# Airless paint sprayer recommendations



## helpless handyman (Jul 6, 2006)

Hi everyone, I am looking for recommendations on an airless paint sprayer. I need to paint 5 bedroom doors, and 5 sets of bifold doors. I will be using latex paint. Looking for something not too expensive, that will get the job done. The door have allot of details, and painting with a brush and roller will take for ever. I have a porter cable air compressor, if thats any help. Thanks so much...:thumbsup:


----------



## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

The air compressor won't help
The kind of sprayer they use is the wrong kind

You want an 'airless' or HVLP
They realistically start around $799 on sale

The de-spec'd ones (under 500/600) at the big box use the cheaper pumps
The Wagners (under 400) use a worse one)

I'd recommend doing it by hand or renting the proper tool
Not worth buying a 2-5 hundred throw away tool on 10 doors


----------



## helpless handyman (Jul 6, 2006)

Thanks Slickshift for your advise, I was thinking of those small like wagner electric paint guns. Are they any good? Or do I have to just paint with the brush and roller. I was thinking I can put the doors in the backyard on saw horses, paint away, and then install them. Thanks


----------



## helpless handyman (Jul 6, 2006)

I was looking for something like this:
http://www.gleempaint.com/hvcongunnew.html


----------



## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

helpless handyman said:


> I was thinking of those small like wagner electric paint guns. Are they any good?


I have a Wagner Buzz Gun
It's so bad I loathe to break it out
It comes in handy for tying to a stick and spraying small impossible to reach places and other odd things like that
It would take a long time, and do a reasonable bad job on 10 doors
I call it the Wagner Frustration Spitter
10 doors is a tough call...that's a fair amount
But as the 1/2 day rental for the right sprayer would be (far) less than half the price of a crappy Wagner and it would take you 1/4 of the time and they will look nice...

I'm not sure what my time would be on these particular doors, but to give you a reference point, for 6-panel doors I can get a side in less than 15 by hand
Flat doors much quicker
10 doors is almost enough to make me rent a sprayer...if they are 6-panel (or sim) and it's not a big deal for me to remove them and I've a good place to spray I'd consider it
Flat I absolutely wouldn't spring for a sprayer rental...not worth it (return on investment)


----------



## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

helpless handyman said:


> I was looking for something like this:
> http://www.gleempaint.com/hvcongunnew.html


That's a fake HVLP (cup sprayer with a regulator)
I cannot recommend it

In fact, I'd consider that a lie....but there's no paint ad police around so they get away with it....
Certainly it's unethical
But that's Wagner
They are not in the business of providing quality painting equipment to consumers


----------



## helpless handyman (Jul 6, 2006)

Thanks Slickshift for all your advices, I will definately throw the towel in on the sprayer, and will definately paint them with a brush and roller, and yes they are 6 panel doors, all of them. The least thing I want to do is mess up the doors with a cheap sprayer, than it will cost me more time, and not to mention wasting my money on a $200 sprayer that will spit paint out!


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 1, 2007)

Yep brushing them out will be the cheapest way out, although time consuming for a diyer. 
I agree that a half day rental would be about 40-50 dollars, which might be something to consider for the time is money factor.
I completly agree with not wasting money on a substandard frustrating sprayer, also buying a titan 440i for 8 bills is a bad idea as well unless you have quite of bit future work to do.
So it comes back to the old brush.


----------

