Wasted $80 on a cheap paint sprayer that clogged after 10 minutes

I thought I was being smart buying a budget paint sprayer from the hardware store to paint my living room last weekend. Paid $80 for it and figured it would save me hours compared to rolling. After about 10 minutes of use, the nozzle clogged solid and no amount of cleaning would fix it. I spent the next hour messing with the instructions and trying to unclog it before giving up and just using rollers anyway. Ended up having to buy a better one for $150 the next day so that first $80 was a total loss. Anyone else run into these cheap sprayers that just don't hold up for more than a single wall?

2 comments

2 Comments

casey161mo ago

Thinner matters way more than people realize with these things. Most cheap sprayers can't handle thick paint out of the can and need it watered down way more than the instructions say. Try thinning it like 15-20% next time and see if the nozzle actually makes it through a whole gallon before giving you trouble.

troyreed29d ago

My neighbor @casey16 tried that trick and ended up painting his fence thinner than his patience.