Looking at buying an airless sprayer. Will be painting my house, sister's house and mother's house over the next two years, plus I've got about 1300 square feet of deck and a bazillion miles of wood fence that will need to be restained. Will be primarily latex primer, latex exterior paint, and latex solid stain. But if I like it, I may use it for woodworking as well, so some lacquer/oil finishes are possible.
Suggestions as to sizes, make/model, or specific accessories?
Thanks,
Jeff
I have a Graco XR7, and I really like it. I am going to pull it out soon and do about 3,000 sf of block wall. Airless has its own nuances, but I like them. You need to do prep, masking, the usual followup brushing, but airless is like spraying paint on with a water hose.
Steve
I had an airless but now using a 40 dollar air gun and a sears compressor. I can paint fast, use less paint and the job looks professional. if I use latex, the gun is easy to clean and use. The secret is to keep the gun the same distance from the surface at all times as you spray the paint.
That's the same unit I was looking at. Even though it's slightly overkill for occasional use, I'm inclined to go for more power and a larger orifice available than fewer dollars.
I can't say I've been impressed with the rental units I've used in the past, but I think that's mostly due to older models and/or poor maintenance. But I really despise the Wagner line (the airless sprayers, not the "Power Painters") a friend has had. Too many breakage issues. I've used a friend's Graco, though I don't remember the number, and it was great. Too bad he moved away... :(
Jeff
I like to buy more than I will need, too. I first used it to spraypaint the inside of a house. Everything had been taken out for a remodel. so it didn't make a difference that there was overspray. I sprayed the walls first. I backrolled with a sheepskin roller to get the proper stipple, then I let them dry for three days. Then I masked the walls and sprayed the popcorn ceiling. It came out looking like new with the thick coat of paint on the ceiling. Everything looked great.
Then I painted about 3,000 sf of block wall, and I did that in less than four hours. Prep took longer than painting. I now have another 3,000 sf to do, and look at it as a small job, and not a real chore. Had I bought the XR5 that I was looking at instead, the fencing might have been marginal. They say the XR5 is for "medium jobs." I am happy with my purchase, and would recommend it to anyone.
BTW, I got it for less than $300 on ebay and they run $498 locally.
Steve
Thanks for the tip. I just picked one up on eBay as well, about the same price. Can't wait until it gets here to play... :)
Jeff
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