A roller is the best method to apply paint for covering large areas, like walls, especially when you want to quickly change the color of a room. There are many ways to put on paint (such as spraying it or using brush and roll techniques), but if your goal is to cover big spaces fast – rollers work best.
To finish this project, you will not require many supplies. At first, you need paint, a roller, paint tray or container for holding the paint mixture and also brushes that are low-priced and can be purchased from your nearby hardware shop.
How should you prepare the walls before you start painting?
Using a gentle solution of detergent one day prior to painting can help you prepare them. Dust and soot gather on the walls, particularly in cities, and greasy soot needs a detergent that can dissolve it.
Once the wall has been washed and dried, level it by filling in nail holes and other irregularities. Paint over the plastered areas with one layer of the paint you intend to use on your wall- after the putty dries up. If this step is missed out, filled spots might be seen once painting is completed. It is due to the fact that putty absorbs paint in a distinctive manner, being more porous than the painted surface. Therefore, if you are repainting your wall with a fresh color and still applying two coats of paint, there isn’t any requirement for the third coat on plastered spots.
Tip: Paint plastered areas before painting the wall.
Before painting, make sure to cover the moldings, circuit breakers and electrical outlets using masking tape. Additionally, safeguard the floors with protective paper or cardboard.
How do you correctly spread the paint on the wall?
The painting itself consists of three stages:
- Masking
- Spreading the paint
- Evening it out
Commence by taping off the corners where walls meet with ceiling. Then, using a brush, apply paint to these taped edges.
The next move is to roll the roller with the extension pole in a balanced and uniform manner. Start by putting it inside the paint tray, then apply it on the wall.
The usual error for novices is that they lack sufficient paint on their roller, leading to a streaky outcome. You possess adequate color if you no longer need to exert force in using the roller; rather, it can perform its task without aid from your energy. If there is an excess amount of paint on your roller, it might start to drip.
It would be better for you to get an evenly painted surface if a person who is right-handed starts from the left side and moves towards the right. For those who are left-handed, it’s better to begin on the right side and go in the opposite direction. In this way, you will leave the wet painted area behind as you progress ahead. Apply a fair amount of paint on your wall using a roller in a zigzag manner, commencing from the side. Not at the middle of the wall as shown in some advertisements.
Keep doing that at a time, about one meter each time. You can make the paint spread evenly on the wall by moving the roller in various directions. If you find it necessary to push too hard with your roller, this means there is not enough paint on it.
Tip: Spread the paint in a zigzag pattern
How do you achieve an even result?
If you are a professional, then it is better to paint the entire wall at once. For those who are starting out, we suggest spreading paint on around one meter of area and later making it even by rolling from top to bottom. Now, there is no need for more paint or pushing the roller – let it do its work.
Keep on being consistent at this point. Do not even out the paint in both directions, only do it going from top downward.
Three of the most common mistakes that result in a streaky wall:
- You don’t have enough paint on the roller
- You even out the paint in different directions
- You improve on the painted wall after you have evened out the paint
Tip: Even out the paint by rolling from the top down.
How many coats of paint do you need?
One layer might be sufficient, especially when you apply the same color on top of old paint. However, if there is a color change involved, two layers are necessary at minimum.
You must take off the masking tape right after you complete painting the wall. This prevents paint from drying on the tape and later causing a tear in your painted surface. Certainly, if you are going to continue painting the next day, there is no need to remove it.
Tip: Take off the tape just after you complete the painting to prevent any harm on the painted area.
What if the result isn’t perfect?
Do not attempt to even it out if the paint is not dry yet, even though the wall seems streaky. If your outcome is uneven, there is no need to mask everything again; just repaint all of it with a roller.
Repetition brings mastery, and before you realize it, you would have become an expert in painting walls and expressing your style through this way.
However, if you are running out of time to master this DIY project, you can always hire local painters to get the job done.
At Paris painting company, we deliver high quality work for the price you pay. If you are interested in knowing an approximate exterior painting cost or interior painting costs for your home, get in touch with us today!