New home interior paint advice?

[Dalecamino]

My cousin is building a new home. He elected me to paint the interior walls. He tells me to choose my method of applying the paint. Roller, power roller or spray. I like the airless spray myself. But, he has mentioned the power roller more than twice already. I've found pros and cons with all three. How many agree with me on the sprayer? I know...lots of masking, but the cabinets and appliances won't be in yet, so not so bad.

 

[tjseagrove]

Spray the primer since it is the same everywhere. Then roll everything else. Prime the trim before cutting and installing it as well.

 

[BRobbins629]

Hire someone.

 

[jeff]

Check out a YouTube channel The Idaho Painter. I own a Graco airless sprayer and I've learned a lot about using it effectively from watching that channel. For a new home, I'd definitely spray all the primer and trim, and roll the walls.

 

[jttheclockman]

Old fashion way. cut in with brush and hand roll it. with extensions it really is not that hard and you know you have a good job and clean job. Plus it is good exercise. If you need to prime then get paint with primer and first coat mixed in or at least make the primer the color of the primary paint. Save the spraying for out door painting. Get the low odor and all is well. I love Benjamin Moore paint. If you have 2 people doing it it is twice as fast. :biggrin:

 

[Dalecamino]

Spray the primer since it is the same everywhere. Then roll everything else. Prime the trim before cutting and installing it as well.

Thanks Tom!

Hire someone.

NO!! I want the money. :biggrin:

 

[Dalecamino]

Check out a YouTube channel The Idaho Painter. I own a Graco airless sprayer and I've learned a lot about using it effectively from watching that channel. For a new home, I'd definitely spray all the primer and trim, and roll the walls.

Thanks Jeff. I did watch those videos yesterday. One guy sprayed an entire room in 8 minutes, 47 seconds. I want to do that :biggrin: This guy had a 3 foot x 8 inch metal shield he used to protect the trim from the spray. I'm sure there's a name for it, but I don't know what it is. The home is in Illinois (3 hour drive) I usually spend the night, working two days at a time. This will take longer.

Old fashion way. cut in with brush and hand roll it. with extensions it really is not that hard and you know you have a good job and clean job. Plus it is good exercise. If you need to prime then get paint with primer and first coat mixed in or at least make the primer the color of the primary paint. Save the spraying for out door painting. Get the low odor and all is well. I love Benjamin Moore paint. If you have 2 people doing it it is twice as fast. :biggrin:

Thanks John. I painted ships for 4 years with roller and brush. Pretty well know how that's done. Got good at it. Just not very fast. :redface:

 

[jttheclockman]

Chuck when you get our ages there is no such thing as fast. I am never in a rush any more doing anything. Just painted rooms in my Mom's house when I had to sell to spruce things up and did it all myself and did it as I mentioned and just took my time. Have some tunes playing in the background and you get in a zone. I prepped 3 rooms at a time and the next day painted all 3 rooms.

 

[Dalecamino]

Chuck when you get our ages there is no such thing as fast. I am never in a rush any more doing anything. Just painted rooms in my Mom's house when I had to sell to spruce things up and did it all myself and did it as I mentioned and just took my time. Have some tunes playing in the background and you get in a zone. I prepped 3 rooms at a time and the next day painted all 3 rooms.

I'm still leaning toward the sprayer. There's just too much area to cover, to paint with a roller. Age is indeed a factor. :redface:

 

[Mintman]

I have a Graco airless sprayer and would definitely use it on a new home. You will get a lot of very fine overspray but if you are painting the walls and ceiling the same color it will work like a charm. I have textured ceilings and it works much better than a roller. I just repainted my dining room a couple of weeks ago and used the sprayer on the ceiling first and then a roller on the walls. I painted the walls a different color, had I painted the same color I would have sprayed them.


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[Dalecamino]

I have a Graco airless sprayer and would definitely use it on a new home. You will get a lot of very fine overspray but if you are painting the walls and ceiling the same color it will work like a charm. I have textured ceilings and it works much better than a roller. I just repainted my dining room a couple of weeks ago and used the sprayer on the ceiling first and then a roller on the walls. I painted the walls a different color, had I painted the same color I would have sprayed them.


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Thanks! That's another factor. Not sure what color combo he's planning. If the walls will be different color from the ceiling. If drywall hangers will texture the ceiling. etc. Guess I need to get more info from him.

 

[SteveJ]

I would definitely use the sprayer. On new construction you don't have to worry about the floor, which is nice. You can do the ceiling in a different color fairly easily. Just come done a couple of inches on the wall, then use a paint shield at the ceiling line when painting the walls. You can do the same thing with the trim - spray it first, overlapping the wall and then use the paint shield to protect it when spraying the wall. In my distant past I have painted (with a roller and brush) an occupied three bedroom apartment in about 4 hours (made some pretty good money that day!) and if I had the choice of rolling an empty house or spraying it, I would definitely spray. If done well, you get better coverage and are less likely to see lap marks, fat edges or holidays.

BUT WEAR A MASK!!! (And maybe a hat, long sleeve shirt and booties on your shoes.)

 

[randyrls]

I have a Paint Stick. It has a large syringe in the extensible handle. It holds about two quarts of paint. You suck the paint from a gallon or 5 gallon can by pulling on the handle, then the paint flows thru a hollow tube from the handle right onto the roller and you can paint a room in about 45 minutes. It requires no power.

BUT either this one or the powered one are bears to clean after use. Plan on working straight thru until you are finished. It takes about 45 minutes to clean up thoroughly, and you need a large utility type sink or a giant bucket!

 

[Dalecamino]

I would definitely use the sprayer. On new construction you don't have to worry about the floor, which is nice. You can do the ceiling in a different color fairly easily. Just come done a couple of inches on the wall, then use a paint shield at the ceiling line when painting the walls. You can do the same thing with the trim - spray it first, overlapping the wall and then use the paint shield to protect it when spraying the wall. In my distant past I have painted (with a roller and brush) an occupied three bedroom apartment in about 4 hours (made some pretty good money that day!) and if I had the choice of rolling an empty house or spraying it, I would definitely spray. If done well, you get better coverage and are less likely to see lap marks, fat edges or holidays.

BUT WEAR A MASK!!! (And maybe a hat, long sleeve shirt and booties on your shoes.)

Thanks for sharing your experience Steve. I think the overspray is my cousins main concern. We'll see.

I have a Paint Stick. It has a large syringe in the extensible handle. It holds about two quarts of paint. You suck the paint from a gallon or 5 gallon can by pulling on the handle, then the paint flows thru a hollow tube from the handle right onto the roller and you can paint a room in about 45 minutes. It requires no power.

BUT either this one or the powered one are bears to clean after use. Plan on working straight thru until you are finished. It takes about 45 minutes to clean up thoroughly, and you need a large utility type sink or a giant bucket!

Thanks Randy. The paint stick is what he was referring to. Rather than the power roller. I'm not opposed to using one of those.

 

[Charlie_W]

Just think about how sore your shoulder and neck will be....and maybe knees and hips too. That is a lot of movement that you may not be used to. I know I am not ready for a whole house paint job!:frown:
If your dominant hand, arm, shoulder get tired, your other hand just might not be very proficient with a spray gun.....just saying!


It is wonderful that you can help your cousin!

Good Luck!

 

[KenV]

The pros spray because it is fast. There are masking products sold at paint stores not carried at big box stores that make masking fast.

Pros paint the interior in two days if they let the primer cure over night. Mask and prime one day. paint the second with two coats. They get good paint, and do not shop at the big box store. Pros also get a big discount on paint cost.

 

[jttheclockman]

The pros spray because it is fast. There are masking products sold at paint stores not carried at big box stores that make masking fast.

Pros paint the interior in two days if they let the primer cure over night. Mask and prime one day. paint the second with two coats. They get good paint, and do not shop at the big box store. Pros also get a big discount on paint cost.

I agree with this. I worked in construction and the pros will spray the primer if they could but will always roll the next 2 coats. No power rollers just extensions on the roller. No bending over and climbing ladders. Have some apprentice do the cut in. They have rolls of plastic and a tool that will apply tape on the end and just cut whatever they need. They do office buildings in record time but they are efficient and usually the paint is the same color so they buy it in 5 gal buckets. They do use good quality paints. (this means less splatter too)

Chuck,:biggrin: do us all a favor and take some pictures with your paint hat on and your paint bibs, and your painting tools and post them for us. :biggrin:

 

[Phillip Kelley]

Not real "Old School" but....

I agree with John T..... I think the best finish is obtained by brushing in all of the corners & next to the ceiling and then rolling the primer & the final coat.... a few painters in our area spray but I just don't like the over spray and think that it causes more fumes from the airborne particles....also, all of the trim can be primed and top-coated on saw horses before being nailed up, the new age nail guns have small enough diameter finish nails available that the trim boards can be nailed up without having to putty the holes... If you want some texture to the walls, you can even add a little sheet rock mud to your primer coat to give it a stippled effect. I prefer Sherwin Williams either the Duration or Emerald line for home use. As maintenace supervisor for a school district, I specify Sherwin Williams Promar 400 for most our interior painting......Just another opinion...

 

[efrulla]

I use a hand roller. Used to own a power roller but the time to clean the thing after use made using it a pain. Just painted my new bathroom and I can make a suggestion. If someone says VALSPAR turn and run away as fat as you can. Takes 4 coats of dark maroon to cover white primer. Worst paint I have ever used.

 

[Dalecamino]

Here's the guy I referred to in my post above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS2yJqaFuAs

What brush? What roller? :redface:

 

[bobleibo]

Chuck
I usually paint with a phone book....it acknowledges my limitations

 

[Dalecamino]

Did you look in the yellow pages to learn how to ski?

Nothing ventured....nothing gained Bob! :biggrin:

 

[bobleibo]

Did you look in the yellow pages to learn how to ski?

Nothing ventured....nothing gained Bob! :biggrin:

I was really looking for penturning and came across painting first. Skiing is easy....point fat butt down hill, let gravity take over. Come on up here and give it a go!

 

[Dalecamino]

Did you look in the yellow pages to learn how to ski?

Nothing ventured....nothing gained Bob! :biggrin:

I was really looking for penturning and came across painting first. Skiing is easy....point fat butt down hill, let gravity take over. Come on up here and give it a go!

MY fat butt is staying at the top of the hill...watching you take YOUR fat butt into the trees. :wink::biggrin: Say Hi! to Sonny!