# hvlp vs. airless for spraying trim



## Traditions (Aug 22, 2006)

I'm getting ready to spray a new house out. (trim). I am fairly new to spraying trim. I've done quite a bit of spraying doors and trim on remodels. However, i am getting ready to spray all trim in a 3500 sq. ft house. I've always used a .11 tip and had good results. I found a guy selling a paint business and he has a hvlp. Not sure on model yet. Going to see it tonight. He want 300 bucks for it. My question is, does it do that much better of a job than an airless. I've had pretty good luck with the airless. One other question. When you spray your trim do you guys just blow it on the wall, then come back and re- prime the spots you got on wall before putting your top coats on the wall? So many questions. I'm a newbie to the site. Thanks guys


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## Paul Burns (Jan 17, 2006)

When we did new homes a long time ago (12 yrs or mre) we did the trim with airless, just the way you are talking about.


I love HVLP's, but not for what you are talking about. HVLP's are really only good for special times and things, like those louvred interior shutters that move up and down.

You will lose a LOT of time if you try to switch from an airless to HVLP for new work trim. IMHO, you WON'T be happy.

At the same time, if you ever really need an HVLP for what they are actully designed for and take the time to figure it out and have ought the right model, they are VERY handy too.

Hope that makes some sense.

Paul


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## Paul Burns (Jan 17, 2006)

Another thing that HVLP's are great for is spraying iron, alluminum, or whatever, railings. Down here in the Keys, almost every home has those railings around them and the HVLP is the only way to go.

I guess you need to think cleanliness, over spray, and transfer rate, when buying an HVLP.

And personally, I would only buy the best, so the you can spray latex's with them. The cheaper models will have rough time spraying any water based products.

Good Luck,
Paul


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## Traditions (Aug 22, 2006)

thanks paul. I feel like I have a decent system for doing my trim now. Now is prob not the time to switch to an hvlp. I am right in the middle of the job. Thanks again:thumbsup:


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

Paul's right. I bought a cheapo, on sale, and it won't shoot latex. Fortunately, it shoots oils and gelcoat just fine.


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## Traditions (Aug 22, 2006)

anyone want to rep.ly about my question on spraying the trim paint on the wall? Do most people shield wall. Tape wall off. Re-prime and sand after. I guess i could start a new thread


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## Paul Burns (Jan 17, 2006)

All I can tell you is that we sprayed trim paint on the drywall. Including the last 12K sq. ft. new home where we put lacquer on all of the woodwork. So that means with latex, oil and lacquer trim paints sprayed on drywall we have never had a problem. The only thing that you might notice is that the drywall paint will take longer to dry where th trim paint was sprayedo onto it.

If you are using oil or lacquer, I would run around it all FAST with 123 water based primer.

Got getem!

Paul


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## Traditions (Aug 22, 2006)

I'm using waterbase proclassic enamel. So you are saying I can hit the wall when I spray. I can put my eggshell wall paint over the overspray on wall and there will be no sheen differences. A shield would be pretty easy. Thanks for the replies Paul. You really know your stuff


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

Good info Paul posted on HVLP, and it's correct. As far as spraying trim on walls, sometimes I paper the jams but really... it will be fine. You may have to cut twice but in the end, sheen difference will not show.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

The guys that I see around here spray the walls first, then the trim and then come back and touch up the overspray.


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

Teetorbilt said:


> The guys that I see around here spray the walls first, then the trim and then come back and touch up the overspray.


Ya, spraying walls is outlawed here because noone knows what backroll means, so they spray the trim first and then cut and roll. Either way would work fine.


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## RCPainting (Jan 29, 2006)

We spray the trim, then mask it and then spray the walls. It make take some time to mask, but the straight lines you get and little brush time make up for it.


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## Jonesey (Jul 7, 2006)

What you want for the best fine finish is an Air Assisted rig. It works a lot like an airless, but it uses compressed air to get finer atomization. They work great, and actually cut down on overspray so you get a higher transfer rate. I want to get one of these for my shop work to do high end kitchens with since I actually have 3 scheduled (yaaay!). 

An AA rig works out to application as fast as an airless (HVLP's are sloooow) with less overspray and a better finish. 

Most of the time you won't have a problem with the spray line if you spray the trim already installed. Most guys just prime right over it after they mask the lacquer and that's what we've done in the past. Problem is with the lower grade finishes the spray line will show through your top coat on the drywall. It will sit higher than the rest of the wall and have a more developed gloss. This looks bad, imho, and is a sure sign of a hack job.

One way to get around that is to run a helper along the spray lines after everything has been masked with an 80 grit sanding pad, then prime with a good clay-based paint like A700 or comparable ICI. Been using ICI myself because it's so cheap. Works really well for textured drywall primer. Can't say how good it would do on slick-wall. 

An AA rig will run you around $1800 new, but a Graco 390 or Titan 440 will suit you for a good long time as a lacquer rig. Just take my advice and when you buy a fine finish rig, don't EVER run latex through it. Ideally, you should keep a rig for each material type you use. Keeps your tip-clogs down and there's nothing so frustrating as lacquering a $2000 front door and have your tip shoot a big wad of latex right in the middle of it. Or worse yet, have it clog four times half-way through. 

If you prime over alkyds with a clay or latex, don't expect it to stick well until it's had time to cure. We always pull ours wet so t-up is low for us. If you wait too long, or not long enough, expect to retape a bunch of your trim.

Hope that helps.


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## Traditions (Aug 22, 2006)

trim is all prepped and I am going to be spraying tonight. I am taking your advice and going to spray onto the primed wall. I might use my shield to keep the spray line down a little. Wish me luck. First time completely spraying a house out.


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## harmonpa (Feb 26, 2016)

Another upside to airless is that its easy no need to adjust fluid and air pressures but it can waste a bit of paint (about 30% more) than HVLP especially if the target is small


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