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Painting is an inexpensive way to give your home a makeover, requiring basic painting tools, an eye for details, and a skilled hand.
But it’s not everyone’s forte to paint fast or finish smoothly, which is where our roller painting tips come in! Stop worrying about crease marks, grab a roller, and follow these insights on roller painting techniques for the perfect finish.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
Tips for Painting Walls with a Roller
Most homeowners are familiar with paint rollers, but use it with varying degrees of skill, success, and accuracy.
If you’re struggling with using a paint roller, you can always try a different approach to ensure an even coat of paint. Here’s how you can start.
Choose a Paint Roller Based on the Job
We recommend using a 3/8-inch paint roller for thick finishes, but for a high gloss finish use a 1/4-inch thick cover. For painting textured walls like brick or stone, a 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick cover is ideal, as it’s thin enough to get into nooks and crannies.
Prep and Prime the Area for the Paint Job
Lay out the tools for the paint job, like the drop cloth, tray, and painter’s tape. Ensure there’s cross ventilation in the room you’re about to paint. Additionally, clean your walls before starting the project to ensure a fast and smooth finish.
Always De-Fuzz Your Paint Roller
Remove loose fibers or fuzz from your paint roller cover before you begin the project or you can give it a wash-over using plain water and liquid soap. You can also use painter’s tape to prevent loose fuzz from getting stuck to your paint tray or cover.
Spin the Roller for an Even Coat
One of the best DIY painting tips is to dip your roller in paint and spin it around to scrape excess paint from the surface. You should run the roller over the slanted part of the paint tray, spinning it to evenly distribute the paint onto the roller.
Store Your Paint Roller Cover in a Bag
When you’re taking a break between coats of paint, wrap the roller cover in a moist paper towel to stop it from drying out. Additionally, you can cover the roller in a plastic bag or a plastic wrap, including the paint tray or basket.
Sweep the Paint Roller Across the Walls
When roller painting the wall, lay out a sweeping stroke about 6 inches from the corner and about a foot from the corner. Roll upwards with very light pressure and stop a few inches from the ceiling, spreading the paint toward the corners.
How to Roller Paint Behind the Toilet?
A toilet is a permanent fixture, making the space behind the toilet difficult to reach with a standard brush or roller.
Here’s what you can do:
- Ensure there’s enough ventilation in the bathroom like turning on the exhaust fan or opening the windows to let out any gas or contaminants near the ceiling.
- Before starting the paint job, put on PPE (personal protective equipment) like closed-toe shoes, gloves, safety glasses, long pants and shirt, and a safety mask.
- Prepare the bathroom space using painters tape to cover the edges of areas like the baseboard, counter, or mirror, especially the one behind the toilet or around pipes.
- Use drop cloths to protect the bathroom flooring and tape the garbage bag tight around the toilet to prevent any paint from splattering around while you work.
- Use a mini roller behind the toilet space by sliding it first behind to determine which angle and entry point is ideal for the paint job, either from the sides or the top.
- Apply paint in even strokes once the mini roller fits inside the frame behind the toilet, rolling it on the paint try first to stop dripping paint from spoiling the floor.
How to Use a Roller to Paint a Door?
Entrances also need a fresh coat of paint every now and then. Rollers work best on doors that have a flat surface which makes them unsuitable for carved or ornate doors.
Here’s a few simple tips for roller painting doors:
- Remove the door from the hinges by taking out the hinge pin or tap it into it from below using a hammer and a nail.
- Prep the surface of the door using a 120-grit sanding pad to even out rough spots, smoothing out the existing surface.
- Prime the door surface and panels with water or oil-based solution, depending on what type of paint you’re using.
- Apply the primer solution to the roller, down the ramp up to the tray reservoir, squeezing out any excess material.
- Apply even strokes when rolling the primer to ensure an even coat, allowing it to dry for at least two to three hours.
Mistakes to Avoid When Roller Painting Walls
No list of tips would be complete without adding critical mistakes to avoid, such as:
- Don’t use a dry paint roller: Use a good paint roller to soak up as much paint as possible but you’ll need to remove excess moisture with a paper towel.
- Don’t wipe the paintbrush on the rim: Remove excess paint by tapping the bristles against the insides of a can or let the brush drip over to avoid a splatter.
- Don’t dip your paintbrush all the way: Dip the paint bristles halfway down, whilst holding the roller frame to reduce unnecessary messes and wastage.
- Don’t make very short strokes: Avoid short paint strokes, instead making them longer for a smoother application without any stop-and-go movements.
- Don’t leave your tools to dry out: Avoid crusty residue from building up on your tools and materials by covering them with a plastic wrap or bag.
Looking for Reliable Roller Painting Professionals?
If you are looking for a professional painter to help you with updating your interiors or other paint jobs, get in touch with Hunter Coast Painting for assistance.
Our professional team of painters can ensure a fast and smooth paint job using the right tools and the best rolling techniques.
Our licensed house painters and industry-driven designers also offer a range of residential painting services in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
Contact us today!
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Gavin, is the founder and director of Hunter Coast Painting who are experienced Newcastle Painters. Combining 10 years experience in the industry and having worked on multi-million dollar homes in Europe and Australia, Gavin is able to provide a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Gavin Kane
Gavin, is the founder and director of Hunter Coast Painting.
Combining 10 years experience in the industry and having worked on multi-million dollar homes in Europe and Australia, Gavin is able to provide a wealth of knowledge and experience.