In this post, we'll go over some of the basics about how to spray outdoor furniture. I've been spraying outdoor furniture for the last few years because it makes the process so much faster. Plus, spraying outdoor furniture gives your piece a very good looking and professional finish. Spraying outdoor furniture does take a little extra time for prepping and clean up, but you'll still be ahead since the actual spraying process goes so fast. I hope this tutorial inspires you to give spraying a try!
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What are the benefits of spraying outdoor furniture?
- The process is very fast
- Easy to get paint into hard to reach places
- Efficient
- Professional finish
What are the disadvantages of spraying outdoor furniture
- Preparation time ( You will need to mask and tape areas you don't want covered )
- Overspray will get on items you don't want painted ( without prep )
- Wind can make it hard to spray if outdoors
- The learning curve to spray well can take longer than brushing
Types of sprayers
There are a few different types of sprayers most commonly used for spraying outdoor furniture. Sprayers typically used are referred to as airless sprayers or HVLP sprayers.
What is the difference between an airless sprayer and an HVLP sprayer?
An airless sprayer uses a piston to pressurize the fluid being sprayed. The paint is then sent through a hose and comes out of a very small tip. This will create a high pressure system. Airless sprayers work great for spraying outdoor furniture, fence staining, painting rooms, and other larger projects.
I own two airless sprayers and they each work well for different types of projects. The airless sprayer on the left is powered by a Dewalt battery and is super portable. The portability of the TC Pro airless sprayer is very nice, but it does cost a bit more for the convenience. There are corded versions available that are much cheaper. The TC Pro works very well for spraying outdoor furniture.
Here is one of many projects I've sprayed using the TC Pro sprayer. I built this double chair about 6 years ago, and it needed to be refinished. If you are interested in building this project, you can find the DIY Double Chair tutorial, video, and plans here. I am glad I've learned how to spray outdoor furniture because it makes maintenance so much easier!
The sprayer on the right is called the Graco Magnum X7. This sprayer works great for large scale projects. I've used mine to stain fences and to paint walls in my home.
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Here is a fence I stained using the Graco X7 sprayer. It hooks up to a 1 gallon or 5 gallon bucket so you don't need to refill paint often. I would not use a the TC Pro sprayer to do a fence, because it only holds 32 oz, so you'd constantly be refilling. Here are before and after photos of the fence.
HVLP Sprayer
HVLP stand for high velocity and low pressure. You'll either be using an air compressor or a turbine unit to power your HVLP gun. The air compressor turbine will atomize the particles. HVLP sprayers are great for fine furniture, trim, doors, and other projects that require a very professional finish. I would not use an HVLP sprayer to spray walls in a home or large projects. I use the Fuji Semi-Pro 2 HVLP spraying system. It had incredible reviews when I was doing my research to buy an HVLP system. This sprayer is great for spraying doors, trim, and fine furniture. Many airless sprayers are not approved for spraying flammables like lacquer, which is something most HVLP sprayers are approved to do.
How to prevent overspray
If it is nice outside and not windy, I prefer spraying outdoor furniture out in the yard. I'll use a tarp under the furniture, and will then spray it. If spraying during the colder months, I like to use a spray booth tent so that I can spray inside the garage. It sets up similar to a tent, and does a good job preventing overspray. I do use the tent outside if there is a breeze, because it makes spraying much easier. I also like the mesh flap feature, which prevents bugs from getting on the wet stain or paint while letting it dry.
Spraying outdoor furniture is quick and easy!
Here is another example of a project I did using the TC Pro airless sprayer. I used the stock 514 tip that the gun comes with to spray a latex based deck stain. I have loved learning how to spray outdoor furniture because I have saved so much time painting and spraying projects around the house and yard! You can find the plans to build the DIY Patio Chair here.
Conclusion
I hope this post has given you a basic overview about how to spray outdoor furniture. Both airless sprayers and HVLP sprayers are great depending on what types of projects you plan to do. If you are painting large areas like walls or fences, definitely use an airless sprayer. If you plan to spray doors, trim, fine furniture, and things where you need more control, I'd recommend using an HVLP sprayer. There is more prep and cleaning when spraying, but the professional results and efficiency while spraying are well worth it. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I'd love to hear your thoughts on spraying vs brushing finishes. Please share below!