When using an airless spray gun, what percentage overlap is common?

• A. 50%
• B. 10%
• C. 75%
• D. 90%

Answer: (A)

The key idea is to achieve a uniform film thickness by how much of the previous pass is covered again in the next pass. With an airless spray gun, the spray pattern is a fan, and you want each new pass to overlap the previous one by about half of that pattern. Roughly 50% overlap ensures the edges blend smoothly, producing even coverage without visible stripes.

If you overlap less than half, you can leave gaps and create lines where the pattern didn’t reach. Overlapping far more than half wastes material and can cause over-application, drips, or heavier areas. So the common, effective overlap is about 50%.