What is the difference between an airless sprayer and an HVLP sprayer?

A1: Airless Sprayers atomize coatings by forcing the product through a small tip opening at very high fluid pressure. The fluid pressures range from 1200-3600 PSI. Airless sprayers are capable of spraying larger surfaces at higher speeds.  The paint would atomized into very small tiny particles when it’s shooted out from the high pressure spray nozzle tip. and stick onto the wall / roofing / steel equally and even.

Dur to the high pressure spraying, the large volume of paint would come out, so you need move your hand fast and with same speed.

DP-X6 Portable Electric Airless Paint Sprayer

DP-X6 Electric Airless Paint Sprayer with Gun & Hose

DP-X6 Electric Airless Paint Sprayer

A2: HVLP sprayers are classified as a finishing tool. The pressure from the cup supplies paint to the gun, where a high volume of low pressure air intersects with the paint stream breaking the paint into small particles called atomization. Since the spray pressures are much lower, the atomized paint has less bounce back. This means less overspray and better control.

but the HVLP spray use very low pressure, you can’t spray high viscosity paint. you must dilute the paint with lots of water or thinner. Otherwise you can find the bad atomization from the spray nozzle, because the low pressure air wouldn’t atomize the fluid into tiny grains onto the surface.