HVLP for latex paint?

[Jason White]

I want to get a turbine-type (no compressor) HVLP sprayer, but want something that will let me apply both clear finishes and latex paint.

Any problems using one machine for both? I'm worried about little paint chunks getting into my clear finishes, even if I clean the bejeezus out of the thing after using paint.

Jason

[david brum]

Hi Jason

You can spray latex paints with HVLP, but it is less than ideal. You will have to thin the paint significantly (like 20-25%). This results in paint which wants to run and drip on vertical surfaces. Latex/acrylic paint also has fairly tightly contolled chemistry and may not dry correctly if thinned that much. You might get lucky one time, then have a surface which remains permanently soft and tacky the next time.

If you're thinking of painting furniture, an oil based paint like Satin Impervo will give much better results with HVLP. You can thin it all you want and it will dry nice and hard. If you're painting walls, rent an airless sprayer. Airless is designed for latex and will let you spray it undiluted.

As an aside, I gave away my entry level HVLP (Rockler) and replaced it with a mid-sized compressor from craigslist. I bought several inexpensive LVLP sprayers, which are cheap and work much better IMO. I have dedicated sprayers for shellac, oil based and WB clear.

[Larry Norton]

I've been spraying water base paint and water base poly for years now with my Accuspray 23K HVLP. It does a fantastic job. It's a little pricey ($750) but you get what you pay for. Using a lacquer nozzle, I just recently started spraying Target water base lacquer. Works like a charm!

[Paul Ryan]

Jason,

I have tried it with my gun it works but as mentioned above you need to thin it considerably and then it works ok. I used my gun to spray the celings of a couple of rooms in our house. For celings it did ok but I dont think I would want to do walls with that set up. It can be done but you need a gun designed for it, most air guns are designed for thinner finishes. I have a friend that was a house painter, interior. He used a $1000 electric machine that just sat above a 5 gallon bucket of paint. That machine was designed for think paint and it worked well.

[Craig McCormick]

I use my hvlp rig to spray latex paint on entry doors all the time. They work great. No problems with paint in my clear finishes. I don't even clean my gun that good most of the time.

Azcraig

[Peter Quinn]

I use my hvlp rig to spray latex paint on entry doors all the time. They work great. No problems with paint in my clear finishes. I don't even clean my gun that good most of the time.

Azcraig

Craig, what tip size are you using, how much are you thinning and with what?

[Phil Phelps]

It's not recommended, Peter. You really break down the paint by thinning it so much. You'll need several coats if you do. This is discussed on the "Finish" side of the forum all the time. For spraying latex, an airless was invented.

[Steve Schoene]

Hard for HVLPs to spray "latex paint", but the ONLY thing that should ever receive "latex paint" is a wall. For furniture--and trim--you want a 100% acyrlic waterborne finish. In paint stores these are made with high visocity to make brushing and rolling easier and neater. But acyrilic waterbornes are available in versions are are ideal for spraying , though not at your big boxes or run of the mill paint stores, with HVLP sprayers. Products from Target or Enduro are examples. See www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com (http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com) for one source.

[Jeff Jewitt]

The standard nozzle set that's usually supplied with a turbine system, assuming you get just one nozzle setup is for clear finishes. To spray latex through 3 and 4 stage turbines you should use a 1.8mm-2.0mm nozzle setup. When using this size, you only need about 3-4 oz water per quart which is around 10%. I've never had to go past 15% tinning per quart which is 5 oz.