Airless paint sprayer for contractors: how it works and the advantages of airless spraying

Are you currently considering whether an airless paint sprayer would be suitable for your projects and would you like more information before you buy?
For many tradespeople, purchasing a (new) airless sprayer is a big step, an investment in an entirely new way of working. Here, we demonstrate the benefits based on some of our projects and also explain the technology behind airless spraying so that you feel well informed and know why the switch is worth it.

How do airless paint sprayers work?

The principle behind airless spray technology is that it works without air. In contrast to spraying with compressed air (as with HVLP and XVLP devices), airless devices work with atomisation created solely by material pressure. Using one of our various pump technologies, the coating that is going to be sprayed is conveyed to the gun and finely atomised through the tip. By adjusting the material pressure and the settings for the appropriate tip size, the target surface is coated with minimum overspray.

More information on how airless paint sprayers work and their possible applications can be found in our guide: “What is airless?” Discover even more about our pumps!

What is Airless Spray Painting

What are the advantages of airless sprayers?

Airless paint sprayers offer tradespeople a lot of advantages compared with using a brush or roller:

1. Saves you time.

Using an airless spray system is clearly quicker, even when you take the preparation and cleaning time into account.

2. Saves you material.

With airless spraying you can achieve even coverage – and with fewer applications and less paint than with a roller.

3. Saves you money.

Thanks to an efficient way of working, projects are finished quickly – and require less material than when using brushes and rollers.

4. Saves you energy and effort.

Airless spray technology makes your workload significantly easier. An ergonomic, light airless paint sprayer and a material application process that does not require direct surface contact makes airless technology a back-friendly option and less tiring than using rollers and brushes.
Our airless paint sprayers are designed to be as light to move as possible. That’s why all our professional airless paint sprayers either have an undercarriage, sometimes even with large pneumatic tyres, or practical and convenient carry handles. By placing the airless sprayer with the suction system centrally in the room and using the correct size hose for the size of the room (therefore increasing the working radius), constantly moving the paint bucket becomes a thing of the past.

What is the best way to work with airless paint spray systems?

For beginners in particular, airless spraying can seem complicated at first, but with a few simple tips, you will soon feel confident using airless paint sprayers and be able to create flawless surfaces:

Wear protective clothing: long clothes and closed shoes, safety goggles, gloves and a respiratory mask.
Before spraying, carry out a spray test to check your settings, e.g. on a piece of cardboard.
Using an airless paint sprayer correctly takes practice, however, spray technology is very quick to get the hang of. Remember: maintain an even distance and spray angle and start moving the spray gun before pressing the trigger – that is half the battle and once you've got that, it is quick to master!
For a good quality surface finish with even coverage slightly overlap the edge of each spray stroke.

With the right equipment for your airless sprayer, you can achieve even better results when spraying:

the following compatible accessories are available to use depending on your application: a tip extension, a longer or heated hose or a reversible tip! This makes the work easier.
Not sure how to select the right tip, filters and settings for your airless paint sprayer? Then simply take a look at the WAGNER Spray Guide. There you will find all the information you need for the perfect spray pattern based on your chosen model and material.

More tips for working with professional airless paint sprayers can be found in our guide “Tips & tricks for airless sprayers”!

Which airless pump technology is used in pro airless paint sprayers?

Before the material can be atomised through the nozzle, it must first be moved from the tank to the gun. That is what the built-in pump is for.

At WAGNER, we take a holistic approach and continually strive to make all of our airless devices ever more efficient – that’s why we also develop our pump technology in house. Three of our pump technologies are used in our airless spray painting systems:

Diaphragm pumps

Piston pumps

Screw pumps

The diaphragm pumps are suitable for materials with low to medium viscosity. The piston pumps can also handle more viscous materials, while the worm pumps are the powerhouses for materials such as filler!

What is special about WAGNER airless spray guns?

The spray gun is also an important part of a professional airless sprayer: after all, you have to hold it during the entire work process. So, quality means they shouldn't just work, they should also be well-designed: our high-quality airless paint sprayer meet these requirements with their exceptional durability and user comfort. That means less tiring work for you!

In the airless spray gun, the coating material is filtered one last time using the filter that you insert in the gun before starting the work. It is then forced through the tip and is atomised to produce a paint jet.

Just as with the pumps, here at WAGNER we develop and improve all the components of the airless sprayers ourselves. As a result, our experts have developed our Vector guns, which are very user-friendly and ergonomic. They have an extremely long service life and low maintenance costs: for you, this means investing in a Vector airless gun is worth it!

View Vector guns

Why are airless nozzles so important for spray technology?

Airless spray nozzles are an essential part of an airless spray system in order to achieve a perfect spray pattern with the least possible spray mist, and this is also where the material is atomised. The correct nozzle size will depend on the material being sprayed, the airless device being used and the type of application.

Two factors affect the spray jet: the size of the bore and the jet width.

These two key factors determine how much material is sprayed onto what size surface area, which then determines the required labour time and the amount of product used. The nozzle opening, i.e. the bore diameter, determines the paint flow rate. Where the jet width stays the same, the larger the opening, the more coating material is sprayed onto the same surface area – resulting in more paint being used and a thicker layer. The jet width determines how wide the spray is. With the same size nozzle opening, the thickness of the applied material is always thinner the wider the spray jet is. The volume of paint on the surface therefore reduces as the width of the spray jet increases.

You can identify these two key factors by the number on the nozzle. The first digit represents the angle, which ultimately determines the jet width. The second and third digits indicate the nozzle bore and therefore which size opening the airless nozzle has. Nozzle 517, for example, has a spray angle of 50°, which corresponds to a jet width of approx. 225mm at a distance of 30cm from the surface and a bore diameter of 0.017 inches.

We also develop airless paint sprayer nozzles ourselves in-house at WAGNER. Our aim is to enable you to achieve a perfect spray pattern with very little material wastage and with minimal effort.

Spray Jet Width animation 6 no transparency

TradeTip 3

So, for example, we have our TradeTip 3: our standard yellow tips are suitable for all sprayable coating materials. They have a wide range of uses and are the all-rounders offering good value for money.

TradeTip 3

HEA ProTip

The HEA ProTip low-pressure airless tip is the latest addition to the range of WAGNER airless spray tips. It drastically reduces overspray by around 55% and the reduced pressure produces a spray jet without hard edges and a flawless spray pattern. The gently feathered spray jet enables a perfect surface finish in just one application – saving time, energy and material. In turn, the lower spray pressure also prolongs the life of your airless sprayer, the spray guns and all connected accessories.

HEA ProTip

2SpeedTip

The 2SpeedTip is our model for getting work done quickly without a tip change. Every 2SpeedTip airless tip has two different tip sizes, which you can swap between in one easy step. Simply rotate the reversible tip round 90° to switch between the wide-angle surface tip and the narrow-angle tip for precision work – saving you valuable time!

2SpeedTip

TradeTip 3

HEA ProTip

2SpeedTip

Conclusion:

The airless spray gun nozzle is a key component in achieving a good spray pattern and layer thickness with minimal labour time. With the HEA ProTip low-pressure nozzle you can also reduce the overspray and increase the service life of the pump and all the other components connected to your airless spray system. See the proof for yourself in this video.

Watch now

Practical examples for working with airless spray systems

Do you know how an airless paint sprayer works and would you like to see it in action? Then take a look at our Construction Site Guide. Here we show you step by step how to use an airless spray gun for different projects.

Spray masonry paint

In the guide “Why spray Masonry paint?” we show you the advantages of applying masonry paint with an airless paint sprayer and provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to set up and use the product for this application. In the video you can also watch how our UNSTOPPABLES sprayed the exterior

Spraying Masonry Paint

Coating tiles

In the guide “Coating tiles: guide for painters and decorators”, we show you which airless paint spray systems are ideal for repainting old tiles and we dispel the most common misconceptions. Why not cover with paint? As a painter and decorator, can I suggest painting the tiles, if the customer wants new tiles? This article also includes a video where you can watch our professionals at work. For painters and decorators, an airless spray gun is definitely worth it – see for yourself!

Coating tiles

Spraying filler

Professional airless sprayers for painters – is it worth it if I primarily work with high-viscosity materials such as plaster or filler? In our practical guide “Spraying filler: instructions and information”, we show you how you can apply filler more efficiently and faster with an airless spray gun from WAGNER. We have also filmed our project, so you can see how our UNSTOPPABLES approached the process of spaying filler in our video.

Spraying filler

Spray masonry paint

Spraying Masonry Paint

Coating tiles

Spraying filler

Our Pro Blog

Would you like to see more completed projects? Then you can! Simply visit our Construction Site Guide or click on our Pro Blog – there you will be able to see a whole range of projects where we have applied different materials using our airless sprayers.

Read now

Is airless technology suitable for my projects?

Who are airless sprayers suitable for? Here at WAGNER we might be a bit biased because we are passionate about our products, but we say: airless spraying is ideal for every contractor who regularly needs to apply coatings.

Starting with joiners who seal their work with varnishes or lacquers: our bestsellers here are our paint sprayers with diaphragm pumps and hopper which reduce the quantity of material needed to operate the device. These are perfect for varnishes and lacquers with low viscosity, they produce less overspray with the correct settings and thanks to the hopper you can begin work on your project with just a small quantity of material – starting from just one litre. If you need more, you can simply refill the hopper. This means that you can apply coatings quicker and more thoroughly than by hand! By the way: the AirCoat process is often used in this sector. Many of our airless sprayers can be converted for AirCoat task.

An airless paint sprayer is also useful for painters and decorators. The entire range of possible coatings is used in this sector – from varnishes and emulsion paints, latex paints and primers to high-viscose materials such as fillers, plaster and even fabric adhesives. Those who do not want to buy a whole selection of sprayers all at once should consider which materials they work with most and start from there. You will soon see big differences when completing your day-to-day work with a base unit.

Painters, decorators, joiners and other tradespeople:

you are welcome to contact us with any questions about airless spraying and we are happy to offer advice on our range of airless paint spray systems!

Get in touch