Best Sprayer For Stain Application

[dperrin 14]

Well, I have a couple of decks under my belt for '07. Completed them with brush and rollers. Wow, thats back breaking work! After having unsatisfactory results from the roller on the deck floor and to many hrs painting lattice I decided this year I would move on to some type of spray applicator. I recently got a Wagner HVLP sprayer from Ken. Not bad for $100 and, oh so much faster. We got this as a test to see if a sprayer would really be faster and more convienient than a brush....I'm sold. But of course this will not do for mass production. We hope to do many more decks this coming year. For one, you have to keep filing up the cup, thats a hassle. The other big concern was the amount of mist in the air (is this what people mean by overspray or is over spray the amount of product that passes through the spindles?). I mean the mist was like a fog. Hard to breath until a breeze would come through every now and then. More importantly the stuff would settle on stuff near by including the house siding and other parts of the deck not ready to be stained yet. We learned real fast how important masking and tarps are when using a sprayer.

I was hoping you guys could suggest a sprayer that would best fit my needs. I will be using it mainly for staining decks. I will be using either WTW or RS stain for the most part.

My first thought was getting a deckster from Sunbright. I believe this can be used to apply the stripper as well? If so that would be great. I am planning on stopping in at the store soon but wanted to be armed with real information before the sales folks start talking me into stuff I dont need.

This site has been a great source of info for us over the last year. Thanks!

[PressurePros 248]

The step up from the the little Wagner is to go with a Deckster. You get much more versatility as you can adjust your pressure. Upgrade to the adjustable gun with the stainless wand. The plastic one that copmes with it is a toy. Overspray is definitely an issue no matter how you slice it when using a sprayer. The downfalls with the Decksters is tht you will use much more stain until you can dial in your settings and you have to add time at the end of the day to clean out the lines (depending on which staining product you use). The advantage over the Wagner Fine Coat you mentioned.. filling those little cups can be a hassle. Its at best a starter unit to get you used to spraying for a minimal investment. Once you get into really getting more jobs, you need to step up to a professional stain spayer.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

The deckster or Decker 5er are good choices.

Beth

[dperrin 14]

Are they basically the same just made by a different manufacter?

Also, I have become very confused on the type of sprayers. Are these HVLP and is hvlp the same as airless? I assume the one from Ken is not airless as it attaches to a unit using air to force out the stain (I think this is why there is so much mist and I probably dont want this type again)???

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Pumptec makes them both as I understand it.

Pumptec, manufacturer of high efficiency pumps and performance pump systems.

ACR PRODUCTS sells them.

Beth

[Doug Dahlke 114]

An airless is not the same as an HVLP. Airless systems are high pressure with lower volume. An HVLP is high volume and low pressure. The airless is better for higher viscosity coatings like unthinned latex paint. An HVLP works best with stains and thinner type coatings. The lower pressure used in those systems also helps with the overspray issue.

[PressurePros 248]

D, having used all types of sprayers from deckers to industrial airless sprayers you are going to find that the Wagner has about the lowest amount of overspray. Everything goes up from there. That's why you will hear companies mention the "cloud of doom". On a breezy day it can travel a hundred feet. Use the method of tacking a sheet or burlap onto your handrail to catch the overspray.

[John Orr 206]

I am not familiar with the viscosity of the stains you will be using (I prefer Olympic Max), but I have used a Solo 4 gallon backpack sprayer for years now. They usually last a year or two. Very little overspray, very even coverage.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Fog overspray comes by way of too much product being atomized and not sticking to surface. Too much pressure by way of machine and tip orifice sizing is at play. Air itself is not to blaim in an hvlp but rather the overall adjustments of the air to product ratios and the end pressure. As example airless type sprayers still over atomize product and cause fog...gotta find a products wants and the fine line between pressure, volume and the tip sizing.

Can mess around plenty with pressure and volume and a products viscosity may still want a different tip.. ..when I figure it all out perfect for each brand I let ya know..haha

[dperrin 14]

So it sounds like the Deckster is an hvlp sprayer. I sure would like to tag along with someone who uses one of these. Can't see buying something this expensive without some hands on. If anyone is in the Atlanta area and has a deck to stain let me know.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

A true Hvlp uses air to atomize and to make a fan spray after product leaves gun tip. Where as conventional air sprayers mix air and product together inside gun before leaving tip the product and air are kept seperate in dedicated lines all the way until and through the gun in hvlp system. The pressures are relatively low compared to conventional air sprayers but the volume of the product is higher. States have standards of what the air pressure can be...is like 10-15psi at the tip or some such amount.. The delicate difference between conventional and conversion gun is, far as I understand, is that an hvlp conversion gun converts the psi in larger gun chambers to low pressure high volume..(btw..same happens with water in our hose systems, larger line or chamber equals lower internal pressure in a section but higher flow/gpm..just thought I would throw that in :) )

So anyways, Some would say product volume is not as high though in hvlp as what you can easily arrange in other spray type equipment. In Hvlp,.. the power being produced for the product portion, the line diameters, tip size, cfm of the air protion, and adjustment valves on the gun are the limiters of the volume. Done up right and specific to chore at hand a true hvlp setup can put out plenty of product.

--Some talk of true hvlp--http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/scrap-book/11370-my-high-capacity-diy-hvlp-sprayer.html

[Bryan C 14]

I was in the same situation about a year ago. Landed several wood jobs and hand rolled them all. I decided that I would no longer take on any other wood work until I could find a good airless sprayer.

Someone suggested a Titan 440i and I saw one in action at a RT. Purchased one at SW shortly thereafter and have never looked back. The thing is awesome. It will take one job for you to get the settings right and to learn how to become comfortable with it. A four hour job now takes an hour, including setup and cleaning of equipment, all with much better results.

The best $600 I have ever spent...

[sflasealcoatinginc 14]

I havde a titan 440 that i use strictly for color stains...which are nuch thicker than sealers.... i would never seal bricks concrete or any other flat surface with an airless....to much atomization and the psi is way to much....you get more stuff in the air than you do on the ground... its just to think for that machine. my .02

[Adrian 155]

"D", you will have overspray with just about any sprayer. Sometimes it pays to take a little extra time to tarp areas prone to overspray. I think we all end up with a roll or two of poly plastic in the beds of our trucks for that reason.

I started with a wagner and ran a lomger hose directly into the 5er's of RS. Worked great and still will!!!! Then I purchased a Deckster. The dif is like night and day. BUT get a varible degree cone tip instead of the fans. Much better in my opinion.

Deckster, Titan, are all great.

Take a 15 ft clear poly hose and attach it to the wagner and do any with the little cup. Then draw straight from the 5er. Probably only cost 5.00 find out.

Once you start getting slammed with deck work you will want a Deckster or Titan.

By the way, the guys at Sun Brite are super. I dealt with them in person for several years. Get with Tracy. He wrote the book.

[plainpainter 217]

I use an airless for decking stains - I tarp all areas that I don't want overspray - and dial down the pressure and put on a different tip to minimize overspray. Then it takes no time to stain a deck.

[Deck Guy 14]

I don't like the airless for the RS or other parafinnic type stains. I understand that I can go with a larger tip to prevent atomization, but then you pump out product really quickly and heavily too. I like to stick with a x15 (15/1000's orifice) or smaller tip. I do use the airless for heavier-bodied finishes.

An HVLP might be as low as 10-15 PSI, the Decker/Deckster maybe 60 or so, and the airless up to 3500 PSI. They are three totally different animals, all good for certain applications.

IMO there's no need for a Titan brand airless in any case. I've done three or four season with a Spray-Tech (half the price) and it's held up well. The key to any spray equipment is to clean it properly after each use, even though you'd rather be having a nice cold one.

Go with either the Decker or Deckster (or make your own for half the price) if you plan on sticking with parafinnic stains.. The lower pressure of those will benefit you greatly.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

We own both Deckers ( same a sa deckster) and also Titans. Each has their use, depending on the coating you intend to use on the job. Both are used regularly.

Beth