We profile four of the best spray guns for walls, fences and garage doors in South Africa, based on different needs and budgets.

For painting contractors, renovators and homeowners, the right spray gun can result in huge savings on time and labour.

It also offers a smoother, more professional finish than you can hope to achieve using brushes and a roller.

But where do you start? Paint sprayers differ markedly in design, underlying technology, price and suitability for different applications.

Choosing a suitable paint sprayer for residential painting

Don’t just opt for the cheapest spray gun you can find or fork out for an unnecessarily expensive model. A little research, paired with advice from someone who’s familiar with spray systems, can save the day.

Below we outline four high-quality spray gun models ideal for painting walls, ceilings, fences, garage doors and more. Each is available at a different price point, and is recommended for different volumes or types of residential painting work.

For in-person advice on the best spray system given your specific needs, contact us at SCT – we’ll be happy to help.

Meite W101: best air-powered spray gun for walls, fences, doors and more

Priced from R2,450, the Meite W101 offers exceptional value as a professional-quality spray gun.

This is a manual, air-powered spray gun. It is a good choice for homeowners with multiple (or extensive) projects.

• sturdy, versatile and lightweight
• suitable for paints, primer and glue application
• superior technology to conventional or HVLP air models
• consistent, smooth finishes

Like all air sprayers, the Meite W101 needs an air compressor to work – so factor this into the price.

The Meite W101 offers superior performance to either conventional or HVLP (high volume, low pressure) air sprayers. It uses newer air-atomising technology – known as transfer efficiency control (TEC) – to provide higher transfer efficiency and better application speeds.

This spray gun is available with a range of different nozzle sizes and with a pressure or suction feed system.

Berizzi B2000: best affordable, airless sprayer for contractors

Priced from just R2,800, the Berizzi B2000 is a high-quality but reasonably priced airless spray gun.

Made in Italy, this high-pressure airless sprayer is excellent for fast, professional painting of walls, ceilings and roofs. It is a solid choice for painting contractors and construction businesses.

• high-quality finishes
• high transfer efficiency
• durable stainless steel components
• lightweight and easy to use, with a four-finger trigger

Airless spray guns use pump systems instead of compressors. Because they don’t mix the paint with any air, they typically put out more paint per spray. This makes them efficient especially for painting larger areas, like home exteriors.

Note that an airless spray gun can be used only with an airless pump (which may be electric, petrol or air-operated). You can’t use it on its own or with only the gun and a compressor.

Graco FTXpress: best airless spray gun for residential painting

Starting from R3,500, the Graco FTXpress is just a notch up in price. It is made by one of the industry’s best-known and trusted brands – and offers all the advantages of an airless paint sprayer.

This airless sprayer is ideal for busy contractors, renovators and construction companies.

• good for highly efficient, professional painting of walls, ceilings, roofs and more
• lightweight and easy to use
• a fully enclosed needle design and responsive seal to prevent clogging
• easy to clean, with a detachable trigger guard and filter

The Graco FTXpress comes with a choice of either a two- or four-finger trigger and a thumb-engaged safety lock. It also has a swivel feature, for easy movement of the gun under pressure.

Graco XTR-7: best airless sprayer for heavy-duty protective coatings

Priced from R9,800, the Graco XTR-7 is a manual, high-pressure, airless spray gun.

The Graco XTR-7 is ideal specifically for applying tough protective coatings, such as roof paint.

It is capable of spraying specialised coatings for a range of uses – including coating of roofs, garage doors, fencing, steel sheeting and more.

• suitable for spraying high-solids protective coatings
• compact profile, for easy spraying in tight areas
• lightweight, with a useful swivel feature
• available with a choice of trigger and handle options

For more information about the best spray guns for walls, fences, garage doors and more, contact us at SCT. We can offer technical advice based on your needs and budget.