Paint applicator selector

Selector

The recommendation updates instantly and keeps the current setup in the URL.

Why this page exists

Searches like roller nap for smooth walls and sprayer tip for cabinets usually land on isolated charts. Real jobs need a combined answer, because the right tool depends on the surface, the coating, and how much finish quality you are chasing.

• Combines roller, brush, and sprayer guidance instead of making you triangulate between separate pages.
• Shows metric and imperial equivalents where applicator sizes would otherwise be cryptic.
• Treats this as a practical starting point, not as a replacement for the coating datasheet in the tin.

How to read sprayer tip codes

For common airless tips, the first digit roughly doubles into the fan width in inches at the usual spray distance, and the last two digits describe the orifice size in thousandths of an inch.

Example: a 517 tip is about a 10-inch fan with a 0.017-inch orifice. Fine-finish trim and cabinet work often uses much smaller orifices like 210, 310, or 312.

Reality check

• If the product data sheet disagrees with this page, follow the product data sheet.
• High-build primers and old masonry paints often need the largest fluid path in the setup.
• A slower method is sometimes the correct choice if masking time or overspray risk would dominate the whole job.

Read the launch note for this selector.