Problem with roller marks in your paint job?

January 17, 2012 6:44 pm

There is nothing more irritating than working hard at a painting project only to find the walls full of roller marks.  Don’t despair, there is a way to avoid them and with a little practice, it will all become second nature.

Follow some simple tips and you can have a professional looking paint job each and every time.

To ensure a smart looking paint job, follow these simple steps:

1. First and foremost, make sure you are using the right tools for the job.  If you buy the cheapest roller at the store, chances are the results will show it!
2. Ask the sales clerk which nap is best for the surface you are painting.   A heavier nap then needed will result in too much paint being applied to the wall while a nap that is too small will result in not enough.  Size matters.
3. Use a quality roller cover to ensure adequate film thickness is applied and the uniformity of the finish.
4. High quality paints tend to roll on more evenly due to their higher solids content and leveling properties.
5. Take some masking tape and with the sticky side apply it to the nap of the roller to remove any loose fuzzies.
6. Moisten (NOT saturate) roller covers used with latex paint and shake out all excess water.
7. Use a quality roller frame, not one with removable end caps that may mark walls.
8. Apply even pressure and don’t let paint build up at the ends of the roller. When working the paint onto the roller in the pan, it’s a good idea to run the edges of the roller in the drain portion of the pan to remove excess.
9. Begin rolling at one end of the wall near the ceiling and work down the wall in 3 or 4 foot square sections.  But don’t get so close to the ceiling that you cannot roll out the paint for an even finish.
10. Spread paint on in a zigzag “M” or “W” pattern, beginning with an upward stroke to minimize spatter
11. Without lifting the roller from the surface fill in the zigzag pattern with even parallel strokes.
12. Don’t get silly and paint your initials onto the wall, thinking you will just paint over them.  Oftentimes, you will still be able to see the ghost of your handiwork even after the paint has dried.
13. Stand back or to the side of your work and view it to be sure you have not missed any spots or developed roller marks.  If you see imperfections, roll them out while the paint is still wet.