Size an airless sprayer by seven things: the jobs you do, the coatings, the tip sizes, how many guns run at once, gallons of paint per week, the power source and the hose length. Titan advises buying a step or two above your current volume, because tips wear larger and work grows. Then match the answers to a model's published flow, tip limit and weekly range.
Start with the work you actually do
Titan's own buying guidance opens with the jobs. Residential repaints, small commercial work, property maintenance, and large commercial or industrial coatings call for different machines. Write down the three jobs you do most, then add the one you expect to win next year. A sprayer is a long purchase, so buy for the crew and the contracts you plan to have, not only the ones on the calendar this month.
If this is your first sprayer, read the blog posts on safety and setup alongside this one. Here we stay on sizing.
Coating weight and tip size set the machine size
Titan splits coatings into two groups for sizing. Light to medium coatings are stains, lacquers, enamels, oils and latex. Medium to heavy coatings are primers, block fillers and elastomerics. The heavier the coating, the larger the tip orifice it usually needs, and a larger orifice needs a sprayer that can supply more fluid.
Titan's example is the Impact 440, which it says handles all standard architectural coatings. For block fillers or heavier coatings, Titan says you are better off with an Impact 740 or 1040. Always check the coating's technical data sheet for the recommended tip and thinning, because a coating listed on a Titan page is Titan's recommendation, not a promise for every product.
Tip wear matters here. A tip's orifice enlarges with use, so flow rises and the fan narrows. Titan advises buying a sprayer 10 to 20 percent more powerful than the tip you plan to use, so a worn tip does not push the machine past its limit. Every Titan sprayer lists a maximum tip size, and that number is the ceiling for what you can fit. The airless spray tips page shows the tips available on this site.
Gallons per week: the sizing table
The quickest sizing question is how much latex you spray in a week. Titan's guideline puts a contractor in one of three classes. These figures are for latex; thicker coatings change the picture.
Titan's gallons-per-week classes for latex
| Latex per week | Class | Flow | Max tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 to 50 gallons | Entry-level contractor sprayer | Under 1/2 gpm | 0.021 in. |
| 50 to 100 gallons | Mid-sized contractor sprayer | Over 1/2 gpm | Above 0.023 in. |
| 100 or more gallons | Large contractor sprayer | Over 1 gpm | Above 0.031 in. |
Source: Titan's buying guidance on titantool.com. Titan also advises buying a sprayer a step or two above your current volume.
Each Titan model page also gives its own recommended gallons per week. Here is how some current models line up, using the figures on Titan's pages:
Titan's recommended gallons per week for selected models
| Model | Gallons per week | Max delivery | Max tip, 1 gun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact X 410 | 50 to 75 | 0.47 gpm | 0.021 in. |
| Impact X 440 | 50 to 100 | 0.54 gpm | 0.023 in. |
| Impact 840I | 200 to 300 | 1.00 gpm | 0.032 in. |
| Impact 1140I | 300 to 400 | 1.20 gpm | 0.034 in. |
| PowrTwin 6900 Plus | 300 to 400 | 2.25 gpm | 0.050 in. |
Figures are Titan's published maximums, not a promise for a given job. Weekly ranges are Titan's recommendations.
Read the table as a ladder. If you sit at the top of a range, move up one step. A painter spraying 90 gallons a week is at the edge of the X 440's range and inside the 840I's, which is the point of buying a step above your volume.
How many guns, how much hose
Residential work usually means one gun. A crew that runs several guns off one machine needs a larger sprayer, because the pump has to feed every tip at once, and the maximum tip drops as the gun count rises. The Impact 840I lists 0.032 in. with one gun and 0.021 in. with two. At the large end, the PowrTwin 12000 Plus is listed for up to 6 guns. Check the model page for the tip limit at your gun count before you commit.
Hose length is the quiet variable. Titan notes that longer hose adds friction, and that hose lifted two or more stories adds a gravity effect. Both cost you pressure at the tip. Titan's advice for a sprayer already at maximum pressure is a larger-diameter hose or a shorter one. If you routinely run long hose or spray up multiple floors, ask your supplier before you size the sprayer. Whatever you buy, the gun, hose and tip guard must be rated for the sprayer's maximum pressure; see the hose page and the gun and hose kits.
Power source: electric, gas, battery or air
Titan lists power sources as gas, electric or pneumatic, and says some models convert from electric to gas. Titan's PowrTwin electric models can be converted to a gas system. Electric units suit sites with power. Gas gives portability where there is none. Pick the source before you pick the size, because the largest listed flows sit in the gas and air-powered lines. The full comparison is in the gas and electric parts sections and in our separate power source guide. For electrical supply or extension cord limits, use the model's manual rather than a rule of thumb.
Write your answers down
Name the coating and its tip
Take the heaviest coating you spray regularly and the largest tip it needs from the data sheet. That tip must be at or under the sprayer's maximum for your gun count.
Estimate gallons per week
Use a typical busy week, not an average. Compare it to the model ranges above and move up a step if you are near the top.
Count guns and hose
List the most guns that will run at once and the longest hose you use. Check the model page for the tip limit at that gun count.
Choose the power source
Plug-in, battery, gas or air, based on the sites you work on.
Confirm parts and manuals
Once you own a model, the sprayer pages and parts diagrams are how you order what wears. Manuals are on our manuals page, and our parts team at (713) 931-0006 can confirm fitment.
Whole sprayers on this site, from the entry class up to the gas line, plus an RX-80 gun:
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The Short Version
Match the heaviest coating's tip to a model's tip limit at your gun count, check your weekly gallons against Titan's published range, and then go up one step. Pick the power source for the sites you work on, and leave room for a longer hose than you think you need.
Narrowed it down to a model?
Call (713) 931-0006 with the model and serial number and our parts team will help match parts once you own it.
(713) 931-0006Order by Parts Diagram