It also leaves behind little to no overspray while giving you greater control over how you want to spray it for a perfect finish. But my favorite would be the stainless steel piston pump.
Most spray guns aren’t able to handle paint, especially when it’s unthinned. But the stainless steel piston pump delivers the right amount of pressure power to spray the paint with ease.
What’s There To Like About It?
I was incredibly impressed with the nozzle barrel arrangement. I’d even go as far as saying that it is the best thing about the Graco Magnum. The spray nozzle is on a vertical circular barrel with an arrow on the top.
Any time you have a blockage, all you have to do is turn the arrow to the reverse direction. Then point and aim, and all of your paint will come out through the barrel. It’s that simple!
What’s There Not To Like About It?
I was very excited to use the flexible suction tube because it sounded like it would make my projects go a lot faster. And I still felt that way when it arrived. But after setting it up, within 5 minutes of using the tube, it sprung a leak. And this resulted in the paint spilling over a certain portion of my project.
Pros and Cons of Graco Magnum 257025
Pros
Cons
- Ideal for projects up to 5 gallons in size, allowing you to tackle a range of projects every year
- Fully adjustable pressure control to give you ultimate control to spray paints or stains unthinned at any pressure
- Flexible Suction Tube allows you to spray directly from a 1 or 5-gallon paint bucket
3. PNTGREEN HVLP Spray Gun
Do you often find yourself with low viscosity paints like enamel, lacquer, stain, urethane, and more? While it isn’t difficult to find spray guns compatible with these, this HVLP spray gun’s 1.8mm nozzle for just that!
Product Highlights
It doesn’t matter what your latest project is, you can spray just about anything from primers and topcoats to contact cement. So, it’s safe to say that this isn’t your average hardware store spray gun because it can spray almost everything on nearly everything.
What’s exciting is that the large adjustable fan allows you to adjust up to 11 inches from an 8-inch distance, and this provides even coverage that cuts your job time in half. This is something a brush wouldn’t be able to add for you. So, once you figure out what the perfect setting for you is, aim and spray!
The Graco Magnum also has an Anti-Spill Air Feed Line. Regardless of how full your canister is or at the angle you hold the gun at, it won’t spill any paint while maintaining proper suction, making your painting experience a lot better.
What’s There To Like About It?
One of my biggest gripes with most spray guns is that I have to spend a lot of time cleaning them and that usually is difficult and messy. But with this gun, I realized that it makes cleaning a lot easier, especially if you’re using water-based paint.
You might need to use spirits if you’ve used oil-based paint. And this might take a considerable amount of time, but that’s the case with every spray fun.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
I first tested this product with an unthinned primer, and it initially felt like it wouldn’t work, despite keeping the air pressure at the highest. However, when I added water to clean it, I noticed it let out a mist. So, adding a bit of water or a thinner to your paint might help since the unthinned paint would otherwise jam up.
Pros and Cons of PNTGREEN HVLP Spray Gun
Pros
Cons
- 【SPECIFICATIONS】Type of Feed: Suction / Fluid Nozzle:1.8 mm / Air pressure: 3.45 bar (50 PSI) / Air consumption:18 cfm / Paint Capacity:1000 CC / Air Inlet:1/4"
- 【HIGH QUALITY】PNTGREEN air compressor spray gun’s ergonomic designed handle for comfortable grip. Easy trigger reduce operating fatigue. Simply operate to touch up or painting.
- 【ADJUSTABLE】Three adjustment valve can flexibility to adjust the liquid volume/ air volume/ spray range to meet your various usage needs, such as car、wall、wood、metal、leather.
4. Wagner Spraytech 0518080
Have you always wanted your projects to finish a lot sooner than the required time? What if I tell you that the Wagner lacquer spray gun will help cut your coating time by a considerable amount? Read on!
Product Highlights
The spray gun offers three spraying patterns - vertical, horizontal, and round, which will come in handy for any of your projects, from cabinets to decks! Not only does it give you a great finish on the surface, but it also applies a lot quicker than brushes or rollers.
It also comes along with a 20-feet hose that helps ease your painting process. This will considerably reduce your hand fatigue while reaching your project. You wouldn’t have to spend your time dragging your paint canister and gun around awkwardly.
The control finish nozzle allows you to adjust the settings based on factors like the kind of material you use or the project you’re working on, resulting in a very consistent finish with low overspray. You can take this a step further with the air power adjustment. It will allow you to set the gun to your desired spraying speed to match the coating thickness.
What’s There To Like About It?
One of my major concerns was how the canister might be smaller, especially if I want to take on bigger projects. But the Wagner spraytech comes along with a professional-grade1 quart metal cup for smaller projects like the cabinets or trims.
It also includes a 1½-quart cup for projects like your decks, furniture, and more. And with this lacquer spray gun, you almost breeze through a project, big or small, due to the air power adjustment.
What’s Not There To Like About It?
It's disappointing that the spray gun doesn’t work as well as advertised, especially when paired with latex-based paint. The more you use it, the more it tends to clog the opening. Not only does this affect the splatter, but it also tends to give your project an uneven finish. Moreover, it isn’t as easy to clean.
Pros and Cons of Wagner Spraytech 0518080
Pros
Cons
- HVLP PAINT SPRAYER: The Control Spray Max paint sprayer uses high volume, low pressure technology to atomize materials into fine particles and provide a smooth finish on door trim, decks, furniture, more
- USE WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF MATERIALS: Powerful two-stage turbine makes it easy to paint walls and surfaces with thinned latex paints and thinner materials like stains and poly
- ADJUSTABLE SETTINGS: Customize your paint flow by using the pressure control dial and material flow adjuster to receive the perfect finish every time. Turn the air cap to spray round, horizontal, or vertical
5. Astro Pneumatic Tool 4008
Are your projects mostly wood-based items? If it is, then finding a spray gun that specializes in this can be a daunting task. But the Astro pneumatic tool gives you a great result on every item.
Product Highlights
It always helps if you can mantle and dismantle your spray guns with ease. And while it can be incredibly daunting, this product is easy to help even beginners set up the gun. It could take a little longer than anticipated, but once you’ve got the air supply, material rate, fan shape, and other aspects figured out, you will be able to paint any substrate successfully.
The 1.8mm nozzle paired with the 50-60psi operating pressure helps you professionally spray even coats for any range of use from body and woodworking to industrial and marine. You can even adjust the fan size according to the range without having to compromise on your time and finish.
This gun also features an exclusive air valve design so that when you pair with latex or a pairing of your choice, the metals will end up with an even smooth finish.
What’s There To Like About It?
This all-purpose paint spray gun features a tiny mesh cover over the tube. This helps siphon the paint, resulting in little to no paint particles getting left behind. It doesn’t clog up, making for an easy spray application.
Moreover, cleaning certain spray guns can be a daunting task, but the Astro pneumatic gun is easy to take apart.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
The 1.8mm nozzle doesn’t work as well as advertised. Despite several attempts adjusting the fan pattern size, it doesn’t let out more than a tiny spurt of product. It wasn’t the ideal amount to even cover a certain amount of my trim, proving to be extremely time-consuming as well.
Pros and Cons of Astro Pneumatic Tool 4008
Pros
Cons
- All-purpose easy-to-clean paint spray gun
- Two-piece construction with gun featuring exclusive air valve design
- Fully adjustable wide fan pattern control
Buyers Guide
Lacquer spray guns add the finesse and professional look you’re going for, especially if it’s a DIY project. And low-pressure, high-volume paint sprayers are ideal for a variety of such projects. So, it’s not that surprising that they’re available in many styles and sizes, seeing how their popularity is at an all-time high.
But if you’re trying to find the best lacquer spray gun, the wide range of spray guns available on the market can be extremely overwhelming. That said, I want to help you make the right decision and have listed down a few factors you should consider before purchasing the ideal lacquer spray gun.
1. Volume Of Your Lacquer Spray Gun
One of the most essential aspects of a spray gun is its capacity. The amount you require to use will depend on the project, but it should also be convenient for you. After all, nobody wants to stop in the middle of a project to refill the cup because it wastes time
You also have to make sure that you’re not compromising on the project by confusing the cup size and capacity. For example, if you’re working in a small space, a large cup can get in your way of delicate work.
2. Spray Pattern And Nozzles
Some spray guns allow you to switch between different types of nozzles, and you’re probably looking for a spray gun fit to broaden your toolkit or for a particular job. And finding a spray gun with changeable nozzles is a smart bet.
Not only will you be able to switch nozzles for larger or smaller spaces depending on the project, but you can use different types of nozzles for different types of paints. This also affects your spray pattern. Some nozzles offer various spray patterns, which can come in handy if you’re working on various projects.
3. Pressure And Horsepower
Air pressure makes all the difference when it comes to spray guns. This could either make or break the final look. And the higher the pressure, the faster you can cover a larger space. So, while this shouldn’t be a key factor when picking the ideal spray gun, it would help save a lot more time if you’re constantly working on large-scale projects.
Most spray guns use a little above 60 psi at the intel, and the pressure caps are usually a lot lower. If you can find a spray gun that has adjustable pressure knobs, it could do wonders for you. Not only will it allow you to adjust the pressure at the intel, but also enable you to adjust the volume at the cap.
4. Area Coverage
When working on any kind of project, large or small, you’d want to finish quickly and efficiently. But painting with brushes and rollers takes way too long, so why would you want to purchase a spray gun that doesn’t cut that time short by a considerable amount?
Many would rate spray guns by how much paint they expel or the area they cover per minute. Now, this is an essential factor to consider before purchasing a unit and is measured as CFM or cubic feet per minute. So, if any gun offers more than 2.5CFM, you could consider investing in it.
5. Cup Capacity
As obvious as it may seem, this isn’t just about the capacity of your cup but also the type of cup configuration you should go with. Different spray guns have different cup alignments that could affect your spray painting experience.
A gravity-feed cup is situated on top of your gun and makes for an easier experience due to how easy it is to get all of the paint out of it using gravity. But this can be a little difficult to navigate with, seeing how it can strain your grip over time.
However, an under the gun cup, as the name suggests, is situated under your gun. But it tends to be a little tedious getting the paint out of this because many factors can affect it. However, these tend to be a lot more steady in hand.
6. The Price Is Right
Are you a business that specializes in spray painting, or are you someone with a DIY hobby? Depending on how often you’d use the gun, and the type of projects you take on, considering how much you should invest is the biggest factor for you to think about.
If you go for a cheaper option, chances are you might spend a lot more on the upkeep, but if you go any higher, not using it as much wouldn’t do justice to the spray gun.
Frequently Asked Questions
Regardless of how large or small the projects are, it is essential to look after your spray gun. To maintain its optimal performance, it is essential to thoroughly clean your spray gun after each use.
There is a very visible difference between the two. The difference is that lacquers have VOCs, color pigments, and plasticizers, while the varnish is a glossy, clear, and hard finish with three coating options of solvent, resin, or drying oil.
The filter is an essential part of your spray gun, and a clean filter helps the motor cool down and is responsible for proper color optimization. So, to ensure that your gun works as well after multiple uses, you should change the air filter after every time it utilizes a turbine.
Final Verdict
After considering all of these factors, all that’s left to do is pick the best lacquer spray gun. Are you having difficulty making that choice?
I want to help you pick the ideal spray fun for you by highlighting a few of my favorites. The first choice would be the PNTGREEN HVLP spray gun because it works well with thinned paints.
On the contrary, the Fuji 2202 semi-pro is a top choice because of its dedicated fan pattern control. Lastly, Wagner spraytech’s 20-feet long hose makes for easy movement.
With so many good options on the market, it can be hard to narrow down on what’s best for you, but I’m hoping that my list helps you!