Do you want a spray gun to make your painting job smooth? Well then, you can give it a try to use an HVLP Low CFM spray gun to do that job.
HVLP Low CFM spray guns are used for finishing painting like a pro because it uses less pressure and delivers high volume output. You can use this spray gun to paint your house, car, or any furniture even in a low CFM.
There is a lot to know about HVLP Low CFM spray guns, including what it is, the setup process, benefits, and more. Therefore let’s end all your queries and confusions about it in this guide.
Here we begin!
What Is An HVLP Spray Gun?
Nowadays, HVLP spray guns are getting more popular. The complete form of HVLP is “High Volume Low Pressure.” It’s a process of producing a high volume output using a tiny amount of pressure in simple words.
HVLP spray guns help do DIY projects and are easy to use for those who try the spray guns for the first time. However, we don’t recommend this for professional jobs because most HVLP is slower than LVLP.
Moreover, HVLP spray guns use compressed air more than the LVLP and struggle on thicker paintings too. The best feature of HVLP spray guns is it doesn’t let any paint get wasted, and the surface gets all the color.
Now you know what an HVLP spray gun is. But what is an HVLP low cfm spray gun? Well, it is also a usual HVLP spray gun, but it can run in small compressors. Normal HVLP requires a large air compressor, but it doesn’t.
Features Of An HVLP Spray Gun
- Affordable
- Portability
- Controlled spraying
- Efficiency in high transferring
- Reduced clean-up and prep
- Minimal bounceback
- Sprays all the materials
- Less expensive to maintain
- Reduce labor time
- Lowers the consumption of materials by 40%
- Low wear for low fluid pressure
- Has three spray patterns
- Atomizes free-moisture air
Types Of HVLP Spray Guns
Most commonly, the type of HVLP spray gun is the one that requires air compressors. The other kind is an electrical spray gun. It doesn’t use air, and it makes displacement with the help of a built-in compressor.
These are also referred to as airless spray guns. Professionals tend to like the spray guns with external air compressors because it provides more benefits.
Low CFM Spray Guns
The outstanding feature of low CFM guns is it uses less air at the cap. The most significant benefit a Low CFM Air Cap Spray Gun provides is reducing the work pressure on your compressor.
However, there are a few drawbacks too for reducing air consumption. Depending on the gun’s model, the usage of air volume varies. Lower CFM means less effectiveness at atomizing coatings.
Types Of Paints You Can Spray With HVLP Spray Gun
You have this query about what paints you can use when you have the HVLP spray gun. They are as follows.
Automotive Paints
If you are thinking of painting them in your garage and giving it an entirely new look, you must need that HVLP spray gun.
The chief reason why people like to paint their car using this spray gun is that it’s excellent at thin painting and it never wastes any paint. They do not need much pressure for atomizing thin materials.
Primers
We often see some old objects have lost their accurate color, and we want them to get their last new look back. But if you directly use the paint using the spray gun, the color will not sit perfectly.
Therefore before painting the actual color, you need to apply primer color. To bring the best output out of the primer color, you should spray it using the HVLP spray gun to make the color quality even more promising.
Latex
Although latex painting is genuinely thick, we can still use the HVLP spray guns for spraying.
Of course, you have other better options, but you can do your job with it if you lack money to buy a new better spray gun. It will finish its work fast enough than smaller spray guns like LVLP spray guns.
Lacquers
It’s tough to paint something with lacquers, especially when there are no right tools available to you.
Previously people used to paint tints with roller brushes, but nowadays, people use spray guns because they can paint the full-quality color. But if your spray gun is new, you might have to use it for a few months to get an excellent quality color.
Water Based Paints
Like all the other paints mentioned above, HVLP spray guns are also suitable for painting water-based paints. Still, many people use roller brushes, but this will do the work fine too.
But this will buy a lot of your valuable time. You don’t want to waste much time in the painting, don’t you? That’s why it’s better to choose the HVLP spray guns over roller brushes for water-based paints too.
How To Set Up HVLP Low CFM Spray Guns?
Setting up an HVLP spray gun does not take much effort. You have to follow the following three ways for setting up your HVLP spray gun;
First Step – Air Supply
HVLP guns require high-volume air to operate correctly. You will see in the directions that what is the minimum CFM your spray needs.
The pressure produced by the air compressor is not enough. It also needs to create enough pressure constantly. So be sure of having enough cfm capable compressor.
Set the air compressor so it will put out around 90 psi. Also, set the air pressure at the entrance for air pressure in the gun. You will find small regulators attached to the base of the spray gun with gauges.
Another thing you must need is an air dryer. If you have any oil or water in the airlines, it will do the work. Let us give you a good idea, but a little disposable one on your gun end.
Second Step – Choose The Right Tip For What You Are Spraying
We are talking about a fluid tip. You will probably get a few with the gun. The best little tip is for what you are shooting that will work right.
The tech sheets for shooting materials will generally have a recommendation for the tip size. We want to let you know the recommended tips for different works. For small jobs, you need 1.0 tips.
To apply paint or to clear a whole car is required 1.3 or 1.4 tips. These sizes are also acceptable for doing epoxy and sealers. For building primers, depending on how thick you want, 1.8 to 2.3 size tips will be fine.
Third Step – Final Set-up
Each time you want to use the gun, you have to set it up. Differences in temperature, humidity, and other factors will affect your gunshots. That’s why you must know the right way to set it up.
Let’s learn the setting up process then. First, you need to tape on the wall a masking paper to test your spray gun. Now it’s time to set pressure on the gun inlet. Use the air regulator you attached with a gauge to the gun.
Set it with the trigger pulled. Set 50 psi on the meter and start. And then, when you pull the trigger, open it at the point where air volumes stay the same and then stop. The book and air pressure should be set by it.
Then open the fan controlling knob on all the way. You can then turn it a little down. Now screw the material knob lightly until it properly seats. Unscrew it again for about two turns.
It’s now ready for the test! Hold the spray gun from the paper at a distance of around 8 or 9 inches. This distance is correct for spraying.
Now start spraying and see if the gun is working correctly. If it works great, then you have successfully set up the HVLP spray gun.
HVLP Low CFM Spray Gun Benefits
1. Transfer Efficiency
HVLP is better at transfer efficiency. A minimal amount of paint is wasted.
2. Less Overspray
Wherever the HVLP gun is pointed at, the higher volume materials are displaced, and it goes on the surface. It means this spray gun can save you money by using less paint.
3. Less Mess
This part we like about it most. It messes the environment significantly less. Most of the paints go on the surface rather than its area around. So cleaning also becomes accessible after you are done painting.
4. Precision
HVLP is considered a great touch-up delivering spray gun.
5. Environment Friendly
Of course, we should wear masks as a precaution whenever using spray guns. But an HVLP spray gun reduces exposure to dangerous fumes because it sprays in high volumes.
HVLP Low CFM Spray Gun Pros and Cons
You can understand a product better when you know its pros and cons. Therefore, let’s check the pros and cons of HVLP;
Pros
- Delivers a high-quality color
- Wastes a significantly less amount of
- This performs very well in painting metallic objects
- Most of the paint goes right on the object’s surface
- Affordable
- It Doesn’t mess the surrounding
- Decrease the dangerous flume exposing
Cons
- Works slower than LVLP spray guns
- Needs a large size air compressor
- Costs more money than LVLP
Which One Is Better, HVLP or LVLP?
If we see the advantages and disadvantages of both the spray guns, we will see HVLP works better than LVLP.
Although the HVLP spray guns take more time than LVLP spray guns, it delivers the fine quality painting while leaving most of the paint on the desired surface.
Many may choose LVLP for saving some money as it costs less than HVLP, but to be honest, the quality of the entire work it provides will make you feel worth it.
For working like a professional, HVLP gets more priority than LVLP spray guns.
FAQ’s
1.How Many CFM Does An HVLP Gun Need?
Ans: Spray guns need to use so much air, and providing it more perspective means helping them perform better. However, the lowest CFM you need is 8 CFM to consume the air volume HVLP spray gun.
Our recommendation is 30 CFM, at least if you want no issues regarding its good atomization and fan pattern changes.
2.Do You Have To Thin Paint For The HVLP Spray Gun?
Ans: Well, for having quality oil-based paint or latex paint, you should thin it. It’s because the thickness is more than other ordinary paints, and in such a thick state, they can’t work correctly.
If you don’t think those paints, they will come out as messy blobs of the spray gun or will not come out at all.
3.How Big Of An Air Compressor Do I Need For An HVLP Spray Gun?
Ans: HVLP spray guns need a lot of air to deliver the paint appropriately, and it’s better to purchase a large air compressor for it. You will see the hp and gallon requirements in the guideline.
4.How Thin Should The Paint Be For The Spray Gun?
Ans: You should thin the latex paint at a 10% minimum. In simple words, mix a quarter cup of water with 1 gallon of latex paint.
However, this is for when you use something else other than an airless sprayer. However, when using an HVLP spray gun, you need to decrease the water percentage even more, from 20% to 30%.
5.Can I leave Paint In My Sprayer Overnight?
Ans: Yes, you can leave the sprayer overnight but not with pressure instead of into a bucket filled with water. Move the airless cap nut ¾ inches so that it fits appropriately with the intake tube end.
Put over it d.d. convenient wet bags because these will not let the paint go everywhere.
Conclusion
We gave all the necessary information concerning the HVLP Low CFM spray gun and hope it will be helpful. If you want a painting product to be worth investing money in, you should not be late in purchasing it.
Don’t get confused between this and other spray guns. It is the current best spray gun among others, and choosing this will be wise.
There is a simple yet great tip we want to give you; don’t push your spray gun by filling all its space and putting too much paint in it.
