How to Paint with a Roller Like a Pro
Preparation
Before you start painting, it’s important to prepare the room and your equipment. Remove small items and furniture, and cover the floor and other surfaces with drop cloths and plastic sheeting. Secure the plastic with painter’s tape. Wash and prime your walls to ensure the paint adheres properly.
Choosing the Right Tools
The right tools can make a big difference in the quality of your paint job. For painting large areas, a 9-inch roller frame with a corresponding roller cover is ideal. You’ll also need a bucket, screen, and paint can pour spout. If you have high walls or a ceiling to paint, an extension pole can be helpful.
Mixing the Paint
Before you start painting, mix the paint thoroughly. This will ensure that the pigments and solids are evenly distributed and that the paint applies smoothly. You can use a metal spiral power mixer attached to a drill to mix the paint.
Loading the Roller
Once the paint is mixed, pour it into the bucket. Fit the paint can with the pouring spout to avoid spills. Limit the initial pour to no more than 3 gallons, as too much paint can make it difficult to use the bucket screen.
Attach the bucket screen over the lip of the bucket. The screen should extend a few inches into the paint, with the majority of the screen visible above the paint.
To load the roller cover, slide it onto the roller frame and immerse it into the paint bucket. Do not immerse it too far, as this can result in drips. Let the roller cover fully soak up paint, then move it to the top of the bucket screen and roll gently downward several times. Avoid pressing too hard, as this can transfer pronounced grid marks to the wall.
Painting Techniques
Edging
When painting with a roller, it’s not possible to paint right up to an edge and achieve a razor-sharp line. Instead, you can use a paint edger, run painter’s tape along the edge, or cut-in the paint with a tapered brush.
Rolling
Start rolling on the main surface area, working in small sections of about 4 feet by 4 feet. Move the roller in an up-and-down W-pattern. Always keep working off of an adjacent wet edge to blend the edges and avoid creating lines.
Back Rolling
After applying the first coat, back roll the area while the paint is still wet. This will help to fill in any missed spots and deepen the color.
Second Coat
Once the first coat has dried completely, apply a second coat. This will deepen the color and make the paint more durable.
Clean Up
After the paint has dried, remove the painter’s tape and carefully remove the plastic sheeting and drop cloths. If you used latex paint, you can clean the roller frame, bucket screen, bucket, brushes, and other items with warm water and soap.
Tips
- Fresh paint applied with a roller or brush generally does not need to be thinned.
- If you have a high wall or you’re painting the ceiling, opt for an extension pole.
- It’s better to discard roller covers after each use and put on a fresh one when starting the next coat.
- To avoid splatters, roll slowly.
- To prevent paint from embedding itself in the paint, turn off the forced heat or air conditioning in the room before painting.
