Hello all, I have some Purdy Dove Rollers I plan on reusing. I'm not experienced at all in painting so I was hoping to get feedback on my weekend painting plan:
1)soak new paint roller in clean water for a few minutes, gently squeeze off water to prep roller.
2)prime a bed room with plain white latex primer
3)rinse off roller and use same roller to paint a hallway in white satin. (I'm assuming since its just white primer on the roller I dont have to go through great lengths to rinse off)
4)thoroughly rinse and soak roller until it rinses near clear
5)use same roller to paint a second room in antique white flat.
6)rinse roller again and soak in clean water overnight
7)the next day use same roller to paint the room that i primed the previous day in white satin

thanks!

 

I wouldn't recommend cleaning a roller cover and then putting it right back into use again while wet. It would be better to have 2 roller covers, and allow one to be drying while you use the other one. If your roller cover still has a lot of water in it, it will thin the first few feet of paint that you roll, which may affect the coverage and the sheen, and the thinned paint may leave little bubbles in the finish since that's what adding to much water to paint will sometimes do.

If you plan to do much painting in the future, I'd suggest you invest in one of the spinning roller cleaner tools, (like this one) that you put the roller on, and then pump the handle to spin it. Best/fastest way to clean out a roller that there is, IMO.

After I finish with a roller, I will usually scrape the roller cover clean with a 5-in-1 putty knife, using the concave roller scraper side to squeegee out all the paint from the roller. Keep combing it and turning it until you can't get any more out. Then use the water and just a drop or two of dish soap in a 5 gallon bucket... wring it with your hands a few times, then spin it with the spinner mentioned above. Do this a few times, then change the water and repeat. When you are ready to rinse the cover, I let the hose run in the 5 gallon bucket, and just keep dipping the cover into the clean running water, then pull it out and spin it. After you do this 10x or so, the water in the bucket will be clean, and the roller will be spotless. This doesn't take much time at all, once you get the majority of the paint out, it takes maybe 1 minute to rinse 10x.

You don't leave rollers soaking in water. You clean them and shake/spin out all the water you can, then hang them to dry after each use. If you will be using the same color the next day, you can simply get the roller wet with paint and completely cover the roller and pan with a garbage bag or some plastic/poly, folding it so as to keep fresh air out.

You also don't generally need to prime walls that have already been painted. Unless this is bare drywall, I would suggest you return the primer and save yourself the $$$ and the time and effort. Your money and time will be better spent applying 2 coats of your wall paint color.

And you definitely don't take the roller from the primer and put it in the paint without cleaning it completely first!

I assume you know that you need to "cut in" the ceiling edges, baseboard edges, corners and window and door perimeters with a 2 1/2" brush first, prior to getting out the roller. (I like to use an angled sash brush, but a plain straight brush will work too). If you roll 2 coats, you should cut in 2x also. Always cut in 1st, then roll.

Masking tape on horizontal surfaces (like baseboard) is a must... mostly to keep any paint splatter off. Runner dropcloths are also a must have. 4x12 is a common size. 4 of them and you're set. Or just one, if you like to move it around a lot.

 

I agree! I seldom use any soap when cleaning brushes/rollers but it doesn't hurt to use it. I like to use the water hose to spin the roller cover while it's is still partly on the frame. This is a very effective way to clean the cover and the cover is almost dry when you are done. Most any method of spinning the roller will remove most of the water. Soaking the roller cover in water will shorten it's life, especially if it has a cardboard core. I'm not fond of cleaning a cover and going directly into another paint but have done so from time to time.

With the exception of the final coat, I usually roll first and then go back and cut it in once the rolled paint/primer has dried - it's quicker that way. The final coat should always be cut in first and then rolled, preferably while the cut in paint is still wet. While it's sometimes ok to take a wet paint roller and switch it directly to primer, you should never switch top coats without cleaning the cover up first!

Regarding tape - while I'm not fond of using tape [it creates a false sense of security as paint can seep under the tape] the base board is one place I'll use it if I need to keep the base clean. A damp rag is also an option. It's best to cut into the tape rather than slop over it and remove the tape as soon as possible.

 

ok thanks ill use a different roller for the other paint. But for the primer job couldnt I just get all the excess primer off of the roller and then start using the white paint right after since its just primer?
the reason why im using primer for one of the rooms is because I'm painting over a very deep color (navy blue and it looks like its semi-gloss) with white paint. Thought it would be cheaper to use some $12 Glidden primer than multiple coats of the Valsper Signature paint i have.

I used plastic and cloth runners in a previous room and it was nearly impossible to keep them perfectly lined around the wall to prevent leaking to the floor, even with tape to try to hold them in place so i have already lined one of the rooms with painters tape on the carpet adjacent to the walls to catch any paint small paint drips.

Also do you recommend wetting a new or cleaned+dried roller before using?

 

You don't want any of the primer mixing in with your top coat. Even if both the primer and top coat are the same color, they aren't made the same. Mixing the the 2 at a start of a run can cause coverage, sheen and/or wear issues.

There are some that like to wet a cover before putting it in the paint but I have never seen the need or benefit. I do like to run my fingers thru a new roller cover before using it to help remove any potentially loose fibers..... I do the same with a new brush.

 

I like to use the water ose sprayhose to spin the roller cover while it's is still partly on the frame.


Just make sure that the wife's car is clear of any paint laden hose spray.

 

Also hard to make it not look like you just wet your pants.

 

Not really, you just stand/squat off to the side and spin it with the water hose. Having the cover partly off of the frame also kicks it out further from you. You get a little damp but I've sweat more

I probably wasn't clear on how I use the hose for the cleaning. The bulk of the paint is cleaned off the roller when it's still in the bucket. I don't use the hose to spin the roller until it's almost clean. While it pays to be aware of your surroundings, the paint that gets flung off of the roller is more of a thin mist and can easily be hosed off of anything it gets on ...... but I wouldn't clean up next to the wife's car unless you're not partial to hot meals and plan on moving in with the dog