Spraying water-based paint with air compressor

What Is Air Compressor Spraying?

Unsurprisingly, it’s using an air compressor to propel paint.

Generally speaking, there are three main types of power-coating — turbines, airless, and compressors.

Turbines are the most affordable units and use one or more internal fans to drive the painting medium. Airless machines — sometimes called hydraulics — utilize a piston pump to propel liquids. And, compressor sprayers — or pneumatic sprayers — feature an external compressor to knock out your covering material.

And that’s the key — this style of painting requires an additional powerhouse.

Turbines and airless sprayers, whether handheld or with an external motor, are complete off-the-shelf machines. Give one of these units to your brother, father, or son (or daughter I guess) as a birthday present, and they can take it straight out of the box, fill it with paint, and spray.

However, buy them a pneumatic gun, and unless they already own a compressor, it’s going to be nothing more than an expensive ornament.

Compressors use a power source — usually electric although sometimes they’re gasoline-driven — to create and store pressurized air in a seriously robust tank. This is connected to the spray gun, which also houses a paint container, which then atomizes and propels the coating medium from the shooter’s nozzle.

The compressor doesn’t have to be specifically designed for painting use — as long as they can knock out the correct pressure required by the gun, they will work fine. Hence, if you already own one of these machines for other tools such as nail guns, impact wrenches, or power drivers — all you need is the gun.

Air spraying is the original and traditional method of power painting. The first machine was invented by Joseph Binks in 1887 as a tool to rapidly whitewash walls. Although to be fair, it created compressed air via a hand pump — basically a 19th Century Super Soaker.

Advantages of Using a Paint Sprayer Air Compressor

So, apart from its historical connections — why is pneumatic spraying considered the ultimate in power-coating coverage? Some people say it’s elitism. Pneumatic painting snobs (of which I am possibly one) consider all other forms of spraying a kind of cheating. Using a plug-in-and-go turbine machine takes little effort, requires hardly any experience, and requires little setup. Conversely, compressor painting demands some skill, a finer touch, and significant preparation. It’s somewhat akin to preppers, who would rather rub two sticks together for a few hours to BBQ a steak, rather than use a propane-powered grill. But it’s not all about one-upmanship. Watch any car restoration or customization program, and you’ll see an air compressor gun — not a turbine or airless. And the reason is the finish. Compressor machines have a greater transfer efficiency than any other form of spraying — meaning less overspray and wastage. Thus leading to a smoother and blemish-free coat — whether you’re painting a vehicle, cabinet, or fence. Hence, if you require the perfect finish — you have to go pneumatic. Advantages of using an air compressor for painting also include:

• Tailorability — the majority of spray guns permit you to adjust the air pressure flow to suit your coating medium.
• Money-saving — less wastage means you use a smaller volume of paint.
• Safety — HVLP compressor guns operate at 10 PSI, airless machines can exceed 3000 PSI — spray an airless on your hand and it means a trip to the emergency room.
• Low-noise — quieter than hydraulic machines (although louder than turbines).
• Versatility — you can switch guns for different project requirements.

Disadvantages of Using a Paint Sprayer Air Compressor

The main downsides of spraying with a compressor are cost and portability. Firstly, this method of painting does require a little initial investment, as in addition to your covering medium, you also need to purchase a gun, compressor, air hose, and possibly a regulator. That said, if you already possess a pneumatic powerhouse in your garage, the costs will diminish significantly. Secondly, compressor-driven painting is far from ideal for around-the-home jobs. Compressors are bulky, oily, and heavy. You aren’t going to be using it in your living room to paint some shelves, nor will you be popping the sprayer into your car and driving round to your Auntie Mabels to stain her antique coffee table. Conversely, turbines, especially handheld examples such as the versatile HomeRight Finish Max, are lightweight, compact, and easily transportable — making them perfect for interior home improvement. Furthermore, even some of the larger airless machines, like the mighty Graco X7, include a cart for effortless portability.Other disadvantages of compressor painting include:

• Require significant preparation time.
• Provide less rapid coverage than airless machines.
• Need a garage or outside area for spraying.
• Not suited to seriously viscous paints — unlike hydraulic machines.
• Don’t provide the ultra-fine atomization delivered by airless units.

What You Will Need to Follow This Tutorial

Do I need to thin water based paint for spraying?

Can you use a spray gun with water based paint?

Can I use my compressor as a paint sprayer?

What is the best spray gun for water based paint?