Spray painting machines range from a handheld electric gun for fences and furniture to a professional airless sprayer that coats a warehouse wall in a fraction of the time a roller needs. Speed comes at a price: masking, overspray control, a respirator and careful cleaning. The right machine depends on the paint, the area and how often you will use it. Tell us the job and suppliers near you quote on buying a sprayer, tips and spares, or on hire. The request is free with no obligation.
Handheld guns versus airless sprayers
A handheld electric spray gun (often HVLP, high volume low pressure) suits gates, fences, cupboards and small rooms. Paint usually has to be thinned and coverage is slow on walls. An airless sprayer pumps unthinned or lightly thinned paint at high pressure through a small tip. It handles acrylic wall paint, roof paint and many enamels, and suits whole houses, complexes, roofs and factories. Between the two sit smaller airless units for occasional use. Ask the supplier which paints and how much hose the unit handles, as long runs to a roof or upper floor need a stronger pump.
Tips, pressure and thinning
- Tip size sets the flow and fan width: smaller tips for enamel on doors and steel, larger tips for thick wall and roof paint. Tips wear and the fan gets uneven, so keep spares.
- Pressure: start low and raise it until the fan has no heavy edges (tails).
- Thinning: follow the tin and the machine guide. Over-thinning gives runs and poor cover.
- Strain the paint first to avoid blocked tips and filters.
Masking, overspray and safety
Spraying puts fine paint mist in the air. Mask windows, floors, cars, plants and anything nearby with plastic and tape, and avoid spraying outside in wind. Wear a respirator suited to paint mist, goggles and covering clothes. The tip pressure on an airless sprayer can inject paint into skin, so never point the gun at anyone and lock the trigger when stopped. If you would rather not do it yourself, compare quotes for a spray painting contractor.
Buying versus hiring, and cleaning
Suppliers quote a handheld electric spray gun from about R800 and a professional airless sprayer at about R40,000. For one job, hiring often makes more sense; hire rates vary, so ask for quotes. Painters who spray every week usually buy. Flush the pump, hose and gun with water or the right solvent straight after use, clean the filters and tip, and store with the correct storage fluid. Paint left to dry inside ruins seals. Stock up on masking supplies before you start.
What to include in your request
- What you will spray and the paint type
- Roughly how many m² per job
- Buy or hire, and for how long
- Spare tips, filters and hose length
- Masking film and respirator needed
Spray Painting Machines for different clients
- Homeowners: a handheld gun for the garden fence, gate and outdoor furniture
- Landlords and sellers: a hired airless sprayer to repaint an empty flat quickly between tenants
- Body corporates and estates: an airless sprayer for long boundary walls and repeated unit facades
- Shops, offices and restaurants: fast spraying of a shop interior overnight with careful masking
- Factories, farms and mines: airless spraying of warehouse walls, steel structures and big roofs
- Builders and developers: airless sprayers for new plaster walls and ceilings across a development
- Schools, churches and public buildings: spraying large school halls and municipal buildings during holidays
- Painters and contractors: a professional airless rig with spare tips, filters and hose for daily use
Frequently asked questions
Can I spray wall paint with a handheld spray gun?
Is it cheaper to hire or buy a spray painting machine?
What tip size should I use on an airless sprayer?
How do I get quotes for a spray machine?
Spray Painting Machines by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg