OT: HVLP vs LVLP Spray Gun

bhugg · May 2017

I am in the process of remodeling my kitchen and I am about to start painting cabinet doors. My airless just crapped out on me and I was thinking about getting either an HVLP or a LVLP spray gun. If you have any experience with either one of these, I am interested and getting your opinion and recommendation

RRP · May 2017

To each his own, but to me the proper clean up time and effort needed never out weighs the short time benefit of spraying. At least to me unless you have lots and lots to paint such as a whole house and a short time to get it done I don't favor spraying.

CanadianAnvil · May 2017

I'll go against Ron. I love spraying and wouldn't go back.
I only have an erlex hvlp at the moment but love it. I've done 100s of feet of fence in an afternoon or laid down perfect coats on furniture.
I'd love to step up to a fugi multi stage unit at some point, and may sooner than later when reviewing the honey do list for things the wife wants built.
I don't think or feel that the cleaning of the unit I have now is bad at all, it takes me about half hour to have it completely stripped and cleaned and back together if I'm using water based products, longer if not.
My only regrets are not getting one sooner and not going full out with a big unit when I got this one but I was playing it safe making sure I got the finish I was looking for without laying out big cash first.

deanrs · May 2017

The HVLP turbines are great for stains and varnishes. They don't do as well with latex paint. The paint is too thick on its own and needs to be thinned considerably. Sometimes too much and then it affects the quality of the paint.

If you are talking about and HVLP gun with an air compressor it might be different. I don't have one so I can't comment.

I think the airless is best for spraying latex. If you are familiar with it you might want to replace it rather than go to an HVLP.

bigalsworth · May 2017

CanadianAnvil said:

I'll go against Ron. I love spraying and wouldn't go back.
I only have an erlex hvlp at the moment but love it. I've done 100s of feet of fence in an afternoon or laid down perfect coats on furniture.
I'd love to step up to a fugi multi stage unit at some point, and may sooner than later when reviewing the honey do list for things the wife wants built.
I don't think or feel that the cleaning of the unit I have now is bad at all, it takes me about half hour to have it completely stripped and cleaned and back together if I'm using water based products, longer if not.
My only regrets are not getting one sooner and not going full out with a big unit when I got this one but I was playing it safe making sure I got the finish I was looking for without laying out big cash first.

I don't want to speak for Ron but the message I got from his post was all the work needed to midigate over spray on the ceiling and other areas while doing walls in a house, not just the cleanup of the unit itself.

bhugg · May 2017

deanrs said:

The HVLP turbines are great for stains and varnishes. They don't do as well with latex paint. The paint is too thick on its own and needs to be thinned considerably. Sometimes too much and then it affects the quality of the paint.
If you are talking about and HVLP gun with an air compressor it might be different. I don't have one so I can't comment.
I think the airless is best for spraying latex. If you are familiar with it you might want to replace it rather than go to an HVLP.

I am spraying oil based from Sherwin Williams. I assumed I would have to thin it some but I dont want to compromise the quality of the finish either.

Kent8621 · May 2017

I have the Wagner HVLP and love it, will never go back. as for the thickness of the paint they make a gun you can buy on amazon for around $50 that is made for thicket paints and works magically. I have done thin stains and poly's to thick latex paints with no issues. the clean up in my opinion is easy with the gun after you do it once or twice you will find a process that makes it 10 min. with any water based paints, use cold water and fabric softener, works, for the gun, brushes and rollers, cuts cleaning in half I could go into the chemistry if need be but it works. Links below to help. I use mine on various projects monthly and would recommend it to anyone.

Sprayer:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PGQI48/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Extra Gun:

https://www.amazon.com/Wagner-0529014-iSpray-Front-End/dp/B00FLUW9GM/ref=pd_sim_60_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00FLUW9GM&pd_rd_r=Y0S40ZEZ4TWB9X83DGW7&pd_rd_w=ua1Kb&pd_rd_wg=3rTW9&psc=1&refRID=Y0S40ZEZ4TWB9X83DGW7

bhugg · May 2017

So i got a HVLP from HD the other day. I am spraying Sherwin William ProClassic Oil Based paint. Do I need to thin it or will the gun shoot it as is?

deanr · May 2017

First I would ask the SW people. They may recommend a thinner. If you do spray, you probably want to use the biggest tip you have.

YukonRon · May 2017

bhugg said:

So i got a HVLP from HD the other day. I am spraying Sherwin William ProClassic Oil Based paint. Do I need to thin it or will the gun shoot it as is?

Do you have masking paper? If so, rip a sheet off and tape some to the wall, hold the gun 4" to 6 Inches perpendicular from the surface and do a test pattern. If you get the atomization you need with the current mix, you should be fine.
I use a 75% overlap, (about a 2-3 inch drop based on pattern size) for vertical surfaces. Using spray equipment always think about D O G S (distance from surface, overlap, and gun speed. Keep them all consistant, and you will be fine.)
Good luck.

bhugg · May 2017

UPDATE: Here is what it looks like after one good coat of SW Pro-Classic.

OT: HVLP vs LVLP Spray Gun

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