As with any renovation business, the process of painting walls has its own secrets. After all, this is the only way the result will be flawless. According to people who have experience in this difficult task, the most optimal device for painting walls is a roller.
Advantages and disadvantages
As evidence of popular recognition some advantages of rollers compared to other devices can be cited:
- saves time and effort;
- reduces paint consumption;
- allows you to apply a coating on a corrugated surface;
- ease of use thanks to attachments;
- there are no streaks and stains;
- creates additional effects depending on the force of pressing (for example, by swiping a dry roller over a wet layer of paint);
- low cost and large assortment.
The disadvantages include the need to select a roller for a specific paint composition and the impossibility of painting in hard-to-reach places. Despite the fact that the lineup is large enough, you will have to purchase something else to paint behind the battery or in the corner.
If we evaluate in general, this device has more positive aspects, therefore its convenience and practicality are undeniable.
What tools are needed?
To paint the walls, you first need a roller, as well as:
- Container for paint. Any suitable container can be used as it, since the roller will not fit into the jar. However, in order for the coloring composition to be evenly distributed over the roller and to be used sparingly, there is a painting ditch specially designed for this, or, as it is called in everyday life, a bath. It consists of a recess where paint is poured and a relief platform, along which a roller is rolled to distribute it.
- Masking tape - it is necessary to protect those areas that should not be painted over.
- Wall grout tool.
- Material (foil or paper) to protect the floor.
- Respirator, gloves, protective overalls or unnecessary clothing, safety glasses.
Roller parameters
When choosing the size of the roller, you need to be guided by two considerations - the area of the painted surface and your own efforts. The wider the wall or its section, the larger the roller can be.
At the same time, it must be taken into account that a wide roller will absorb more paint and become heavy, therefore it will be so convenient for them to paint.
The width of the roller varies from 5 to 35 cm. There are also wider models, but they are rare and require more effort and dexterity. The diameter of the rollers, as well as the width, are different. Again, this should be based on the amount of work. A thick roller will cope faster in this case.
Its one important indicator is the length of the handle. You don't need to use chairs, ladders, or other objects when painting a wall. It is enough to purchase a handle that can be attached to the roller. In order not to change the handles often, you can purchase a more expensive, but also more convenient sliding option. The adjustable length relieves tension in the muscles of the arms and spine, allowing you to do more and shorten the repair time.
Be prepared that there are places where even the smallest roller cannot handle. At the joints of the walls, you can paint over with a special corner model or an ordinary brush.
Features of use
The material of the roller will determine how the paint will adhere to the wall. The pile absorbs more, and therefore the roller will leave a thicker layer of paint. For a smooth, fine gloss, a lint-free clutch is needed.
In stores you can find rollers:
- Fur - are versatile in use. The muff can be natural (sheepskin) or artificial (polyester). For rigidity and durability, metal threads are woven into such a pile. Probably, this is the most famous species and the best in terms of price-quality ratio. The disadvantage is that you have to constantly monitor the loss of individual hairs.
- Polyamide. These rollers can work with different types of paints - oil, acrylic, water-based. At the same time, their consumption is low, since this material is not porous and therefore absorbs little.
This may result in splashes or drops, however, the paint layer in this case turns out to be thinner and smoother.
- Foam - the cheapest. Such a porous material will absorb a lot of liquid. They are more suitable for the application of water-based paints, as solvents destroy its structure. Among the disadvantages, the formation of bubbles should be noted, which will be visible.
- Velor - convenient at all stages of painting, they are designed for almost any paintwork. The only downside is that they cannot be painted on the textured surface.
It is important to inspect the product when buying:
- The fasteners must be secure.
- Nothing should obstruct rotation.
- The sleeve should be homogeneous, without protruding parts (unless we are talking about a roller for creating a decorative pattern).
- If the foam crumbles, and the pile falls out, it is better to choose another option.
Preparation for staining
So that during staining nothing interferes with the process and does not take too much time, Before starting work, you need to perform several actions:
- Think over how to rearrange the furniture so that it does not interfere. In fact, there are only two options - take it to another room or move it to one place and cover it with foil.
- If the changes concern only the walls, you need to protect the floor and ceiling from the ingress of paint. To do this, cover the entire floor or space along the walls with paper or polyethylene. Floor and ceiling skirting boards should be removed if possible. The floor and ceiling around the perimeter are glued with masking tape, then it can be easily removed.
- The window and door also need to be covered and protected around the perimeter with masking tape.
- De-energize the room, remove the housing of sockets and switches. If you decide to leave them in place, seal them all with the same tape. Do the same for other wall objects and holes.
If there is already a layer of paint or wallpaper on the wall, it must be removed. In a new building, if all the rough finishing work is completed, the surface must be leveled (sandpaper or any other grouting tool is suitable for this) and shake off any remaining particles. The next step should be a primer (it should be applied in at least two layers). However, some modern paints can be applied without a primer. Information about this can be read at the bank or check with the seller. In addition, they should be selected according to the surface on which they will be applied.
Before use, a roller with a long nap must be prepared:
- Soak it in warm soapy water for an hour.
- Rinse in clean water, drain, or wring out with a towel.
- Dry without using heating devices.
- Make sure that the lint does not fall out, as some of its particles can stick to the surface.
Application methods
The painting process itself is as follows:
- Having previously mixed the paint in the container in which it was sold, we pour it into the bath. The top ink level should be aligned with the roller axis.
- We dip the device into the paint and turn it so that the material absorbs it well.
- We take it out of the paint and roll it on a relief platform. This action must be repeated until the excess flows back into the depression and the remaining paint is evenly distributed. Do not neglect this procedure, because it is she who will protect you and your property from splashes, and the wall from drips.
- We lean the roller against the area we need and carry it up and down. In this case, the roller should easily rotate along the axis, without failures. After the coloring layer ceases to be uniform and saturated, we repeat all the previous steps on the set of the coloring agent and continue coloring.
To paint the walls with high quality, you can use one of the following painting methods.
According to one of them, you first need to determine the sequence of painting the walls. It is better to move from the depths of the room to the exit, so as not to damage the already painted surface. When talking about a wall, start at the top corner, moving downward or sideways. Movements should be smooth, without pressure. In fact, you need to paint over a strip equal to the width of the roller and go down along it. Then, without stopping, draw the top diagonally from the bottom, and paint over the strip next to it, without gaps between the adjacent ones.
Sometimes, after drying, imperfections become visible. The most common of these is unpainted, streaks, or uneven coverage (when one area is visually darker than the other). To prevent this from happening, you need to use the second method.
Its peculiarity is that it is necessary to divide the entire wall into equal squares (the side should be three to four times larger than the roller).
After that, we begin to paint over them. Take the top corner as a starting point. However, the movements in this case are made in two directions. First, several horizontal rolls are carried out, and then several vertical rolls. In this case, the square, in turn, must be mentally divided into stripes and painted over through one. To make it clear, for example, moving from left to right, you need to paint the first and third, and in the opposite direction, start with the fourth and finish with the second. The transition from one strip to another no longer occurs diagonally, without overlapping, but each time separately - from the edge to the end.
You cannot quit work by painting some part of the wall: in this case, after painting, it will be several shades darker or lighter than the remaining one.
To some, this technique may seem complicated, but it is worth trying it in practice and making sure that it is not.
Another way to get rid of imperfections and make the color richer is to re-stain. It is best to do this only after the first coat is completely dry, otherwise the thickened paint may deform.
Completion of work
After painting over the last area, take care of the tools that need to be cleaned up as soon as possible if you plan to use them again. Otherwise, paint residues will dry out and will be more difficult to clean.
Water-borne paint can be easily washed off with water. To remove traces of oil, you will need a solvent. And in it you will have to soak the whole instruments for several hours. And change it until it is completely cleansed. Therefore, it is sometimes cheaper to purchase a new paint kit or replacement sleeve than the amount of solvent required.
When calculating the time for painting, do not forget that the wall needs to dry. Depending on the components included in the composition, the paint can dry from several hours to two days. To speed up this process, you can change the microclimate of the room - warm up the walls and air. To do this, you can turn on the heating, use heaters or a building hair dryer (if it has such a function). A constant flow of air through doors or windows will help in this matter (this will also help to cope with a specific smell). You cannot touch the walls while they are not dry. It is better to check it in an inconspicuous place. Only after complete curing can the tape be removed and the room returned to its living appearance.
Correct, phased implementation of all work will help you achieve a good result with your own hands, quickly and without large material costs. In addition, having mastered the basics of painting walls with a roller, you can change your interior as often as you like.
You can get some helpful tips for painting walls in the following video.