Best roller for smooth finish - emulsion

[jamiehamy]

Hi folks, 

 

I expect I'll get lots of different answers but keen to hear what people use. 

 

Rolling onto completely smooth new plaster (uh-huh, I know I said I would tape and fill - I am - in the smaller areas) - want to make sure the rollered on paint is as smooth as possible. 

 

Reading online I can't find a consistent answer - so - brand and roller - what do people here use for emulsion?

 

Thanks!

 

Jamie 

[Nickfromwales]

Wow, your plasterer has polished the shit out of that, it's like a mirror. I'd start by getting a fine sanding block, NOT loose paper in your hand as you'll scratch lines in, and take a bit of that sheen off. Painting over super polished skim is a pita and it doesn't take the first coat very well. Nothing crazy, just a good sweep over the surface like your waving the MIL goodbye after a 3 week long visit. . 

The best roller will be the one you can't buy, cos it's in the decorators van and has more miles on it than a taxi   A good Harris roller with a medium pile will be your friend for the first two coats ( obliteration / mist ) and then a finer pile for laying on the finishes. 9" roller working quickly in small areas ( as the paint will dry in front of your eyes on rubbed, new plaster ) for the first two, and then onto a 12" roller for the finishes. 

Remember the finishes will be better quality paint so don't judge how the high-opacity ( HO ) stuff goes on as the rule of thumb for the finishes. 

The first coat of HO paint will dry quickly. By the time you get to the end of one wall, it'll be ready to go over again, so basically you'll be two-coating each wall in the same day if you get a groove on. That cheeky two-coaster gets rubbed down the next day quite heavily to remove the first roller marks, and any other bits of plaster or other surfaces grot. Don't worry about sanding through the paint, but, tbh, looking at the skim I doubt if you'll have much to do, it looks like a good spread laid that.   

After sanding, apply another coat of HO and leave to dry. Lightly sand that back and your then ready for the finish coats / colour. 

Spend money on a good quality finish paint and you'll get better results. 

Oh, and don't water down the HO stuff, trust me. When you coat the skim for the first time you won't believe how well it's covered even with just one coat. Don't try to get it covered uniformly on the first coat as it'll go a bit patchy here and there where the skim has been polished, which you'll see as you go along. Wait until the following morning to judge it, when the new paint isn't so opaque, and you'll be pleased with the results. 

Leyland HO brilliant white from B&Q ( look for the 20% extra free tubs ) and lots of it. ?. Oh, and the best painting tips come from those who HATE painting, i.e. ME! 

Cutting-in brush needs to be a 3" chiselled one, don't use anything smaller unless it's the nooks and crannies. 

This is the kiddy

[Gone West]

I use Purdy Elite brushes and Purdy rollers with a very short nap to give a smooth finish, which what we were after. I used Wickes Plaster Sealer which although expensive allowed us to seal without having to sand the plaster. The emulsion we used was Brewers Albany.

[Nickfromwales]

6 minutes ago, PeterStarck said:

I use Purdy Elite brushes and Purdy rollers with a very short nap to give a smooth finish, which what we were after. I used Wickes Plaster Sealer which although expensive allowed us to seal without having to sand the plaster. The emulsion we used was Brewers Albany.

There have been few spreads that leave the opposite walls clean enough not to have to sand ( lightly ) the internal corners where they've gone wet on dry with the sets. Best way to judge is to slowly run your hand flat down each wall where the internal corners meet and see if you feel any slop from the spread wet brushing the corners during polishing up. Some are that good that all the slop gets taken off with the back of the trowel as they're going , but not many. 

[Gone West]

21 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Some are that good that all the slop gets taken off with the back of the trowel as they're going , but not many. 

We were very lucky with our plasterer. We didn't have to touch the plaster anywhere except where it popped on a couple of screw heads. He admits to being OCD about the look of things and isn't happy unless it's perfect.

[Nickfromwales]

That's the kind of plasterer you want .