Choosing Best Air Compressor for Painting Cars: A Definitive Guide

Choosing the right air compressor for painting cars can be overwhelming, especially if it is your first time buying an air compressor.

Tons of options are available in the UAE, and without a technical understanding of how air compressors work, you can make the wrong choice.

We know that automobile enthusiasts love their cars and would only trust high-quality products for their auto-babies.

That’s why we are here to help you pick a suitable and best air compressor for painting cars.

Air compressors have wide-scale utilization, such as for painting cars, inflating tires, using air wrenches, and more. Also, you need to consider various factors before buying an air compressor.

So, let’s find out which air compressor will be a good fit for you.

Choosing the best air compressor for painting cars

Here are some of the best air compressors that you can get in the UAE for painting cars:

Rotary screw compressors

These compressors are useful in various industries and have tremendous uses in the automotive industry, such as inflating tires, painting cars, etc.

Rotary Screw Compressors give high-pressure air consistently, a must-have when painting cars. These compressors trap air between the helical screws or rotors compressing the air.

Rotary Screw Compressors do not have any mechanical force or valves, which allows these compressors to work at high speeds.

Rotary Screw Compressors produce less sound, supply higher-pressure air, and have a longer lifespan. They have zero loss of capacity over time and provide continuous operation of up to 46 degrees Celsius.

However, these compressors require regular maintenance. You must only trust skilled and experienced maintenance experts for these compressors.

Piston air compressors

Piston compressors are also popular in the automotive world, thanks to their low maintenance requirements and high energy efficiency.

These compressors compress the air within the cylinders and release high-pressure air into tanks. It does not work continuously, instead in dedicated time slots. Piston compressors take time to cool down between the slots.

Also called the reciprocating machine,

Piston compressors are also popular in the automotive world, thanks to their low maintenance requirements and high energy efficiency.

Also called the reciprocating machine,

Piston compressors are also popular in the automotive world, thanks to their low maintenance requirements and high energy efficiency.

Also called the reciprocating machine,

Piston compressors are also popular in the automotive world, thanks to their low maintenance requirements and high energy efficiency.

Also called the reciprocating machine, Piston Compressors are the best option if you are looking for economical air compressors for car painting. Most Piston compressors range between 0.55 to 1.5kW and come in oil-free and oil-lubricated variants.

However, these compressors are the simplest types of compressors. The spare parts are easily and readily available in UAE, but their loud noise is a significant concern for most buyers.

Factors to consider when buying an air compressor for painting cars

Here are some factors to consider when buying car painting air compressors:

Tank size – 50 gallons or more

Your air compressor must have a big tank, as air sprayers require continuous use of compressed air and require higher volumes.

If your air compressor has a smaller tank, you will require frequent refilling, slowing down the work and reducing the efficiency of the process.

CFM – 20 CFM or more

You need a large air spray gum to inject large volumes of for spraying an automobile which leads to breaking of or atomization. Choosing the right cubic feet per minute is crucial when buying an air compressor for painting cars in UAE.

You need up to 20 CFM of air for a high-quality low volume (HVLP) air gun. However, using 10-15 CFM would work if you use a convention spray gun.

We recommend buying a HVLP to get beautiful paint on the automobile.

Type of compressors to paint cars

There are various types of air compressors for car painting available in the market. For example, a 2-stage compressor provides approx. 4 CFM/hp of the compressor. On the contrary, a 1 stage compressor only delivers 1 CFM/hp.

We recommend choosing a 2-stage compressor. For 2-stage compressors, we recommend rotary screw compressors and piston compressors.

Adequate pressures

It is essential to consider the

It is essential to consider the PSI (pounds per square inch) before making a decision. This is the pressure at which your air system will operate.

Make sure that you consider the highest operating pressure required for the job and compare it to the available operating pressure of the compressor.