# Back rolling vs. not back rolling



## merrittbuilder (May 14, 2011)

When you use a sprayer for interior walls, how important is it to back roll the primer and color coats?


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## JHC (Jun 4, 2010)

For flat GWB? Its necessary to build stipple unless you want an ultra smooth finish like gloss or semi gloss that is popular in some places on ceilings.


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## Damon T (Oct 13, 2008)

you'll need to backroll in order to be able to touchup in the future, like when the carpenters and electricians ruin your walls. Charge 'em of course!


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## GHPJerry (Jul 25, 2011)

I agree with both JHC & Damon and I will add an additional opinion. If you don't use a "primer/sealer" before finish coat you are at a great risk of an inconsistent finish. If you use a general primer it will allow the finish coat to absorb with no certanity of a solid finish. If you use a sealer it will greatly increase odds of a consistent finish for the length of wall. One other thing that stipple from backrolling provides is it does help hide inconsistencies in the drywall, due to unevenness from the rough framing and/or shoddy drywall seams. Always backroll is our motto...unless you're doing something like the pic from JHC. Nice work there!


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## MakDeco (Jan 17, 2007)

just looked at a whole house interior re-paint and current finish is just the sprayed finish from the builder and it was not back rolled and I can tell you it looks terrible...

IMO you should always bankroll...


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## Pete'sfeets (Mar 20, 2011)

I just finished a basement where thre customer backrolled all the primer excessively, the ceilings look like garbage with the light coming in from the window, tried to recoat but it seemed hopeless, unless perhaps I were to reprime it. Backrolling a dry surface is like a paper bag of hammers unless you are recoating it with a flat finish,you would think. I,ve seen old houses where the ceilings where backrolled to such a degree that plastering means you have to skim coat the entire thing. If the plaster was put on nicely in the first place an aggressive backrolling wouldn't be a necessary evil, like fixing a rusty old jalopy.


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

My motto for painting is, if it doesn't look right then fix it. If there are rungs or inconsistencies, then backroll or backbrush. If it's a heavy orange peel texture, then the stipple effect from a roller looks fine. But on certain surfaces that stipple looks like garbage, then I revert to a brush.

That is a cool ceiling, never seen a finish that looked like a mirror.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

Its always good practice to back roll / back brush after spraying, building stipple is what you want, as mentioned earlier, easier for touch up. but you could always use a sponge roller to mimic a spray finish. i dont like to back brush trip either, i prefer the spray finish look


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## 4thGeneration (Nov 23, 2006)

For more clarity, I would not use a spray rig for painting the interior of a house at all. Even if you cover everything you think needs to be covered all you need is for your hose to burst and then have a total mess on your hands. It might not happen, but why take the chance?

As far as spraying, I like to back roll and back brush if it calls for it. every surface does not call for it though. Every substrate and surface condition will dicate what is needed.


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## Steven-Texas (Jul 31, 2011)

*Not always Back Rolled*

We don't back-roll 100% of the time. If you are on interior walls, you can spray without back-rolling with great results, but you better be really familiar with your paint and your gun/tip. If you are shooting builders grade that isn't base matched i.e Mesa etc you may have to because your are going to have a tough time ever matching it. If you use a high build product, high colorant, Super Paint etc, we just shoot it and let the paint do its job. 
PS- We are 100% Graco fans, so if you are using a China-Titan, we can't be liable for our advice 
Good luck with your paint!


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