It’s fascinating how a debate can fill you with ideas!
At least, that’s what happened to me when my old friend Amanda came to visit me a week back. While sipping coffee in my backyard, my neighbor retouching his fence with an HVLP sprayer caught my attention. Sure, I was impressed with his choice, but Amanda, not so much. She wished it were an airless model instead.
Now, I’m not the biggest fan of DIY projects, but have a little knowledge about paint sprayer guns (thanks to my son). So I used that to present my arguments. But being somewhat a pro, Amanda could counter most of my points. And even before I realized it, my interest in this topic grew more than ever!
Later that night, I decided to look up the internet for the differences between the two types of paint sprayers. At the same time, I thought it’d be a good idea to document my findings for my readers who might find themselves in the dilemma of choosing one.
Hi! I’m Stacy, and today, I’ve curated this guide on HVLP vs Airless sprayers. Let’s get down to business, then!
A High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) sprayer basically comprises a nozzle, compressor, and paint basin. As the name suggests, it has a high volume spray output while exerting low pressure on the compressor.
The air from the compressor turns the liquid paint into thousands of tiny droplets through a process called atomization. For this, the sprayer is equipped with two separate chambers for the fluid (paint) and air.
The paint is fed to the fluid nozzle, and the air reaches the paint only after it has left the nozzle. This allows it to spray the paint at almost a molecular level on the desired surface for a smooth finish.
An airless sprayer is similar to its HVLP counterpart in the sense that it too atomizes the paint for spraying. But unlike the latter, it doesn't use air for the same (hence the name), nor does it have a compressor and separate chambers.
Instead, the device employs a pressurized pump and piston to force the paint up through a fluid line to reach the gun. It then forces a huge amount of paint up the hose to the small nozzle on the sprayer gun. Hence, it atomizes the paint, well, with the paint itself.
Now that you have a fair idea about the operation, here’s a comparison between some practical aspects.
Starting with the finish (no pun intended), the low-pressure atomization of an HVLP sprayer generally produces a finer finish than an airless sprayer, which does the same at high pressure. Moreover, users have more control over the paint thickness and paint flow by customizing the pattern via the adjustable nozzle.
Airless sprayers, too, can produce similar results, provided they have the right pressure setting and use the right spraying tip. Smaller tips, in particular, help achieve a finer finish.
One of the biggest advantages of using an airless sprayer is that users don’t have to go through the hassle of thinning the paint. However, with an HVLP sprayer, you’d need to thin the paint first.
This is because the orifices in this type of spray gun are tiny and tend to clog, especially with viscous (thick) paints. Even if the paint comes out, the finish will be extremely uneven. This is a key reason why HVLP sprayers are less compatible with different paint types than their airless counterparts.
Thinning paints for airless sprayers, albeit not mandatory, is a good idea to reinforce smooth finishing and prevent orange peels.
Since airless sprayers don’t involve the additional step of atomizing fluid with air, they help you complete the job quickly. Besides, you can start spraying directly from the paint container, thereby eliminating the need for frequent refills.
The combination of these two factors enables airless sprayers to spray gallons of paint in just a few minutes, making them highly suitable for painting on large surfaces.
In case of HVLP sprayers, users have to refill the paint basin, the frequency of which will depend on its capacity and the size of the surface to be painted. Although they aren’t as speedy as the airless ones, they have an edge in precision and smooth finish, especially on narrower surfaces.
The transfer rate is nothing but the measure of transferring paint efficiently from the sprayer to the surface. In this regard, HVLP sprayers have a high transfer rate of about 90%, while airless sprayers have a transfer rate of nearly 50%. This means that the former doesn’t waste as much product as the latter.
To give you a better perspective, an HVLP sprayer works at only 10psi for the finest finishes, while airless sprayers are based on a high-pressure system with just under 2000psi.
Although the low wastage of HVLP sprayers correlates to less cleanup around the surface, you have to take special care to clean the fluid nozzle to keep it free from obstruction. This is best achieved by disassembling both the fluid needle and nozzle, along with the cup and filter inside the gun, and cleaning them thoroughly.
In contrast, airless sprayers can be cleaned simply by flushing with clean water and washing the filter.
That brings me to the end of my guide.
Hopefully, by now, you have a clarity of the differences between an HVLP and an airless sprayer. But if you’re still in two minds, here’s a quick summary of my findings:
HVLP sprayers are popular for their high-quality finish and environment-friendly operation at a relatively affordable price. On the other hand, airless sprayers are ideal for covering large surfaces without compromising speed but cost slightly more. So ultimately, the decision will boil down to your preference, needs, and budget.
On that note, I’ll take your leave. Do come back for more such content, and I’ll see you soon!
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