Graco Magnum 262800 X5 Stand Airless Paint Sprayer, Blue

I painted my 2 story cedar clapboard house with a 4" roller about 5 years ago. If you have ever done this sort of thing before, you know that it takes a certain amount of physical effort to get a full coat of paint up into the horizontal corners of each clapboard. My back, painting arm, and shoulder were very sore by the time that I was done so I vowed to find an easier way.I considered a Wagner cup sprayer but the Amazon reviews were average to very poor. I considered a Graco cup sprayer which had much better reviews. I actually checked one out in person at a big box store but it was relatively heavy even when it was not filled with paint. I did not want to trade a sore arm with a brush for a sore arm with a cup sprayer.The Graco X5 is an entry level airless sprayer that produces the results of a higher end sprayer. A few observations for other novice painters:GENERAL OBSERVATIONS:1. The sprayer is very well made and durable despite its light weight. I imagine that a full cup sprayer probably would have weighed 5 or 6 pounds. The X5 spray gun probably weighs a half pound or less.2. DO NOT SKIP THE OWNERS MANUAL. You will need to invest some time in learning how to operate this machine. The manual is very easy to understand and it goes through each step with helpful illustrations. The DVD is even more useful. I watched the DVD with the equipment spread out in the front of me on the living room floor.3. Set-up takes a lot longer than brush or roller painting. As long as your surface is clean, you can start painting with a brush or a roller right away. Sprayers require you to cover any and everything that you do not want to get overspray on. I actually bought a very lightweight aluminum shield (36") at a big box store for less than $18. This was very helpful. I recommend getting the smaller version as well. The large one was too big to fit the corners of smaller windows. This can save you set-up time if you do not mind razoring off any small amounts of overspray once it dries.4. Once you are properly set-up, the actual spraying goes VERY QUICKLY! I painted a 12' x 20' shed in less than 30 minutes. I did what I think is a very good job even though I never used a sprayer before in my life. Given how rough and "thirsty" the siding was, I believe that it would have taken an entire day with a brush or roller.5. You will use more paint than you are used to. I suspect that expert users can minimize paint loss more easily than I can but I feel like I used 50% more paint than I was expecting.6. The online picture does not look like it but this sprayer will accept the more cost effective 5 gallon buckets of paint. This prevents you from having to frequently change smaller cans and it prevents paint loss from leaving all the smidges of unused paint behind. (I saved the cans for touch-up jobs that can be handled with a quick brush.)7. Since I was painting outside, I placed both the sprayer and the paint can on a 2' x 4' piece of plywood. This provided a more stable platform for the sprayer and minimized chances of the can getting kicked, falling over, etc.PROS:1. Great value for the money from a respected name in the industry. I paid $280 for this unit with free shipping and obviously no taxes. I saw the same unit at a big box store for $299.2. Sturdy and durable with easy to understand features. Will withstand all respectful wear and tear.3. Paint gun is extremely lightweight and easy to use. This said, it is made completely from metal so it is very, very durable.4. Produces great results with minimal effort.5. Like all sprayers, it does a great job of reaching areas that are not readily accessible with brushes or rollers. Gutters were an absolute SNAP with superior results to boot!6. If you are using a heavy paint like exterior latex then make sure that you water down the paint. If it is too thick then the sprayer will not be able to draw the paint and it will lose suction. A LITTLE WATER GOES A LONG WAY. Add a few ounces to a gallon of paint to begin with. That worked for me. It is easy to learn as you go but always start with less water than you think you need and work your way up.CONS:1. Sprayer loses suction when you draw down to about 2" of paint remaining in the can. I have to wonder out loud if a stronger motor would have been able to draw down further prior to losing suction. I got around this by moving on to the next can and then pouring the balance of the previous can into the can currently in use (once there was enough room). Keep this in mind if your job hovers around needing a full gallon. You will need to manage your paint supply in order to ensure that you will be able to draw adequate suction until your job is done. (So maybe you could buy an extra quart or a full gallon can if you think that you will be able to use it in the future.)2. As with any sprayer, set-up and clean-up take longer than brush, roller, or cup sprayer. Even so, I still saved days in completing my house and saved physical wear and tear on my body as well.3. The sprayer is light and easy to move around. Even so, I think that I might have appreciated a higher end Graco with wheels. Not a big concern but something to consider if you are thinking about spending a little extra.All in all, this is one of the best purchases that I have made in a while. I am pleased and proud to give this tool 5 stars. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Love this thing! I did watch YT videos as well as Gracos videos. Had to clean out several times bec I didn’t want to clog the machine. I used 3M masker with tips form painters online to mask off door and trim. Even as a newbie I got a fantastic finish.Recommend for new users-Watch videos. Take the time to learn aspects of the machines. Settings. Tips and pressure needs. It doesn’t take long but is well worth it. Expect to use more paint than is normal. Sometimes a lot more if u dotn setup the machine correctlyPay attention to temps before u plan to paint Takes longer to cure and your specialty paint may need a range to be applied bestAlso use really good lighting. With the finish this gives u really need well lit area. Older eyes especially. I only painted during daylight hours and above 50 degrees ambient tempBuy 2-5 gallon pails with lids and devote them exclusively to paint jobs. Wash each out well after using.Have hose ready with control valve or u will be walking back and forth too much.I got the extension wand but really didn’t need it for jobs so far.Prep, prep, prep WELL. No sprayer will help u if u don’t prep whatever u r painting well. I will post pics later but am working on metal exterior doors right now and I spent a LOT of time prepping. But the end result was worth it. Go to sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore or a specialty store who knows paint! Dont use cheap stuff. Use good primer and paint. It makes a difference. And make sure To use proper primer. Store can help. Big box stores r convenient but they usually don’t have all the expertise u needBe prepared for mistakes and messes at first.Use drop cloths on concrete or where u don’t want to have paint should it spillBut cheap plastic drop cloths and use on walls around your painting. Prevents overspray from clinging in the air and then onto surrounding areas.Consider using a masker. 3M 3000 is well known and very very easy to use when u learn. I just watched YT videos and bought masking tape, Brown paper, paper blade or plastic blade. Practice. It’s EASY!If u have compressor use air gun to air off dust or use a dusting brush just before u paint. That fine dust will mar ur beautiful finish if notGet some help if u r short or not real strong. Moving ladders and buckets can be helpful with friend.Use paint strainer bags. They r pretty cheap and will keep u from clogging your tipsIf u leave your gun for a few min and then it won’t spray ur strainer is likely plugged. Uncouple the gun break it down (easy peasy) and wash throughly before trying again. It’s not worth the aggravation. After it happened to me I was careful with wash thruDo washing outside. Who cares if some paint on grass better than inside your houseSuggest u get big spring clamps -CHEAP- at big lots or WM or any big store for cheap cheap and use them to hold lines to side of buckets. The suction and discharge lines from machine r rather inflexible and can pull bucket over or pop out of bucket. Use 2 on each but don’t crimp hose.I put the whole deal on a table and it made it much easier.Use light coats. Much better than glopping it on. 2-3 coats works great great great!Watch YT videos on methods of application. Doors should be vertically up and down motion but other items are different. It does make a difference and practice with some plain old cheap latex paint first. U can spray on cardboard or ground. But u need to see the pattern and ensure that the paint is not ‘tailing’. Easy to adjust and easy to fixBuy extra tips as u go along. There r differences. If u r just using general purpose walls in ur home or priming things the tip that comes with it is fine and easy to use. But if u need a fine finish like for doors or cabinets try a FFLP FINE FINISH LOW PRESSURE. I have been using a 315FFLP and it has given me truly incredible results Very proud of it Tip. Watch for the width of tip. Learn what the numbers mean and it’s easy easy. These tips r the latest and newest and allow u to use about half the pressure normal spraying would need They also produce an incredibly fine finish which looks utterly fantastic.Wear PPE. ESP respirator with cartridges. U dont want to breathe in paint over and over, and this machine atomizes so well that it will float in the airWear clothing u r willing to throw away. And keep wearing it until u r done.Be prepared for actually WANTING to do painting. can u believe it!Lastly. Don’t expect to be painting the first day. Practice yes but not painting. Prep is far too long to be able to get all done. When I was about to do 5 exterior metal doors I spent majority of time using airplane remover to get the main paint off. It is the best for removing large searches instead of sanding etc. use respirator.That took more a day. Then I had to sand all the remaining and then use Bondo to fix dents and holes etc. sanded that and re did the bondo again. I used TSP and washed each door throughly off. Extra water for removal of all residue. Waited for them to dry and after drying, I took all the weather strips out of jamb and masked it per videos from YT. I primed four exterior doors at once. Made it much easier for cleanup. Sanded lightly and re primed with second coat. Sanded and then went for the gusto. I am about to paint them all at once. Gotta tell ya the painting is the FUN part. It’s takes literally seconds to do a door with this thing. SECONDS ! Will update later with some photos of some projects.

As an amateur, I found the Graco Magnum X5 Electric Sprayer to be incredibly user-friendly. The directions provided are very clear, making the setup and operation straightforward even for beginners. The sprayer delivers a great performance, providing a smooth and even spray that makes painting projects much easier and more efficient. Overall, it's a fantastic tool for anyone looking to tackle painting tasks with professional-quality results.

Used today for the first time with exterior latex. Paint was thinned 3 to 1 with oderless mineral spirits. The handy quick start instructions are clear and easy to understand. Helpful pictures too. I followed the instructions and within a couple of minutes I was painting. The machine performed flawlessly. Great adjustable pressure and perfectly even spray pattern. I would have given 5 stars except for it is 100% plastic. I csn tell by the weight that the gears and impeller in the pump are plastic too. Time will tell. I'm doing a major rebuild on my house and my old airless died so i thought I'd give this a try. I don't plan on using it a lot so maybe it will last a long time. Clean up is a pain like any other airless. There is no such thing as easy paint clean up so this unit is the same as any other in that regard. At any rate i am 100% happy after my first use.