Paint & stain sprayer recommendations

[snowstorm]

my cabin is cedar built it 40 yrs ago its never been stained

[Jeff]

I'll  make that choice too as I age. Right now, silver hair is enough.

[SawyerTed]

The trick with the Graco is knowing that there is a lot of paint/stain still in the hose when the bucket is empty. Then switch to mineral spirits but continuing to spray the stain in the hose.  Once the stain is diluted a little with mineral spirits, then switch to clean up process.  I've used both latex and oil based products with mine.  

[Jeff]

For a big job, how much mineral spirits should one have on hand?

[alan gage]

For a big job, how much mineral spirits should one have on hand?

I don't think the size of the job probably matters much. With either a big or small job you have the same volume of hose and pump to clean out. Last time I used the Graco for water based I'm guessing I ran 1 to 1.5 gallons of water through it until I was getting clear water out the sprayer.

The trick with the Graco is knowing that there is a lot of paint/stain still in the hose when the bucket is empty. Then switch to mineral spirits but continuing to spray the stain in the hose.  Once the stain is diluted a little with mineral spirits, then switch to clean up process.

This is good advice. I realized that too late. There was a lot of good paint that got flushed out before it began to be diluted with water. I'd guess a quart.
If you're breaking the spraying job up over more than one day I don't believe it's necessary to clean out overnight (or even longer). Just clean off the intake screen and maybe let it (intake screen) sit in a pan of solvent so it doesn't get crusty.
Alan

[Mike W]

Really depends on the length of hose you are running, I have a Graco and usually run the 100' hose (have a 50' extension hose as well when needed)  It usually takes about 2.5 to 3 gallons to get it good and clean, start with fresh spirits, pump stain back into container until you just see it start to thin out at the sprayer nozzle, then run same spirits back into pickup bucket for a while (recirculating), just breaking down everything in pump, hose and nozzle.  Finish up with a fresh batch of mineral spirits to finish it off.  If its an owned unit, and you want to keep it working top shape later on, run some conditioner as final step to keep all parts lubed up and ready for work next go around, especially if you are storing it for any length of time between uses.

[Stephen1]

All this info I gleaned from the US Forest service as I was buiding my log cabin
Never power wash wood!
The easiest and least expensive way to stain any wood, building/deck /fence is with a simple garden sprayer and soft car wash brush.
Spend a little extra for a brass tip model. 
I wash off my cabin each year with a brush and hose, a little javex in the  water is all i use. I then hose it off. 
I let it dry for a week, and then walk around throwing a cup of water on each side of the cabin, if it beads it is okay for another year. If the water does not bead i recoat. The east side has been stained 2 times in 12 years. The south and west need it every 2-4 years.
I load the garden sprayer, pump it up, i spray a 4' swath and then pick up the car wash brush and brush it in. If I have help it is even easier, I spray they brush it in, gets in all the nooks and crannies especilly with the brush.
Simple and inexpensive.

[Jeff]

When I said big job, I meant it was probably going to take multiple days, so multiple cleanings. I imagine you can't let the thing set long between sprays?

[Jeff]

I went through this 7 years ago but it was all brushed and now I have the cabin and a whole junch of fence to stain.
Latest Project. I love Northern White Cedar. in General Board

[alan gage]

When I said big job, I meant it was probably going to take multiple days, so multiple cleanings. I imagine you can't let the thing set long between sprays?

I believe you can let an airless sprayer sit quite a while without cleaning. Just pull the tip out to clean it so it doesn't harden up and clean the intake screen good if it's not soaking in something.
One of the times I borrowed my friend's sprayer it had been sitting at least a month and the other person hadn't really cleaned it out. It was full of paint but no harm to the machine and the paint I cleaned out seemed fine.
Alan

[SawyerTed]

Yes, I agree with spraying the excess back into the bucket is a way to save it.  I've had good luck continuing to apply the paint or stain until it's diluted.  

I don't clean mine every night if I'm spraying multiple days.   I pull the tip and strainer and clean them.  If I'm using latex paint or stain, I drop the gun in a bucket of water and cover the pickup and recirculating hose with a plastic bag well taped.  If using oil based stain, I clean the tip and strainer, put the top of the gun in mineral spirts and wrap the tubes with a plastic bag.

If I'm leaving the job for over 1 night I clean completely.  Typically, I don't use more than two gallons of mineral spirits to clean up.  The time savings in applying the stain is worth the extra money for the mineral spirits. As mentioned above, using a bucket to recirculate the mineral spirits is the best way.  Saving and reusing mineral spirits not completely loaded with paint or stain to start the next clean up works well for me.

Mineral spirits is my first step to clean up, I follow with warm water and Dawn dishwashing liquid.  Then plain water. 

[Jeff]

Great info guys!

[GAB]

Jeff: 
As an FYI - when my dad painted his new garage by brush he used 4 gallons, when I repainted it years later, I used my sprayer, and it took 6 gallons.
Maybe some one can talk about their experience on brush versus sprayer paint usage.
The sprayer on high pressure drives the paint into the wood some and my experience has been that it does not need repainting as often.
Gerald

[Stephen1]

OVERSPRAY is what everyone has not mentioned. Be carefull it ends up on everything, even if it can not find it. 

[Tom King]

If I'm spraying water based/bourne with airless, it can be left for a day in between coats with no problem.  There is no air in the system, so it wont' cure.  

I leave the pickup in the bucket of paint/stain, and cover the top with Saran Wrap, to keep air off of it, and from skimming over.  The paint bucket goes in another container, because when you're pulling the Saran Wrap out, it will make a mess.   I use a mortar pan under a 5 gallon bucket.

I take the tip holder off, and drop the gun in a small bucket of water.  The tip holder, and tip are cleaned, and a drop of oil put in the tip.

Oil based can be done similarly.

When spraying what's left in the hose back in the container, turn the tip around backwards, so it doesn't come out with such pressure, and fan width.

If I'm spraying oil based, I buy a gallon of mineral spirits (don't get the "new" kind) when I buy the paint/stain, and that's enough to do the cleanup with.

My pump is 25 years old (at least), but I did upgrade to a new gun that will handle the LPFF tips.  They bring airless spraying to a whole new level.

If you change tips to amount to anything, for spraying different thickness coatings, and even different fan widths, put a pressure gauge (the Titan gauge will also fit Graco stuff) on the line out.  It saves a lot of testing to get the pressure right once you know what tip, line length, and coating needs what pressure.  When you find the right pressure for a given setup, write it on the box you keep the sprayer in, and next time, you are good to go.

If you've not done much airless spraying, find the Idaho Painter videos on youtube.

[Larry]

I bought a Titan about 10 years ago to paint the inside of the house I built.  It was a reconditioned machine that came with a full warranty.  Came with a bunch of attachments, most of which I haven't used.  Works excellent.

It seems like I only have a project to use it on every couple of years now.  Between jobs I store it with the stuff they sell to protect the pump.  It works just as good with oil as latex.

[low_48]

Yes, oil base is fine.  Cleanup is with mineral spirits, not paint thinner.  You can't spray lacquer or other hot types of paint.

In my neck of the woods, mineral spirits and paint thinner are the same thing.

[Jeff]

I was going to order a sprayer from home depot today. I wasnt allowed to because Im apoarently a michigan resident that would be risking someones health if I do.

Argh

[K-Guy]

I was going to order a sprayer from home depot today. I wasnt allowed to because Im apoarently a michigan resident that would be risking someones health if I do.

You obviously don't love your fellow man person!!!! smiley_whacko

[Jeff]

If I continue with this conversation Ill have to move this topic to restricted, then ill get wound up and it will end up in the woodshed then Chet or someone will have to ban me.

[K-Guy]

Sorry Jeff I couldn't resist that one. I know how you feel.

[Walnut Beast]

The Graco sprayers are great. I've had the big ones on wheels and the cordless Graco. When you spray you can back brush. That way it gets in grooves and crevices. Spraying gets in areas you can't and vise versa on brushing. Keep in mind to keep your proper distance when spraying, keep your spray gun parallel, and to keep moving to have uniform product on area. The proper tip size is important for what material you are spraying. 

[Tom King]

One thing I forgot to mention was tip extensions.  I do almost no airless spraying without one.  They come in a bunch of different lengths, and can keep you off ladders, and from bending over.  I'll even use a 12" one if I'm spraying in a room with an 8' ceiling.

They also keep you out of the bounceback zone.  Airless sprayers don't really have overspray, but they do create bounceback.  The low pressure fine finish (LPFF) tips have a lot less bounceback, because the pressure is so much lower than the old style.

[Raider Bill]

One thing I forgot to mention was tip extensions.  I do almost no airless spraying without one.  They come in a bunch of different lengths, and can keep you off ladders, and from bending over.  I'll even use a 12" one if I'm spraying in a room with an 8' ceiling.

They also keep you out of the bounceback zone.  Airless sprayers don't really have overspray, but they do create bounceback.  The low pressure fine finish (LPFF) tips have a lot less bounceback, because the pressure is so much lower than the old style.

My 3' extension is permanently attached to my rig. Makes spraying a lot easier.

[clearcut]

Airless sprayers don't really have overspray, but they do create bounceback.

Bounceback was what I meant. Much better term.

It was in a small bedroom 10X12 that I was replacing the flooring. Baseboard removed. Excellent time to patch, prime, retexture, and paint. Sprayer will make this quick, mask the window, and door, outlets, fire up the little Grayco with an extension wand and a 5 gallon bucket of primer - yeah no ladder, and I was done. D O N E done.

Turned around to look - could barely see to the other side of the room. The bounce back spray filled the air. My glasses had a film of white primer covering the surface, as did the rest of me. Put a box fan in the window blowing out. That screen had a circular white shadow from the bounce back primer for a couple of years before I replaced the screen. Some settled on the dark hardwood floor in the hall that cleaned up with soap, water, and a some of scrubbing. 

Painted the ceiling and walls with the pump roller attachment. Was faster than rolling from a bucket or pan, but not significantly. Cleaning the roller system took longer than just a roller cover, worth it only for a large room or several rooms.

Jeff, please don't get banned. We need you now more than ever!

Hopefully the restrictions are for the best. The science points that way.
Hopefully it's only for a short time. Been too long already.

Stay safe
Stay sane - at least below 5150.