Warning: I spent 3 years painting walls the wrong way before a painter friend walked in

I was always doing this thing where I'd load the roller too heavy and then try to spread it out like butter, leaving streaks everywhere. Last month my buddy Jim came over to help with my living room and watched me for about 30 seconds before saying 'dude, you're supposed to roll it on in a W pattern and then fill it in' - has anyone else had one of those obvious DIY moments that made you feel dumb but grateful?

2 comments

2 Comments

abbyl4921d ago

Right, the heavy roller thing is such a trap. I did the same thing for years, I thought more paint meant faster coverage but it just made these thick ugly lines everywhere. My sister finally showed me the W pattern too, and I was like wait that's actually genius, it lets the paint even out without me having to fight it. Now I also started using those 18-inch rollers for big walls, and it's weird how much faster it goes when you aren't fighting the tool the whole time.

sage_rodriguez20d ago

The 18-inch roller was a game changer for me too. I fought with those little 9-inch ones on my living room wall for way too long. It felt like I was using a toothbrush to paint a barn. Soon as I switched, I cut my painting time in half and stopped getting those weird lap marks. You don't realize how much you're fighting a tool until you use the right one. Now I wont touch a small roller for a big wall. Its just stubbornness I guess.