Krause and Becker spray tips are precision nozzles that determine how paint, stain, or coating leaves an airless spray gun. Whether you are touching up a rental property or spraying a full exterior, the tip controls the fan pattern, flow rate, and finish quality more than almost any other wearable part in the system.
A wrong tip can turn a simple job into a battle with clogging, tailing, runs, or wasted material. A properly matched Krause and Becker spray tip, on the other hand, helps you lay down an even coat at a steady pace while keeping overspray and material waste under control.
Understanding Krause and Becker Spray Tips
Krause and Becker spray tips are consumable wear parts, not accessories you install once and forget. As abrasive coatings pass through the orifice at high pressure, the opening gradually enlarges, changing the spray pattern and reducing atomization quality. That slow wear is why professionals keep several tips on hand and replace them when the pattern becomes uneven.
Most tips in this category use a reversible design that lets you clear a blockage by turning the tip 180 degrees and triggering the gun briefly. That simple feature can save a job when a dried chunk of paint or a bit of debris interrupts the fan. It also reduces the temptation to poke the orifice with wire, which can scratch the carbide and ruin the tip.
How Airless Spray Tips Work
Airless spraying relies on high pressure, not compressed air, to atomize material. Paint is forced through a small orifice, and the shape of that opening creates a fan of atomized coating. The tip’s geometry, the pump pressure, and the coating viscosity work together to determine droplet size and pattern uniformity.
The reversible tip found on many Krause and Becker spray tips includes a carbide insert, a metal body, and a sealing surface. When the tip is seated correctly in the guard, the seal prevents paint from leaking around the sides. If the seal is worn or the tip is not fully seated, you may see spitting, a distorted pattern, or paint seeping from the guard.
Decoding Orifice Size and Fan Width
A Krause and Becker spray tip number is a compact specification. The last two digits indicate the orifice size in thousandths of an inch, while the first digit relates to the fan width at a standard distance of 12 inches from the surface. This coding makes it possible to compare tips quickly when you know what the job requires.
For example, a 515 tip has a 0.015-inch orifice and produces roughly a 10-inch fan at 12 inches. A 313 tip has a smaller 0.013-inch orifice and a narrower 6-inch fan, making it useful for trim, cabinets, and detailed work. Larger numbers, such as 619 or 521, flow more material and suit broad surfaces, heavy coatings, or high-production spraying.
Selecting and Maintaining Krause and Becker Spray Tips
Choosing the right tip begins with the material you plan to spray. Thin products need a smaller orifice to atomize cleanly without flooding the surface, while thick coatings need a larger orifice and often higher pressure. The fan width should match the size and shape of the surface so you can work efficiently without excessive overlap or narrow, time-consuming passes.
Pressure matters too. Increasing pressure can improve atomization up to a point, but it also increases overspray and tip wear. If a tip only performs well at maximum pressure, it may be too small for the coating or too worn to hold a consistent pattern. The best setup sprays a uniform fan at the lowest pressure that still produces the finish you need.
Matching Tips to Coatings and Projects
Thin coatings such as lacquers, stains, and sealers generally work well with smaller orifices in the 0.009 to 0.013 range. These tips produce finer atomization and less material flow, which helps prevent sags on vertical surfaces and keeps details crisp. For cabinets, doors, and trim, a narrower fan also gives you more control in tight areas.
Thick materials like elastomeric roof coatings, block fillers, and heavy exterior paints demand larger orifices, often from 0.017 to 0.023 or higher. These tips deliver the volume needed to cover rough or porous surfaces without constantly slowing down. On large walls, ceilings, and floors, a wider fan paired with the correct orifice can dramatically reduce application time while maintaining a consistent wet film.
Installation, Cleaning, and Storage
Installing a Krause and Becker spray tip takes only seconds, but small mistakes can cause big problems. Make sure the tip is fully seated in the guard, the seal is in good condition, and the retaining nut is snug without being over-tightened. Before spraying, test the pattern on cardboard or scrap material to confirm the fan is even and free of heavy edges or gaps.
After the job, clean the tip before paint has a chance to dry inside the orifice. Rinse it with the appropriate solvent, wipe the exterior gently, and avoid using metal tools to scrape the carbide insert. Store tips in a labeled case or organizer so you can quickly identify sizes and avoid mixing worn tips with new ones. A little care at cleanup extends the life of every Krause and Becker spray tip you own.
Before you load the next bucket of coating, take a moment to confirm the tip size, inspect the seal, and keep a spare Krause and Becker spray tip within reach. The right tip not only improves the finish, it makes the entire spraying process faster, cleaner, and far less frustrating from the first pass to the last.