Airless paint spraying advice

[Nick Laslett]

@kentar, a lot of variables in airless spraying. 
 

I find this YouTube channel is a great source of information. 
 

https://www.youtube.com/@PaintHQ
 

In my experience you need to thin the paint a lot more than you’d expect. Keep the spray gun, perpendicular to the surface. The spray nozzle sets particle size and fan angle, this has a big impact on the finish and distance needed from surface to prevent running and orange peel effect. 

Edited Wednesday at 21:30 by Nick Laslett

[kentar]

Thanks. I've watched a few of his vids. He tends to thin by 10%, which is generally what paint manufacturers suggest. None of his vids describe my situation.  

 

How much do you thin by percentage wise?

[dpmiller]

yep, thinning, speed, and distance are all the variables here. Sandpaper rough implies the paint is drying before it hits the surface...

[Nick Laslett]

14 hours ago, kentar said:

 

How much do you thin by percentage wise?

Usually 70/30, but I tend to do a test batch. 

[kentar]

9 hours ago, dpmiller said:

Sandpaper rough implies the paint is drying before it hits the surface...

 

What would solve that? I'm no more than 12" away from the wall. 

[Nick Laslett]

I’m sorry, I’m just an amateur. You’ve probably already seen this, but this is what Google Gemini says:
 

Quote

Orange peel and air bubbles in airless spraying are caused by insufficient paint atomization, often due to the paint being too thick, the tip size being too large or worn, or insufficient pressure. To fix this, thin the paint, use a smaller or new tip, and increase the pressure. Other solutions include adjusting the spray distance and speed, ensuring proper gun-to-surface angle, and warming the paint and surface if they are too cold.

 

For me, thinner paint and getting the pressure right had the biggest effect. Distance from surface and movement speed came next. I’d also heard about the “warming the paint technique”.  

Buy a different brand of paint, see if it is still a problem. I’ve only sprayed Benjamin Moore ceiling paint, Benjamin Moore Scuff-X Matt, and Valspar Premium Walls & Ceilings Matt. They all sprayed differently. 
 

I have a Graco sprayer, so I don’t know anything about Wagner sprayers. For ceilings I used FFLP514 spray tip. 

 

Google Gemini says this about tips:
 

Quote

A 515 tip provides a good balance of flow and control, while a 517 tip may allow for lower pressure but requires caution due to higher flow.

 

Edited 9 hours ago by Nick Laslett