Paint sprayer for large area

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I'm looking for recommendations for a paint sprayer to do some large areas. It is pretty much a one time deal so I don't want a $10,000 pro rig, but I don't want a Wagner toy either.

We'll be painting 25,000 square feet of ceiling and about 16,000 square feet of wall. I'd like to be able to attach it to a 5 gallon pail and let loose. Paint will be latex. Next year we may do the outside but they that will be it for 5 years or so.

Any suggestions? $500 to $750 would be a good budget number.

[Oren]

Graco Magnum XR-9 Airless Sprayer.

I've used one to paint several homes. It is a work horse, IMO. Look at them in the borg.

Regular price: $795.00 YOUR price: $565.00

-- Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

[Joe]

Simple. Go down to your pro paint store and rent a Graco machine. Other airless brands may work as well but Graco has been around a long time. Before committing, though, ask the store personnel if there are any active jobs that you could go look at and perhaps quiz the crew as to their hints and tips to make it go fast. Put a 12-pack on the back of the truck if you catch them at the end of the day. It's said that painters like their beer a bit more tha other tradesmen. HTH

Joe

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I checked rental at $80 a day, it is worth buying. Two recommendations for Graco so far so that sounds like a good bet.

[Oren]

The machine is worth buying! (Optional accessories like a roller kit and handle extension are worth the extra cost)

Another link* has free shipping and no tax. Cost for the XR9 $565.00. About seven days rental cost.

-- Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

[John Grabowski]

Edwin, regardless of the brand of airless sprayer that you get, be sure to strain the paint before putting it through the machine. Otherwise you will spend a lot of time cleaning out the nozzle. You should be able to get paint strainers at a paint store.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

This morning I had an hour to kill waiting for my wife so I went tot he Home Depot across the street. I figured I could see one first hand, especially since they listed the XR7 for $499 in the sale flyer in today's paper.

Turns out, the eastern MA stores are trying the Titan line. I'll be ordering hte Graco from the above web site.

Now, to decide what paint to use. Metal ceiling panels, block walls with paint already on them. Ed

[Oren]

I'm certain you'll be happy with the XR-9. As I mentioned I painted several homes with one (borrowed from friend). Ensure a good clean up at the end of the day and follow long term storage recommendations.

The comment to strain the paint before use is dead on target. The borg has 5 gallon mesh strainers that sit in the bucket. Put the strainer in an empty homer bucket and pour the new bucket of paint into the strainer and move the strainer to the other bucket.

The manual states these can be used with this sprayer:

Light to Heavy Thickness

? Varnishes ? Stains ? Polyurethanes ? Sealers ? Oil-based paints ? Enamels ? Latex primers ? Primers ? 100% Acrylics ? Latex paints

-- Oren

"I didn?t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you."

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Thanks to all for the help. We're about two - three weeks away from painting. Roofers are doing their thing right now and some steel panels have to be replaced.

[Oren]

Report back....

-- Oren

Hofstadter's Law - It [a task] always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.

[Steve Barker LT]

The magnum IS a graco product. I also have the xr9 and have to date run 35 gallons through it. Haven't strained an ounce of it. Popped the lid on the

5 gallon bucket, set the machine down into it and spray away. First 15 gallons was semigloss interior trim paint, and the next 20 was exterior latex. I don't know how we did without this machine.

steve

[Oren]

I sprayed a number a buckets of paint, before I started to strain the paint.

I ended up with splatters/clots of paint on the wall (interior) and sprayer tip. I won't spray paint without straining. Beats cleaning the particles off the wall. Makes for a nicer job.

-- Oren

Hofstadter's Law - It [a task] always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.

[SteveB]

I buy those 99 cent sock filters The Borg sells, and put them over the intake with a pull tie securing it to the snorkel of the airless. I figure there's not a lot of sense to strain all that paint when the sock will keep big particles from getting in there. What I do, though, is take my squirrel caged shaped paint mixer on a rod and put it on a drill motor and stir the paint for about five minutes on high. Those agitators are the best thing I have ever used to mix paint. Make sure to get all around the bottom. Everything gets a thorough mixing, and when I'm done, I toss the sock. There is also a fine mesh strainer on the end of my Graco XR7 intake hose.

Man, talk about spraying a lot of paint in a short time, airless is the way to go, and a good airless beats the fire out of a crappy one. They are not for all jobs, and have horrible overspray problems. But in the right applications, they're the cat's meow.

Steve