It’s very easy to use an airless paint sprayer, but make sure you read the operating manual and familiarize yourself with all the safety measures before you start spraying. Make sure everything you don’t want to spray is protected and that the surfaces you’ll be spraying are appropriately prepped. You’ll be well on your way to proficient paint sprayer use if you heed the advice below.

First, practice

If you are new to using a paint sprayer, start by spraying water until you get comfortable with the spray techniques that yield the highest quality finish. This usually takes some practice time. You should upgrade your painting experience with a Graco homeowner sprayer that will make the painting very good.

Select a safe and spacious flat surface to practice on, like a garage door or another large surface.

As directed in your sprayer’s handbook, proceed with the water start-up steps.

After priming the gun and unit with water, install the tip guard and spray tip, activate the gun’s trigger safety, and then practice your spraying technique in the designated practice area. For more information, consult your user manual.

Decide on the ideal pressure setting

To get a high-quality spray pattern, adjust the spraying pressure using the pressure control knob. The pattern itself should be smooth and free of runs when the pressure is adjusted properly. Use some cardboard scraps or another area to test the spray pattern before painting the actual surface.

You can begin spraying by starting with a low-pressure setting and immediately triggering the cannon when the spray pattern is full. Nonetheless, the spray pattern won’t always be complete the first time. For instance, the design may have gaps at either end or its edges may seem heavier than its center (see example of poorly executed spray patterns).

If the spray pattern is not filled, try again with a slightly higher pressure level. Up until the desired pattern is obtained, keep testing and raising the pressure setting.

Advice for Successful Spraying

To achieve even coverage and a high-quality finish, master the correct spraying procedures by referring to the following suggestions. Graco homeowner sprayer parts can have different functions. You can use the specific part according to your needs.

Maintain a constant spacing.

Begin by becoming familiar with using the spray gun and learning how to keep it at the suggested distance from the surface. Hold the pistol 12 inches away from the surface you’re spraying on and perpendicular to it. Don’t fan the gun when moving your arm; doing so can result in an uneven finish. Instead, move the pistol straight toward the surface you want to paint. Instead, to maintain proper gun position, bend your wrist slightly at the start and finish of each stroke.

Holding the spray gun with the tip guard inserted about 2 inches away from the wall and moving it back and forth (horizontally) along the wall while keeping that 2-inch distance is a useful exercise to gain the feel for the proper gun movement. Spraying is not necessary; instead, concentrate on aiming the rifle correctly and flexing your wrist to keep the proper distance. After you feel comfortable, practice a couple more times at a distance of 12 inches. The spray pattern will start broad, narrow, and end wide if you don’t keep a consistent distance and flare out at the beginning and conclusion of your reach. Pay close attention to the gun position at these points.

Operate within your capabilities

Only spray in areas that are easily accessible to you while keeping your spray pistol positioned correctly. To spray farther, avoid angling the tip at the end of your reach.

Activating the spray gun correctly

Always have the gun moving before you squeeze the trigger, and continue your stroke after you release it to prevent extra material at the start and finish of each stroke.

Cross over the passes

Overlap each spray pass by 50% to guarantee a uniform coating on the surface. Aim the spray pistol with the tip pointing near the edge of the last spray pass to get the correct overlap. First, spray the outside edges of large, open surfaces like ceilings and bare walls, and then the middle.

Spritz in crevices

Spraying within corners, such as the intersection of two walls, requires aiming the spray cannon straight into the corner and equally spraying each of the surrounding walls in a single pass.

Conclusion

It is crucial to choose the right spray tip when applying paints or other coatings. You may have the wrong tip size or the tip may be worn and has to be replaced if the maximum pressure setting is reached and the spray pattern is still inappropriate. For more information, see spray tips.