Airless Spray Tip Selector

Find The Right Spray Tip For Your Project

Choosing the right spray tip for the material you are spraying will determine the quality of your finish and help you save time and money. Each Graco tip is 100% tested for flow rate to ensure the precision and quality needed to deliver a smooth, professional finish.
 

Understanding the Numbers

To make sure you always have the correct tip for the project and coating you’re using, it’s easier than you might think to “break the code” of numbers to understand tip sizing.

Please note that these are general guidelines. Please consult the paint/material manufacturer to confirm the recommended tip size.

Two Basic Concepts to Remember:

• The width of the spray fan is important for the type of project you’re spraying
  The wider the spray distribution, the faster you paint larger surfaces, but the consumption of paint is greater. With a smaller distribution, you work more slowly, but you use less paint and you have more control.
• The size of the spray tip opening relates to the thickness of the material you’re spraying
  Use smaller tip openings when applying thinner materials such as stains, but use larger sizes for thicker materials such as latex paints.

Breakdown of Spray Tip Numbers:

• The first digit represents the spray width. Multiply this number by 5 to get the actual spray width in centimeters. The "5" in "517" equals a 25 cm spray fan width (5 x 5 = 25)
• The last two digits are the size of the tip opening in thousandths of an inch, the "17" in "517" means the tip hole size is .017 inch

Check Your Sprayer

Before selecting a spray tip, always make sure you know what sprayer you’re using, and the size spray tips it can support. The pressure volume on each sprayer is different and this determines which size tips can be used. This information can be found in the sprayer manual.
 

Speed Advice

• The spray orifice of the tip (last two numbers of the tip number) determines your flow size. The higher the number, the faster the material leaves the gun and the greater the flow with which you can spray.
  For example, a ‘517’ tip enables a higher flow than a ‘515’ tip and the ‘517’ tip will thus spray faster than a ‘515’ tip.
• Materials used for a fine finish (such as staining or varnishing) require a tip with a smaller orifice. 
• For heavier materials (such as latex), the orifice must be larger

Understanding Tip Wear and Effects

Choosing the right spray tip is essential to ensure a quality finish, no matter which coating material is being sprayed.
Spray tips will however wear with normal use. Since most coatings have solids that cause abrasion, spray tips will wear with normal use.

It is important to replace a tip when it gets worn to ensure a precise spray pattern, maximum productivity and quality finish.

When a tip wears, the orifice size increases and the fan width decreases.
A greater tip orifice results in more paint coming out, causing more paint to hit a smaller area and wastes paint.
A decreased fan width will make the area you cover get smaller, resulting in more spray movements necessary to cover an area and thus more work.

Tip Wear Advice

Always turn down the spray pressure as low as it can go, while still spraying a good spray pattern. This not only saves paint by reducing overspray but it also reduces tip wear and prolongs pump life.

• Tip life varies by coating. Recommended replacement times:
  • Latex - Replace after 55-150 liters (13-33 gallons)
  • Oils & Stains - Replace after 135-225 liters (30-50 gallons)
• Do not increase the pump pressure – this only wastes paint and causes unnecessary pump component wear.