Paint walls with an airless sprayer

Learn to mask up, choose the right tip, spray evenly, and clean an airless sprayer for a smooth wall finish.

AB-01Clear and mask the roomMove furniture out, or into the centre of the room and cover it with dust sheets. Cover the whole floor edge-to-edge and tape sheeting down at the skirting. Mask windows, door frames, light switches and sockets with painter's tape and plastic sheeting — overspray drifts much further than roller or brush splatter.

3 each · Cotton twill dust sheets

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3 roll · Low-tack painter's tape (50mm)

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1 roll · Plastic masking sheeting roll

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AB-02Check the surface is readyWalls should already be filled, sanded, and dust-free from your surface prep. Run a hand over patched areas to check they're smooth — a sprayer shows up every lump and ridge far more than a roller does. Wipe down skirting and door frames one last time so masking tape sticks properly.

AB-03Ventilate and gear upOpen windows for cross-ventilation — spray mist carries much further through the house than brush or roller work. Wear a respirator rated for paint spray, not just a dust mask, plus safety glasses and disposable coveralls. Shut doors to other rooms to stop mist drifting through the flat or house.

1 each · Spray-rated respirator (A2P2 or similar)

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1 each · Disposable coverall suit

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1 each · Safety glasses

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AB-04Fit the right spray tipFit a fine-finish tip, typically 0.011–0.015 inch, for wall emulsion — a wider tip clogs less but gives a coarser finish. Check your sprayer's manual for the size it recommends with your paint. Always fit the tip guard: the jet is high pressure and can cut skin badly enough to need A&E, not a plaster.

1 each · Fine-finish spray tip (0.013in)

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AB-05Prepare and strain the paintStir the paint thoroughly. Strain it through a mesh paint strainer bag into the pot to catch skins and lumps that would block the tip. Check the tin or manufacturer's data sheet — many trade emulsions are spray-ready, but some need 5–10% water added to thin them.

5 litre · Emulsion paint, spray-ready

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1 pack · Paint strainer bags (pack)

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AB-06Test the spray patternPrime the machine, then test on a large sheet of cardboard or scrap board before touching a wall. Adjust the pressure until the pattern is even, with no heavy edges or tails at the sides. Practise your speed and distance — around 250–300mm from the surface — until it feels steady.

1 day · Airless paint sprayer (hire, per day)

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1 each · Large cardboard sheet for testing

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AB-07Cut in the edges by brushA sprayer can't get neatly into corners or tight around skirting, coving and light switches. Cut in these edges with a brush first, using the same paint, before spraying the open wall. This gives a clean line and stops you having to mask every fitting perfectly.

1 each · Angled sash cutting-in brush

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AB-08Adjust technique for the wall typeBare or previously unpainted brick and block are porous and drink the first coat — spray a thinned mist coat first, let it dry, then apply a full coat. Plasterboard sprays the same whether it's fixed to timber studs, metal studs, or dot-and-dab — the paint doesn't know what's behind it, only fixings do. Lath-and-plaster walls and ceilings, common in pre-1930s houses, are often uneven with fine cracks — spray a light first coat and check nothing opens up before you finish. On any ceiling, press-test gently by hand first; if the plaster feels soft, bouncy or crumbly, stop — that's a plastering repair, not a paint job.

AB-09Spray the wallWork top to bottom in vertical passes, overlapping each pass by about 50%. Start the gun moving before you pull the trigger, and release the trigger before you stop moving — this stops blobs building up at the start and end of each stroke. Keep the gun the same distance from the wall throughout; tilting it gives an uneven coat.

AB-10Apply the second coatLet the first coat dry fully per the tin's guidance — typically 1–4 hours for emulsion, longer in cold or damp rooms. Spray the second coat in passes at 90° to the first if the finish looks patchy or thin in places. Check under raking light (a lamp held low and angled across the wall) for any missed patches.

AB-11Clean the sprayerFlush the system with water straight away for water-based paint, or the correct solvent for oil-based paint — dried paint wrecks the pump and tip. Run clean water or solvent through until it comes out clear. Take the tip and filters off and rinse them separately.

RULES

1 litre · White spirit or manufacturer's cleaning solvent

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KNOW THE RULES

Never pour paint or solvent flushings down a drain or sink — take leftover solvent-based waste to a household waste recycling centre; this is an environmental duty, not just good practice.

AB-12Remove masking and tidy upPeel off tape once the paint is fully dry, not just touch-dry, to avoid pulling fresh paint away with it. Fold dust sheets paint-side in and bag used rags and masking material. Take empty tins, hardened paint waste and used solvent rags to your council's recycling point rather than the general bin, and vacuum any dried overspray flecks from skirting and floors.

2 each · Heavy-duty rubbish bags

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