We’re often asked here at Union Heights: what’s the best spray paint cap to use? The answer is never simple and straightforward as each cap is great depending on what you’re painting. So, we’ve sat down and gone through a selection of caps we sell in store. Whether you’re a graffiti artist, street art muralist, using aerosols for industrial or home DIY jobs here’s everything you need to know about the range of spray paint caps stocked at Union Heights.

Spray paint caps (also known as nozzles and nibs) are small plastic tips that attach to the top of spray paint cans. Once pressed, caps release pressure from the spray can through the valve and projects the paint out.

Spray paint caps come in many different shapes, sizes and colours. For artists, they’re best compared to paintbrushes. Different caps allow different effects ranging from super fine lines and thick lines – just like different sized paintbrushes.

It’s important that artists use the right caps because they can impact the outcome of their work.

For example, when painting complex details on a small canvas you would need a cap that sprays a skinny line. Whereas an artist who wants to paint a big piece quickly will need a fat cap for maximum coverage.

Our range of aerosol paints come with caps on them. However, they may not always be the size the artist needs, so they’ll sometimes need to swap them out for a different cap.Just like there’s no one-size-fits-all for paintbrushes, the same is true for spray paint caps.

Caps can be split into 6 different categories depending on the width of the line they produce and/or the different effects they create.

The main categories are super skinny caps, skinny caps, medium caps, fat caps, super fat caps and special caps.

Note: The caps featured in this guide are male caps that fit the female valve Ironlak and the Montana Cans range – Gold, Black and White line. These caps will also fit most of the other professional (euro manufactured) spray paint cans designed for art.

1.Super Skinny Caps

Super skinny caps are used to create very fine lines, allowing for complex and intricate details to be achieved.

For small projects like canvas painting or arts and crafts, super skinny caps may be the best option. They also may be used by street artists when painting detailed portraits, or graffiti artists for complex fill-ins and superfine outlines.

You may want to consider using low pressure spray paint when using super skinny caps.

This is because lower pressure spray paint allows for better can control and reduces the risk of paint dripping or splattering – which is essential for fine lines and complex details.

Here are a few examples of popular super skinny caps:

Montana Level 1

The skinniest cap in Montana’s Level Cap range and the ultimate cap for precision. Quite possibly the skinniest cap on the market.

Spray width: 0.4 – 1.5cm

GREY DOT Super Skinny

Perfect for complex details and fine outlines  width of approx 4mm - 1cm. The spray width changes with the used distance to the object. For skinnier lines, spray from a closer distance. For fatter lines, spray from a further distance.

Spray width: 0.4 – 1cm

2. Skinny Caps

Skinny caps are one of the most popular types of spray paint caps. You’ll find that skinny caps come stocked on most low-pressure premium paints like Montana Gold, They’re one of the most versatile caps as experienced aerosol artists can manipulate these to produce both very fine lines all the way to skinny-medium lines.

For beginners, skinny caps are one of the best caps for learning how to control a can and for improving linework. Although this will depend on the style they’re going for.

Here’s a look at some of the most popular skinny caps:

Montana Cans Level 2

The 2nd skinniest cap in Montana’s Level Cap range. Use to achieve fine lines and to perfect smaller details.

Spray width: 0.6 – 2.5cm

Banana Universal

One of the most popular skinny caps across the globe. Perfect for detailed work and fits on all premium paint brands.

Spray width: 0.5 – 3cm

Montana Skinny White/Beige Dot cap

The Skinny Cap Beige is a cap for a fine average spray width of approx 1cm Perfect for fine works, but minimally grubby. The spray width changes with the used distance to the object. For skinnier lines, spray from a closer distance. For fatter lines, spray from a further distance.

Lego Cap

The Lego Cap is another very popular cap. Great for outlines and skinny tags. Extremely versatile, it’ll work on all European premium spray cans.

Spray width: 1.5 – 5cm

OG Montana Skinny

Works perfectly with most spray cans to produce fine, slightly fuzzy lines for that Old school feel.

Spray width: 0.5 – 2.5cm

3. Medium Caps

Medium caps sit between skinny and fat caps.They’re able to produce both thin lines and medium lines, depending on how far they’re sprayed from the wall. It’s also where we begin to see soft cap effects, for example on the Montana Level 3 and Blue Dot listed below. Soft caps produce a softer, more dusty line which makes them great for fading or producing softer details with less sharpness.

Here are a few popular medium caps:

Montana Level 3

Montana Level 3 is a soft cap for medium average spray width. Compatible with all other premium paint brands.

Spray width: 1 – 4cm

Blue Dot Soft Cap

The Blue Dot Soft Cap produces a soft, dusty style line. Great for fading and highly versatile for thin and wide lines.

Spray width: 1 – 4.5cm

4. Fat Caps

Along with skinny caps, fat caps are another very common type of spray paint cap. They’re used to fill in large areas and to create fat lines and flares. Although with good can control skilled artists can also achieve thin lines with fat caps.The NY Fat Cap is easily the most iconic of all fat caps. It gets its name from the birthplace of graffiti and is the go-to cap for graffiti writers that need fat lines.

Because fat caps have high paint output, that they can drain the contents of a spray can very quickly. This means they’re not great for being economical with paint.

If painting quickly is your style though, then these are the caps you need:

NY Fat Cap

The NY fat cap is one of the most iconic spray paint caps. Extremely popular for producing fat lines and flares and wider outlines.

Spray width: 2 – 6cm

Montana Level 4

Montana’s 4th Level Cap. Great for wide lines although has a lower output with a soft finish. For finer lines, spray from a close distance.

Spray width: 3 – 8cm

Montana Level 5

One level up from the Montana Level 4, the Level 5 has a much higher output and is a much more traditional fat cap.

Spray width: 4 – 12cm

Pink Dot

Classic in the fat cap family, Perfect for covering large areas in minimal time. It comes stock on Molotow’s Burner Chrome, so you know it needs to be wide.

Spray width: 5 – 20cm

5. Super Fat Caps

Super fat caps are like fat caps but on steroids. Although they’re some of the hardest caps to control, they’re great for filling in huge areas where achieving perfect lines isn’t an issue. Think filling in huge silver chrome graffiti pieces or painting murals that take up the whole wall.

Just like fat caps, super fat caps will drain your spray can fast. So be careful with these if you’re running low and need to preserve paint.

Montana Level 6

Montana’s final and fattest cap in their Level Cap range. This ultra-wide fat cap is one of the fastest for filling in large areas.

Spray width: 5 – 20cm

Astro Fat Cap

The Astro Fat Cap is one of the widest caps on the market and is notorious for its super high output. Use with caution.

Spray width: 5 – 25cm

Ghettoblaster Cap

An ultra wide chisel nozzle with adjustable fan angles for more creative control. Gives the user the ability to create thick or thin lines.

Line width: approx 20cm 

6. Specialty Caps

Special caps have unique qualities to the other caps we’ve looked at so far as they allow artists to achieve specific effects or have unconventional uses.

They’re usually aimed at creating a specific style of graffiti or streetart.

Needle Cap

Needle caps have a very small spray width and produce a very concentrated line with a dusty exterior.

Spray width: 0.4 – 1.2cm

Calligraphy Cap

Calligraphy caps produce wide lines in a similar style to calligraphy pens. Twist the nozzle to make lines either vertical or horizontal.

Spray width: 1.5 – 8cm

Stencil Cap

Stencil caps produce the skinniest lines possible. Unlike other caps, it sits on the rim of the can. Use with low pressure paint and a skinny cap.

Spray width: 2 – 4mm

Montana Needle Fine Liner

The NEEDLE FINE LINER (Purple) is the little sibling of the original Needle Cap. Its average spray width is 2mm-10mm (0,08" to 0,39") making it a finer version. It achieves sketchy rough lines that are ideal for highlights, small details or rendering. The spray width changes with the used distance to the object. For skinnier lines, spray from a closer distance. For fatter lines, spray from a further distance.