Looking for a reliable airless paint sprayer that can get the job done whether it requires painting or staining? Look no further than the Wagner Spraytech Flexio 590. You can use this spray gun system for all kinds of things including fences, decks, gates, siding, walls, trim, and cabinets – even furniture. With this airless spray gun, you can actually get a professional finish in a lot less time than it would take using a paint brush and roller.
For Best Results
According to the manufacturer, you can spray un-thinned materials right out of the can – including a variety of paint types and stains. In testing however, we found the best results by thinning those materials slightly. Just as you thin lacquer before spraying on furniture, thinning down the finish (whatever it is) ever so slightly can help you achieve a more consistent amount of paint through the gun.
Easy To Use – Even For Newbies
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never used a spray gun before – Wagner makes it easy. On the Flexio 590 there are 10 different speed settings to adjust the flow of material, giving you a high degree of control over the spray pattern. And that pattern can be adjusted both horizontally and vertically until you get it just right. Wagner provides two different spray nozzles – one for larger projects and one for fine detail including furniture. Most people prefer the larger nozzle – but it really depends on the job you’re about to tackle.
Get The Job Done In A Lot Less Time
According to Wagner, using a quality airless paint sprayer like the Flexio 590 can make your finishing job 10 times faster than a brush alone and several times faster than a roller. They also claim that you can paint an 8 x 10 foot wall with latex paint in as little as five minutes – while the same area can be spray-stained in as little as 1-2 minutes. That’s not surprising given that this system can handle up to 8 gallons per hour.
Cleanup can be a lot faster too, compared to brushes and rollers. But that depends on the makeup of the finishes used. Latex paints clean up quickly with a little soap and water. But oil-based finishes require a more thorough cleaning with mineral sprits or lacquer thinner.
Top Quality Finish
You just can’t beat the finish a quality spray gun provides. Sure, it can take a little practice. But once you get the swing of things, you’ll save immense amounts of time and your finishes will turn out far better. You can use the Wagner airless paint sprayer indoors and outdoors. But when using it indoors, you’ve got to be aware of the overspray it produces. This means making sure everything is covered and rooms are well ventilated.
If you’ve got an upcoming painting or staining job and you’re thinking of hiring somebody to do it, think again. That’s because you can accomplish it all on your own – with a quality spray finishing system like this one.
How To Get Great Results
Choose the large nozzle for projects such as fences, decks, sheds and walls (both interior and exterior). For jobs like trim, cabinets and furniture, choose the smaller nozzle.
Practice on some cardboard first. What you want is to develop long continuous strokes at a steady speed. Hold the gun the same distance from the surface as you move along steadily. And it’s important to begin and end each stroke beyond the product being painted. That’s the best way to ensure an even finish. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of extra cardboard, drop-cloths or plastic sheeting to protect the excess spray from sticking to surfaces you don’t want to paint.
You can set the spray pattern to be wide or narrow – horizontal or vertical. We found the ideal pattern somewhere in between wide and narrow and almost always in a vertical formation. It’s easier to move your arm in a sideways motion that way. It’s always a good idea to begin a spray job with a low flow of material. This can help prevent runs and drips. You can then turn up the volume gradually until it’s just right. This helps you to cover larger areas faster.
What materials can be used with this airless paint sprayer?
The Flexio 590 works well with primers, latex paints and a variety of stains. But you can also use oil-based paints too. It’s important to know which type of finish material you’re using and to always have the appropriate thinning and cleaning materials on hand.
What can you use the Wagner airless paint sprayer for?
You can use it on a variety of projects around your home. One of the best ways to get good use out of a spray gun is with interior doors and trim, bifold doors and kitchen cabinet doors. This system works really well on doors because you can remove them and lay them down horizontally on sawhorses with cardboard backing. This enables you to get a nice even flow, without worrying about the finish running. For jobs that need to be sprayed vertically – like walls – use less paint by adjusting the flow.
When you’re working on multiple pieces, it takes some planning in the space available to spray finish each and then allow the pieces time to dry.
Tips For Better Results
To get the finish you want make sure your paint or stain has been thoroughly mixed before adding it to the paint canister. Before adding, strain it first. Often there are little bits that don’t completely mix into the paint. When those bits get into the gun – it’s going to cause problems with your finish.
Regular Cleaning Makes All The Difference
Straining can help keep any foreign material or clumps of settled paint from entering the gun. Clogs will still happen as the paint or stain begins to dry. So regular cleaning while you’re using the gun on a larger job is just part of what you have to do.
If you notice anything dripping from the gun as you’re applying a finish, stop and clean it out. There’s some debris in there that needs to be removed. It’s always a good idea to flush out the gun and give it a thorough cleaning between coats. Little bits of dried paint can get in the way of an even spray and ruin your finish.
When you clean out the gun and the tip regularly – that’s when you’ll get the best results. Just remember to maintain a nice even stroke by moving your arm at a continuous pace, so that the paint is applied evenly.
Pay particular attention to the tip of the gun. You want to make sure that it’s clean at all times so it’s a good idea to have a damp rag to wipe it down periodically. It’s also wise to have a small brush – maybe an old toothbrush – to clean the tip because that’s where the paint drying can really cause you headaches.
Read The Manual
As with all tools we recommend, it’s important to read the manual first and then get in some practice time before trying to use the gun on your project. It’s just about getting comfortable with the equipment and learning how to control the spray and maintain it evenly as you go.
Be aware that if you’re working indoors, it will fill the room with a cloud of tiny paint droplets that have a tendency to rain down as overspray on anything nearby. That’s why it’s important to cover everything you don’t want painted no matter how you go about the process. Leave nothing exposed that you don’t want coated. Also, a powerful exhaust fan can work wonders in venting a room and minimizing those clouds of overspray.
Always think safety first and that means using a good quality respirator – particularly if you’re working indoors. There’s always going to be some overspray. So it’s important that you cover all surfaces that you don’t plan on painting immediately.
Pros
- Good value for the money
- Excellent on kitchen cabinets, doors, shelves, trim, fireplace mantles – as well as decks and fences (it’s particularly good when spraying flat horizontal surfaces)
- Saves tons of time (provides a better finish faster than you can get by brushes and rollers)
- Saves money (vs. hiring a painter)
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean (with either water and soap or mineral spirits)
- Delivers a steady stream of paint when strained and thinned properly
- Greater efficiency – covers a wider area then a roller for the same amount of paint
- Works well with latex primer and paint
- Lattice work and railings are completed much faster than with any other method
- Paint goes further than you probably think as this sprayer provides an even coverage
- Assembly is fast and easy
- Easy to load material into the gun and assemble and disassemble it quickly
- Applies the paint or stain quickly and evenly in a uniform coat
Cons
- Delivers a high-quality paint job – a professional quality finish
- Overspray can definitely be an issue (particularly indoors) so you need to take the time to prep accordingly
- It is a little on the heavy side once filled with paint (the balance and weight can become awkward for an experienced sprayer)
- Can be fatiguing
Paint can build up on the nozzle which interrupts an even flow and can ruin the finish (as it can with every spray gun used continuously over a period of time) - Removing the paint cup can be a little difficult when paint builds up
- You need to start each stroke off the material being finished
- Difficult to paint the ceiling
The Verdict
It doesn’t take long to become adept at spray finishing with this Wagner airless paint sprayer. With a little experience, you’ll find yourself applying finishes masterfully and it’s likely that you’ll have the most fun you ever had staining the deck or painting the siding.
If you’re looking for a quality finish in less time – you can’t beat what you get from a quality spray finishing system like the Wagner Flexio 590. We heartily recommend it.