# Anyone using Graco sprayer for skimcoat



## NICKPAUS (May 11, 2008)

Was wondering how many companies are using a Graco sprayer to skim coat walls instead of applying by hand. They are about 5k to buy but from what I have seen save alot of time and labor. They have a new 240 volt one that looks as if you could spray smooth stucco through it.


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## Softy (Jul 26, 2009)

NICKPAUS said:


> Was wondering how many companies are using a Graco sprayer to skim coat walls instead of applying by hand. They are about 5k to buy but from what I have seen save alot of time and labor. They have a new 240 volt one that looks as if you could spray smooth stucco through it.


You can spray elastic foundation covering as well as everything else, really nice gadget. A contractor, gas probably a better choice since you don't want to use electricity from your customer.


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## Brocktologist (Sep 16, 2008)

I use mine to spray skim coat. Much much faster than doing it by hand.


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## Capt-Sheetrock (Aug 8, 2007)

Brocktologist said:


> I use mine to spray skim coat. Much much faster than doing it by hand.


Ditto :thumbsup:


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## NICKPAUS (May 11, 2008)

Brocktologist said:


> I use mine to spray skim coat. Much much faster than doing it by hand.


What model are you using? I was looking at the Mark V it costs around 5K.


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## Kuba (May 3, 2009)

Dont buy one less you have enough work to support it...

Renting is the best way until you have enough jobs to pay for the equipment over time.


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## Tim0282 (Dec 11, 2007)

Are you spraying the mud on after you have run your box on flats, butts, beads, screws and sanded? So you tape, fill with a seven inch, skim with a ten inch and skim again with a twelve inch, then sand and spray the mud? Or some other way?


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## NICKPAUS (May 11, 2008)

Kuba said:


> Dont buy one less you have enough work to support it...
> 
> Renting is the best way until you have enough jobs to pay for the equipment over time.


 
I have checked the rental yards and they do not have a sprayer large enough to spray a level 5 finish. I have 2 new houses coming in the works and the price to skim them is what I would pay for the sprayer. I have alot of tools sitting but they are garaged and I am planning on building for at least 10 more years. I have subbed out to drywall crews that spray skim and ones that do it by hand. The sprayer is alot more efficient. I have searched for a used one but no luck.


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## nEighter (Nov 24, 2008)

seriously get one. I want one BAD!!!


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## Capt-Sheetrock (Aug 8, 2007)

Tim0282 said:


> Are you spraying the mud on after you have run your box on flats, butts, beads, screws and sanded? So you tape, fill with a seven inch, skim with a ten inch and skim again with a twelve inch, then sand and spray the mud? Or some other way?


I tape with a bazooka, bed with an 8, skim with a 10. Then sand, then spray the level 5, then sand again. Butts ae run twice with a 10 and hand run with a 12 (on average, butts are kinda indavidual) corners are taped and glazed with a 3" and run again with a 3 1/2 *sometimes, if conditions are bad I'll run em a third time with a 2.

You have to come to a level 4, then sand, then spray level 5 then sand again.


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## Tim0282 (Dec 11, 2007)

Sounds good. Thanks for filling in the details. The painter primes and paints as usual, I assume.You are gettig rid of the problem of the mud being smoother than the paper.


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## Brocktologist (Sep 16, 2008)

NICKPAUS said:


> What model are you using? I was looking at the Mark V it costs around 5K.


I've got the markv but got mine from a graco salesman who used it a couple times. I think I got the unit, hopper, air atomizer kit for texture and a gas air compressor for under 4500.


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## Tim0282 (Dec 11, 2007)

Do you just thin your mud about the same consistency as paint? And do you use regular bucket/box mud or the bag texture mud?


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## nEighter (Nov 24, 2008)

The demo I went to by graco had em putting a gallon of water to a ready mud bucket. stir with a paint augur and away you go.


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## NICKPAUS (May 11, 2008)

nEighter said:


> The demo I went to by graco had em putting a gallon of water to a ready mud bucket. stir with a paint augur and away you go.


 
Same way I have seen. 1 guy with a helper mixing and delivering was able 2 spray both houses (2450 sq ft + 2 car garage each) in 1 day. Each house required 3-4 hours to sand to perfect finish (1 guy 1 day). I paid $2200 extra per house for skim coat over level 4.


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## nEighter (Nov 24, 2008)

:drool: I so want one!!


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## d's (Mar 16, 2008)

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## Muddauber (Nov 2, 2007)

Brocktologist or Capt-Sheetrock,

Lets say you have a house with 20,000' of drywall.

How many man hours to mask off, spray, then sand, ceilings and walls?

How much material is used?


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## nEighter (Nov 24, 2008)

:w00t::notworthy


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## NICKPAUS (May 11, 2008)

Muddauber said:


> Brocktologist or Capt-Sheetrock,
> 
> Lets say you have a house with 20,000' of drywall.
> 
> ...


The 2 houses I had done were 220 4x12 sheets each which breaks down to around 20,000 after scrap. 1 prep guy and 1 spray guy taped masked and sprayed both houses in one day. The taper came back and sanded both in one day. They used around 25 5 gallon buckets for both.


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