Paint Sprayers for Furniture: What to Know
Paint sprayers can give furniture a smooth, professional finish that’s hard to achieve with brushes. But there’s a learning curve and not all sprayers are equal.
Types of Sprayers
HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure): Gentle application, less overspray. Best for furniture, cabinets, detailed work. Takes longer but more controlled.
Airless: Forces paint at high pressure. Covers fast, but more overspray. Better for large surfaces like decks, fences, walls. Overkill for furniture.
Compressed air: Traditional spray guns with compressor. Good control but requires decent compressor. Common in auto body work.
For furniture, HVLP is usually the right choice.
What to Look For
Adjustable spray pattern: Horizontal, vertical, round. Lets you adapt to different surfaces.
Material viscosity: Can it handle thick paints without thinning? Some can, some can’t.
Easy cleaning: You’ll clean this constantly. Complicated disassembly means you won’t clean it properly, and dried paint ruins sprayers.
Cup capacity: Bigger cup means fewer refills but heavier to hold.
Brands That Work
Wagner Flexio series: Good entry-level HVLP. Affordable, decent results. The 590 is popular.
Graco: Professional quality. The Ultra Cordless is excellent but pricey.
Fuji: Well-regarded HVLP systems. Semi-Pro 2 is a solid mid-range option.
HomeRight: Budget-friendly. Finish Max line works for occasional projects.
The Reality Check
Spraying is messier than you think. You need a spray area – garage, outdoors, spray booth. Overspray gets on everything.
Prep time is significant. Masking, thinning paint (sometimes), straining paint, test sprays. A quick brush touch-up might be faster for small jobs.
Practice on scrap first. Getting even coverage without runs takes technique.
When Spraying Makes Sense
Multiple pieces at once. Large surfaces. Cabinets with lots of doors. Detailed pieces where brush marks would show.
For one small piece, brushing might be less hassle overall.
Cleaning
Clean immediately after use. Every time. No exceptions. Dried paint in the internals will ruin the sprayer.
