HVLP spray guns are the most popular and easy-to-use paint sprayer. It requires adequate pressure and air supply from an air compressor to run.
This article will help those who want to know how to use a paint sprayer with an air compressor for their professional work.
The HVLP sprayer with an air compressor will save painting time and project costs. This will make your painting job in different types of projects easier than you think.
What is a Gun Compressor?
It is a type of paint gun that is used to apply paint. When you attach the paint gun with the air compressor, it gets ready for spray painting.
Honestly, the HVLP paint gun with an air compressor ensures a smooth and even finishing than regular spray painting. Even if you are a beginner painter, the combination of a paint gun and air compressor will make your painting work easier. Whether it’s a car painting or a house painting project, the painting will be easy for any project.
Related Article: Best Automotive Paint Guns for Beginners in 2022
The Best Way to Use Paint Sprayer with Air Compressor
Painting is such an easy job whenever you use an air compressor paint sprayer. It is 10 times faster than painting with a roller. All professional Dyers are moving to spray painting nowadays.
Prepare & Set Up the Surface for Paint Application
Let’s see what the pre-preparation to set up and use a paint spray gun are:
Step 1: Pick Your Paint and Paint Thinner
When choosing the paint to use with an HVLP spray gun, you’ll see three options – oil-based paint, acrylics, and the latest paint. You can use any type, although oil-based paints are most popular for spray painting. Whatever, make sure you’re picking a good quality paint and thinner. It’ll be far better if you choose branded products.
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Step 2: Choose the Painting Tools
Buying the right type of painting gun and compressor will make your work easier. You will see three types of spray paint guns: siphon gun, gravity gun, and pressure feed gun. The siphon spray gun will be good if you have to use it for small area painting work. Remember, it needs high are pressure.
A gravity spray gun is also suitable for small places; also, it needs less air pressure than siphon guns.
And the last one is the pressure feed gun. With two different types of hoses, the pressure-feed gun efficiently covers a large area.
Step 3: Prepare the Place Where You Want to Paint
Prepare the area where you want to paint before start painting. You may want to paint on a specific surface on a wall or any other surface. In that case, you need to cover the area you do not want to paint. You can use old clothes, plastic sheets, or scrap lumber. Regardless of these, you can use painter’s tape for easy application.
Step 4: Wear the Protective Tools
Once you’ve secured the object, it’s time to take your protection. This is because when you use spray paint, you will be exposed to dangerous fumes and particles. Wear protective equipment to protect yourself from those harmful particles.
The protective gears include safety glasses, gloves, masks, respirators, etc.
Step 5: Clean the Area
Neat and clean places are easy to paint without any disruption. If you are painting a dirty area, you will not be able to set the paint on it smoothly and perfectly. Even a little oil or rust on the surface will hinder the application of your smooth paint.
So, ensure there’s no rust, oil, or corrosion on the surface you’re going to paint.
How to Set a Paint Sprayer with an Air Compressor?
Now it’s time to prepare your air compressor sprayer. Here are the instructions you should follow for best experiences:
Feed the Air Hose Coupling
Feed the air hose coupling of the air compressor into the HVLP paint sprayer. Use the Teflon tape to firmly seal the connection of the air hose and spray gun.
Some air hoses come with quick connecting couplings. When your air hose fittings include such couplings, using Teflon tape will be unnecessary.
Recommended Article: Best Air Hose Fittings In 2022
Turn the Air Compressor Switch on and Adjust the Pressure
Your air compressor becomes ready to use after you insert the coupling. Now, turn on the air compressor and adjust its pressure using the regulator.
Generally, the pressure between 12-25 PSI is perfect for the spray paint application. Look for the manufacturer’s instructions when adjusting the pressure of the compressor.
Take the Thinner
Take a little amount of thinner into the paint cup to test the spray gun’s usability. The paint cup or tube is attached to the painting gun you’re using.
Adjust the Metering Valve
Slightly Open the metering valve of the spray gun by lowering two screws over the handle.
Last update on 2023-01-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Check the Usability of The Nozzle
Take the Paint gun and squeeze the trigger with your finger. For the first few minutes, only the air will come through the nozzle. But after some time, the thinner from the paint tube will come through the nozzle.
When the thinner comes out, you’ll understand that the air-compressed Sprayer is ready to use.
Remove the Thinner from the Spray Cup
The thinner you’ve put into the spray cup is only for checking the nozzle’s efficiency. So, when you ensure that the spray gun’s nozzle is working efficiently, empty the spray cup.
How to Apply Paint Through the Spray Gun?
This is the final part of using a paint sprayer attached to an air compressor for painting. After preparing the paint sprayer and compressor, follow the followings steps:
1. Mix the Paint and Thinner into the Tub
Prepare the paint for applying to the specific area. If you have a container of longtime stored Paint, remove the strain from them. Moreover, remove all the particles that harden the Paint.
You can use the paint filter to remove the strain and the hard particles. Put the paint into a container after filtering. If you have just bought a new container of paint, directly put them into a separate container.
2. Make the Paint Thinner
Use a well-branded paint thinner to reduce the thickness of the paint. Directly pour the thinner paint-refilled container. Reduce the paint’s thickness by 15-20% of current times.
After reducing the thickness, the paint texture should look like aerosol spray paint. Take some of the thinned paint into the spray gun tub and pull the trigger of the gun. Thus, you can justify how the paint looks like.
3. Take the Thinned Paint into The Sprayer Tube and Lock It.
After you accomplish thinning the paint, take them into the sprayer tube and lock it. Don’t overflow the paint tube.
The paint tube should be filled in such a way that 1/3 of the tube remains empty.
4. Applying Paint
At first, do some practice of paint application. Hold the spray gun at parallelly 5-10 inches far from an unused surface. Now, pull the paint gun’s trigger and move in a sweeping motion.
If you can paint the surface smoothly without causing any clots, then you’re ready to paint. Now, apply the paint directly to the surface that you want to paint.
5. Refill the Tube and Allow the Surface to Dry
When the paint gets finished from the tube and your painting isn’t done, you can refill the tube. Allow the painted surface to dry for some time.
Recoating is compulsory most of the time to ensure a durable and even finish. So, recoat the surfaces when you complete your first coating on the surface.
6. Primer Application
If you didn’t get the expected smoothness after paint application, apply the primer. But, before you prepare the primer for application, make sure the painted surface is perfectly dried.
Remove the unused paint from the sprayer tube and refill it with primer. If the primer is thick, make it thinner by using the paint thinner. Apply the primer on the paint-coated surface and get an even finish.
Last update on 2023-01-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
How to Clean the Air Compressed Sprayer?
Compressed sprayer cleaning and maintenance are important after use. If you store the compressed sprayer without cleaning perfectly, it might become unworthy of service next time.
After you paint an area using the air paint sprayer & compressor, this is the first thing that must come to mind. Let’s make the cleaning process simple for you.
a. Remove the Unused Paint
Remove the unused paint from the spray cup and empty it. You can pour back the unused paint into the original can. Dispose of the unused paint from the tube if you cannot store it.
b. Rinse and Clean the Spray Cup
Refill the spray cup with a ¼ portion of paint thinner. Wipe out the excess paint from the spray cup using the paint thinner.
Rinse the cup with the thinner so that the excess Paint automatically gets out.
Store the compressed sprayer after you properly rinse and clean it.
c. Take off the Masking Tape
Now move to the area that you have painted. Take off the masking tape and paper from the covered area.
FAQs
1. Can I Use a Pancake Compressor as a Paint Sprayer?
Ans: Yes, you can. Indeed, it becomes easy to apply paint when you use a robust air compressor like a pancake compressor.
2. How Much Is PSI Do You Need to Use A Paint Sprayer?
Ans: Around 26-29 PSI. The minimum PSI of the compressor should range between 26-29 to use a paint sprayer. For better paint flowing, sometimes the PSI of the compressor should increase 2-3 times. However, it depends on the times and situation.
3. Does an Airless Paint Sprayer Need a Compressor?
Ans: It depends on the type of airless sprayer. An airless paint sprayer requires an air supply from a compressor for spray painting. If you don’t have a compressor, electric or gas airless sprayers are also available. For professional work, pneumatic airless paint sprayers are preferable.
See 7 Best Airless Paint Sprayer for Professional Work in 2022
The Sum Up!
Whatever you use the roller or paint sprayer, getting an even finish on the surface is the primary purpose. And undoubtedly, the paint sprayer with an air compressor provides a smoother finish than anything else.
Application of spray painting becomes easier when you attach the spray gun with the air compressor.
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