Craft

High Volume Low Pressure Sprayer

Spray thin materials such as stains, sealers, urethanes, varnishes, and lacquers

HVLP means High Volume Low Pressure. It’s a more efficient way of spraying. More media (paint) gets deposited than the old style sprayers. The difference is the air. It’s not run with a high pressure compressor (like you use for filling up your tires) but a low-pressure blower making a large volume of air (essentially a reversed vacuum motor). Works fine, it’s portable, and inexpensive. You can get a generic HVLP sprayer for $99, but some places are selling them for $79. I wouldn’t paint a house with it, but for small furniture projects, it works great.

-- James Crum 06/13/18

(This is a Cool Tools Favorite from 2006 — editors)

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