# Need advice on back-rolling



## steve-in-kville (Aug 30, 2006)

I will be painting several rooms in the next few weeks... some are smooth drywall all around, some are smooth walls, troweled-texture ceilings, some are troweled textured walls and ceilings. All paint will be sprayed. One coat primer, two coats topcoat. Paint is SW Promar 200 or 400. Color is "alabaster," or basically a popular off-white color. Texture and drywall are all new construction, new paint.

Question 1:
On the smooth walls/ceilings, should I back-roll the primer and not the topcoats, or just back-roll the topcoats, or back-roll both??

Question 2:
On the textured surfaces, would spray on be sufficient or would you recommend back-rolling those surfaces, too? I've seen/heard this done both ways.

Thanks for the input and suggestions.

steve


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## Joewho (Sep 20, 2006)

Depends on the material and how you spray it, also the way it dries.

Basically, if it dries smooth enough, you don't need to backroll.

Primer would be the safest to just spray without backrolling. The paint layers should fill it. Experiment with the first coat of paint-no backroll and then backroll the top coat. If it isn't working, back roll both coats of paint.

On the texture it will be even easier. Is it fairly rough texture?


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## Traditions (Aug 22, 2006)

if i am spraying all coats i always backroll primer. This (in my opinion) minimizes sanding. I then spray first top coat and back roll. Final coat I just spray with no backroll. As far as the texture it depends on what type. Orange peel I def. backroll. Stomped ceilings I never backroll. Hope this helps.


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## painterofeveryt (Apr 8, 2005)

I always backroll everything to ensure even saturation and sheen levels,besides hhow long does it take to backroll a ceiling ..... food for thought,ever try the power rollers you can buy for a sprayer ? not the toys ,but the ones made by graco or titan ?? theses things work great! but you would still have to brush in your corners...hope this helps


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## Hages (Sep 2, 2006)

*Another Back-Rolling Question*

Didn't want to hijack the original poster on this subject...

I am a first time spec "builder", more like project manager, and I am counting my pennies as we all are in this trying real estate market.

This is new construction. I am going to tackle the painting on this one and I plan to spray PVA primer, paint primer and top coat. How many coats of each?
Is that a loaded question(no pun in tended)?

* I requested Level 4 finish on the drywall.

Since this will be my first time with a paint sprayer(the kind you rent from HD), I will use a test drywall board to finetune the thickness of the paint.

Maybe there are differing opinions on back-rolling the primer? Should the backrolling be done only on the final finish coat(if multiple coats are used)?

Should I be concerned about possible drywall nap lifting from the application of the PVA primer? 

Supposedly spraying and back-rolling is more time efficient? In terms of not loading the roller with paint and perhaps getting a more consistent coverage on the surface? Still seems like a lot of work to me!! :sad: 

And I expect the back-rolling isn't going to be a lot of fun especially the 30ft high stairwell/atrium ceiling paint spatter. :w00t: 

Thanks for your tips/suggestions!


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## frankcanpaint (Jul 26, 2006)

*Does this mean that just about anyone can paint?*

Isn't that similar to the painter building the house and hiring a builder to paint it?


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## frankcanpaint (Jul 26, 2006)

*big mix up*

sorry, in my outrage... somehow ive ended in the wrong post 
duuh:whistling


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## Hages (Sep 2, 2006)

Sorry, apparently I posted in the wrong forum! Did not mean to offend the painter subs!



frankcanpaint said:


> sorry, in my outrage... somehow ive ended in the wrong post
> duuh:whistling


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## Kashmir (Mar 28, 2005)

Going back to the original question real quick...just remember a couple of things:
1. it is always better to work your primer in with a bursh or roller; supposedly the paint has better adhesion with the surface this way
2. once you have a sprayed on look you can't really touch it up; you said it's a new construction--my guess is you got to be carefull with the timing of this; you don't want to do your job and then be called back cause somebody was trying to get the bathtub through the window and screwed the ceiling and knocked the wall corner; unless you are certain that nothing will get messed up you might want to backroll the primer--spray only the first coat--backroll the last coat so you can always go back and touch up (also depends on the paint you are using--is it high hiding; how is it with touching up?)


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