Technology in the paint spraying industry has been moving at a brisk pace in recent years, and the HVLP paint sprayers are no different. They have taken the paint spraying industry by storm and offer the ability to create fine finishes on everything from automobiles and cabinetry to marine coatings and spray tanning.
HVLP stands for high volume low pressure and is exactly as it sounds. They utilize a mixture with a high volume or low pressurized air. HVLP paint sprayers are the high-end of fine finishing painting equipment. They are specifically designed to create high quality finishes without large amounts of waste or needless overspray.
How they work
The HVLP paint sprayers operate on a similar principle that airless paint sprayers work with, but use a lot less pressure and a higher volume of air. The pressurized air pushes the paint particles through a paint sprayer tip which can be interchanged on professional models. The coatings used with HVLP sprayers have to have a high viscosity in order to function properly. The sprayer tips used in HVLP paint sprayers and the high volume of air cause a greater degree of atomization of the paint particles to produce fine and ultra fine paint finishes in varying patterns and widths with little overspray. This results in a higher transference rate of paint to the substrate, reduced waste and ultimately a finer finish.
Applications
HVLP paint sprayers are the primary paint sprayers used for finishing automobiles, fine furniture and cosmetic applications. However, they are not designed for covering imperfections, dips or crevices that can typically be covered with standard airless paint sprayers. Airless paint sprayers generally operate at a higher psi and produce much thicker coats specifically for coverage purposes. HVLP paint sprayers produce fine and ultra fine mists that reduce the need for additional steps in between coats, such as wet sanding on automobiles. These qualities are why there is such a demand for HVLP paint sprayers. Airless paint sprayers can not achieve the same quality of finish, but can cover large surface areas much quicker.
Determining Factors
- Typical applications
- Material viscosity
- Size of projects
- Versatility
- Power sources
- Gallons per minute
- Yearly usage
- Warranties
- Reputation
- Experience
- Cost
Price Ranges
Like airless paint sprayers, HVLP paint sprayers have a wide range of prices. Earlex has the number one manufactured HVLP paint sprayer in the world and it prices at approximately $112.00. It is a complete kit that includes the sprayer and everything needed to start spray painting. However, it is designed for first time users and wouldn’t be sufficient for doing large commercial jobs. On another note, SATA offers high quality HVLP paint sprayers that sell for $685.00, but that only includes the spray gun itself. Of course, it is also one of the best HVLP paint sprayers that German engineering has to offer. They are predominately used in the auto industry as well as for large commercial and industrial applications. They are also designed for experienced paint sprayers. The range of prices for HVLP paint sprayers can vary according to the specific type of paint sprayer the consumer wants, including kits or individual pieces.