Painting the surfaces around your home or business can save you a lot of money. Painting your surfaces allows you to show your unique skills and talents and instill a sense of accomplishment and pride.
Painting is not as easy as the professionals make it look. You have to understand what can happen when you paint, such as streaks from a roller or overlapping lines. Painting requires you to be diligent, pay great attention to detail, and work at a speed that will allow you to connect the last paint stroke with the next one before the paint begins to dry.
Equipment List
Using the right equipment for the job can reduce the possibility of streaks or imperfections in your finished surface.
- Proper wall cleaner to remove any grease, dirt, grime, or particulates
- Painter’s tape to create distinct lines and stop paint from bleeding onto areas you do not want to paint
- A 2 ½” brush to use when you are cutting in and painting trim, doors, and hard-to-reach areas
- Roller frame and roller covers
- Drop cloths
- Paintbrush cleaner to remove all of the paint from your brush bristles
- Roller trays
- Tray liners for easier clean-up when the job is complete
- An extension pole for the roller so you do not have to climb a ladder as often
- A ladder to help you reach high areas when cutting in with your brush
- A small plastic bucket to use when cutting in
- A large plastic bucket that can hold up to five gallons of paint if you are going to be using more than one gallon of paint
Painting Without Streaks (Step-By-Step Process)
To paint without streaks and create an impeccable surface you need to prepare the surface properly. Streaks can be caused by grime, oils, dirt, or particulates that might be present on the surface. Before you ever open your paint you must first clean the surface area thoroughly.
Once you have cleaned the area you should run your hand over the material and make sure it is free of bumps or ridges. If the surface feels uneven, or bumpy, you need to do some sanding and preparation to make it smooth and level.
After sanding the area will have to be wiped down to remove any dust. Keep running your hands over the surface until it feels smooth and even.
Sweep the room to remove any dust that might be gathering on the floor.
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Prep First
Do not start to pour paint into a container until you have used painter’s tape to go around windows, doors, and things that you do not want to get paint on.
Cut in paint in areas like the inner corners of a room where the roller is not going to make excellent contact.
Put down drop cloths and floor coverings to protect carpets, floors, and furniture.
Buy the Right Roller Cover
One of the ways that you can avoid making streaks is to buy the right roller cover for the surface area you are painting. Roller covers are made of different fibers and the nap of the fibers come in different lengths.
¾” roller naps are great for rougher surfaces like brick, stucco, masonry, and decks. If you use a ¾” nap roller on a smooth surface the result will be an orange peel effect.
3/8” naps are great for ceilings.
¼” naps are good for smoother surfaces like wood, walls, and metal surfaces.
Microfiber covers leave fewer fibers behind and make flawless surfaces.
9” roller frames are the basic size and smaller 4” frames are created for trim.
Avoid The Streak
The techniques that you use when painting are the best defense you have against possible streaks,
Load The Roller Using a Screen
A screen can be placed inside a five-gallon bucket and this stops the problems of filling a paint pan, stepping in a paint pan, and cleaning up a paint pan.
When the roller cover is dry you are going to need to dip it into the paint five or six times before it is fully loaded with paint. You then roll the roller over the screen to wipe off excess paint that could cause a drip while you work.
After the roller has been fully loaded the first time you reload it you will only need to dip it into the paint once or twice. You will still need to run the roller across the screen to eliminate excess.
No Straight Lines
Do not paint straight up and down or side to sidelines. If you do this the overlap areas are going to be more evident and the possibility of streaks is going to increase.
While painting use sweeping strokes that form a V shape and cross each other. The area will not be perfectly covered but at this stage of the job, you need to be more concerned with keeping the paint layers as even as possible.
Keep Your Edges Wet
The roller sleeve is going to create very visible streaks if you paint a wet line over a dry or almost dry paint line. Keep the edges you will be working to moist so the paint blends and the joining are almost impossible to see.
Stand A Little Closer
You may need to stand a little closer to the surface so you can apply an even pressure during the entire length, width, and height of the area. The farther you stand from the surface you are painting the lighter your pressure will be.
Do not mash the roller into the wall or surface. You want to use a light touch, and when you see the roller line starting to have skipped spots be sure to reload the sleeve.
Related Questions & Answers
How Do I Keep My Rollers From Streaking When Painting?
Several factors can create streaks from a roller as the roller progresses, there is less paint on it, which may create marks, and if the surface area is not perfectly smooth, this can also create marks. Smooth the surface, clean any particulates off of the surface, and load your roller frequently to keep about the same level of paint on the cover at all times.
Will Roller Marks Go Away When the Paint Dries?
You can expect the marks to lessen as the staples and ridges flatten some as the paint dries. The marks will not entirely disappear when the paint dries. If you use the correct nap roller for the surface you are painting it will lessen this problem.
How Do You Avoid Lap Marks When Painting?
The lap marks are created when wet and dry paint is introduced to each other. The best way to avoid these marks is to keep a wet edge to start the next section.
Final Thoughts
Painting is easy enough that everyone can do, but, creating flawless painted surfaces requires experience, careful attention to detail, and the proper use of equipment and materials. Each time you do a paint job you will gain from the experience and will increase your skill.
Do not think of minor flaws as having done something wrong, look at them as opportunities to enhance your abilities. Happy painting.
