Best Paint Sprayer for Furniture

Repurposing old furniture is very much in style these days, and why not?

Many people have thrown away old items of furniture that with a little paint and attention, could have made a very attractive and useful ‘new’ addition to a room.

What about your garden furniture which has suffered at the hands of the weather for a few years, looking a little worn? Structurally, it may be perfectly good, and a coat of paint might be the answer you are looking for.

Introducing the modern day paint sprayer, a useful and ingenious device that you really should get to know. If you don’t have time to read the full post, here’s our 3 top picks:

You may have seen some of the best paint sprayers used by professionals, but now there are many available that are designed for domestic use, and that come at affordable prices.

But before we tell you more about the best paint sprayers for furniture painting, let’s us just say that this list of reviews of paint sprayers for furniture are more geared towards DIYers and semi-professionals.

If you’re a professional contractor looking for high gloss finishes on kitchen cabinets, doors, and trim work, you’ll likely need a more professional HVLP paint sprayer such as the Earlex 5500 spray system, or if the budget will allow, the bestselling Fuji Semi-Pro 2.

How & Why to Use a Paint Sprayer for Furniture Painting

A paint sprayer is actually a simple concept. Most consist of a base unit in which an electric motor drives one or more turbines, which create a high-pressure airflow.

This is then directed down a hose to a handheld spray gun with a reservoir attached. The paint goes in the reservoir, and the pressure sends it through a fine nozzle as a spray, onto the surface you need to paint.

That is a very simple explanation – and be aware there are different types of paint sprayer that may operate in an alternative way.

Paint sprayers have several big advantages over the traditional brush or roller method, such as:

• An even finish with no drips
• Quicker painting time
• Less cleaning
• Less waste

So, let’s have a detailed look at five of the best paint sprayers that you can use for furniture, and see if we can get you on the right track.

Our Top 5 Best Paint Sprayers for Furniture

1. Wagner 0518080 Control Max Paint Sprayer

Wagner is a brand with a range of affordable for domestic use (and a wide range for professional use), and the Control Spray Max has made it to the first spot on our list for furniture paint sprayers.

We’ve previously covered a Wagner Control Spray Max review which has more in-depth information, be sure to check it out.

It uses a two-stage turbine/HVLP system and the advantage of this is that it provides excellent air pressure and also gives you the ability to control the pressure as you wish, which is beneficial for making sure you get as smooth a finish as possible.

What makes this model particularly suitable for furniture painting – and also for the likes of lacquering – is that it can easily handle thicker paints and fluids, without any need for excess thinners.

Features a three adjustable spray patterns – vertical, horizontal and round – which you can select between for the best results, and it comes with a 20-foot hose so you can move away from the base unit.

It is light in the hand and easy to use.

There are a couple of points to make that don’t go in its favor, such as a small paint reservoir – although this should not be a problem when painting furniture – and it can be rather noisy.

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Pros

• Adjustable spray patterns
• Air pressure control
• 20ft long hose
• Compact design for easy storage

Cons

• Smaller than average paint reservoir
• Considered a bit too noisy by some users
• Complaints of the power cord being too short (not hard to fix with an extension)

2. Graco 17M359 Handheld Paint Sprayer

Another of the leading names in the fast-growing and hotly-contested paint sprayer market is Graco.

This is handheld paint sprayer that is designed with a clever tilt and spray system that allows you to spray in all directions (including completely upside down) which will be incredibly useful for furniture painting which can often have awkward angles.

The Graco 17M369 is quite similar to the one featured in our Graco Pro II review, with the exception of the 360-degree spraying ability.

The major difference between this one and the Wagneer above is that the Graco is an all-in-one unit, where the Wagner model has a separate turbine unit connected by a hose. With the Graco, everything comes built into the gun.

That does have its advantages in that you get more powerful spray, but it also means that handset is heavier to handle and may be uncomfortable after a long period.

It can handle most thicknesses of paint without too much thinner and is agile enough to manage small areas so is great for furniture.

You get reversible tips for changing the spray pattern and finish, plus it has a larger reservoir than some so will require less filling. It comes with an instruction DVD, a very handy carry/storage case and is easy to start and use.

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Pros

• Trusted Graco brand
• Can spray in 360 degrees, including upside down
• All in one design so no hoses or extras to worry about
• Large pain reservoir and no hoses or extra machines
• Will spray most common paints without excessive thinning

Cons

• Can be quite heavy to handle for smaller wrists,
• Motor is in the gun itself which adds to the weight and noise

3. Critter Spray Products 118SG Siphon Spray Gun

We have included this paint sprayer as another method of doing things is you already have a compressor sat at home – one that, in fact, was the inspiration for the electric paint sprayer.

This is in fact simply a spray nozzle, and nothing more; you need a separate compressor to do any spraying and it attaches to a Mason jar into which you put the paint or other liquid you want to be spraying.

This is how things were done in workshops before we saw the advent of the modern day paint sprayers, and if you read the reviews on Amazon, you’ll find it’s still a very popular method of painting.

It is hard to see any advantages to this one unless you already have a compressor but if you do, it’s an excellent product at a bargain price and provides a solid finish.

But with modern electric machinery with built-in turbines, compressors are fast becoming redundant in most painting situations except the automotive or commercial industry.

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Pros

• Cheap (but you do need a compressor to use it)
• Simple design, what you see is what you get
• Customers absolutely LOVE it!

Cons

• Needs a compressor to use (VERY important to know before you buy!!)
• Limited adjustment
• Quite an old and outdated design if you’re used to higher end tech

4. Campbell-Hausfeld DH6500 Compressor Spray Gun

This is a more sophisticated handheld paint sprayer than the Critter Spray above and provides greater adjustments, including the ability to fit different sized spray needles/nozzles.

It has quality fittings throughout and is a great handheld sprayer to handle but we can’t see it being useful around the home – largely because the compressor is likely to be in a set position – but users have reported it is excellent for painting furniture if you have the space in your garage or workshop.

If you already have a compressor, this is a cheap spray gun that will provide an excellent finish on furniture without much investment.

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Pros

• Quality item
• Cheap price point
• Clever design

Cons

• Needs a compressor to use
• Not suitable for around the house

5. HomeRight C800766 DIY Paint Sprayer

Our final choice is from the HomeRight brand, and they have a wide range of household goods and other items covering a variety of uses.

This paint sprayer is similar in design to the Graco handheld above and is extremely popular among DIYers looking for a budget paint sprayer for furniture.

The handset contains the motor and turbines so rather than there being a separate base unit with a hose attached, it’s all contained in one unit.

The benefit is it makes it easier to move around with no need for the hose, the drawback is it makes the unit heavy to hold for long periods at little less than 3lbs.

It comes with adjustable spray patterns – the usual horizontal, vertical and round – and it is easy to set up, adjust and use. It also comes with a larger than usual paint reservoir and can handle reasonably thick paint without too much thinning.

As with most paint sprayers, it’s reasonably noisy as the motor is close to you at all times but it does provide a very fine finish once you have mastered the art of spraying (it is recommended you practice with a paint sprayer before you start your job).

Overall, it’s a budget sprayer so don’t expect it to last you years, but for the money, it’s an excellent entry level paint sprayer for furniture.

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Pros

• Compact design (easy to store)
• Adjustable spray tip
• Fine finish specialist (perfect for cabinets, furniture, doors .etc)
• Easy to use

Cons

• Can be quite noisy

That’s our five, so what’s best for you? Before we try and give you our opinion, let’s look back at the benefits of using one of these for painting furniture.

Is a Paint Sprayer Best for Furniture?

Painting furniture is a different concept to painting a wall.

Whether you decide to use a paint sprayer or not, you will still need to prepare your furniture – strip back any old paint with special paint strippers for wood (or metal), and sand the surfaces down to a smooth finish before you start.

This will give you the best end result when spraying and ensure you’re happy with your painted furniture.

But let’s check out the benefits of using a paint sprayer.

• Speed – paint sprayers will do the job faster than you can with a brush, as they apply a greater area of paint all the time.
• Finish –  a good paint sprayer, used correctly, will apply an even coat of paint all over, for a very fine finish.
• Portable – your paint sprayer is portable – if you choose the right one – and can be taken anywhere in the house, so no need to move heavy furniture to paint it.
• No mess – you have no paint trays to clean, no brushes to wash – it’s a simple clean, put away and use again next time.

That’s the main benefits, so all that’s left is to give our verdict!

Which Sprayer Will Be Best For Furniture

We’ll start by saying that unless you already have a compressor – and even then much of the convenience is lost – numbers 3 and 4 are out of the question, so that leaves three to choose from.

The first from Wagner has many advantages in that it is highly adjustable, but it does also have a separate base unit. This is both a benefit and drawback: the former as it keeps the noise away, the latter as it means you have more to move around.

If we were buying for ourselves it would be between the handheld from Graco, or the last one from HomeRight.

Both are similar in capability and price, and very versatile, and come highly rated, so it’s largely up to your budget. Check them both out, assess your requirements and decide for yourself.