The Best Method of Using a Paint Roller
Every home improvement show, book and website will tell you to use a paint roller to get professional looking results when you paint a wall yourself. To create a smooth, even and long-lasting paint job, though, you need to do more than just purchase and use any paint roller and a cheap paint tray. Use the best paint roller methods together to create a painted wall that is free of roller marks and inconsistent color. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Drop clothes
- Painter's tape
- Paint brush with a flat, wide edge
- 5-gallon paint bucket with attached roller screen
- Cans of paint
- Dowel
- Paint roller
Instructions
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1
Prepare the surfaces in your room for painting by laying drop clothes and covering fixtures and trim with painter's tape.
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2
Brush paint onto the wall in the areas 3 or 4 inches from moldings, switch plates and corners. You shouldn't attempt to roll paint onto these areas.
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3
Empty your paint cans into the plastic paint bucket. Use a dowel or paint stir stick to mix up the paint. By pouring all your paint together, you eliminate the possibility of inconsistencies between cans ruining your paint job.
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4
Plunge the roller into the paint about halfway into the paint's depth. Roll over the roller screen several times to cover it with paint.
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5
Roll your paint-covered roller against the vertical screen once; this removes all the excess paint from your roller. Too much paint on the roller causes roller lines; paint shouldn't drip from the roller but the roller should be saturated enough that any more paint would cause drips.
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Roll paint on the walls in an upward, sweeping motion, starting close to the bottom and corner of the wall. Apply light pressure while rolling and continue in a single roll until you're about 6 inches from the ceiling. Applying the same amount of pressure, quickly roll back down the wall to spread the paint a bit.
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7
Continue down the length of the wall, each time moving over about 3/4 the width of your roller. You should be making tall, thin "W" shapes. Smooth along the top and bottom of the wall with a sweeping, horizontal stroke. Complete each wall while the paint edges are still wet for the best results.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have to take a break between painting sessions, you can tightly wrap your roller in plastic wrap. As long as you completely remove any trapped air from your plastic wrapped roller, you can leave your roller like this for up to two days.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
