When you’ve got a large area to paint like a ceiling or a wall, the area that you’ve got to work on is quite often so expansive that a paint bush just won’t do. Here you’ll need a roller to get the job done properly, and there are a few things that you’ll need to know about preconditioning a new roller before you start.
First off, you’ll need to wet it with water if you will be using latex paint or solvent if you will be using alkyd paint. Once you’ve wet the roller thoroughly, make sure to squeeze out the excess before you start with the paint of your choice. To make that cleanup afterwards simpler, line the roller pan with aluminum foil or any kind of inexpensive pan liner that you can find. You can find a variety of these at most paint stores and the best can just be thrown away at the end of the job.
To start the actual painting job you should fill the tray about two-thirds full with paint and then dip the roller into it. Lift the roller out and roll it back and forth on the paint tray’s ramp several times so that there is no excess when you lift the roller out. As well, this evenly distributes the paint around the circumference of the roller for a more even spread of the paint. Remember that you’ll need to dip and roll a dry roller several times to saturate the nap with paint. Once it’s filled, you should only need to dip it once.
You can start painting about three feet from the border that you should have cut in using both diagonal and parallel strokes. You’ll need to make sure to apply moderate pressure here as too light or too heavy a hand will cause the roller to skid. To distribute the paint evenly, three or four passes will do the job for each patch that you’re working on. It’s important to roll slow as well to avoid spattering.
Next you’ll want to go back over the diagonal strokes with parallel back and forth strokes. Remember that painting can be tiring so it’s important to give yourself a break every once in a while. Don’t stop in the middle of a wall or ceiling as you’ll lose the wet edge and create lap marks when you start up again. Take breaks that last about a half hour and lay the roller and the paint tray’s bristles on the top of the paint tray ramp. It’s not a good idea to leave the brush standing in the paint.
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