Intumescent coatings, or fire-retardant paints as they are commonly known are heavy coatings with a high viscosity (resistance to flow). These coatings need an airless sprayer that can create enough pressure to drive the paint down the hose to the tip, where it is forced through a small nozzle, or orifice.

Drawing from the Graco Airless machine ranges these are offered with the option of being either electric or pneumatic driven. Sprayers with a lower output should not be used for these coatings as there is insufficient pressure to fully atomize the paint at the spray tip, resulting in poor quality of coating and inconsistent coverage.