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When most people think of painting, they imagine themselves using tools like brushes and rollers to apply different coats of primer. Depending on the jobs that you need to do around your home, you may find that you can skip the roller and use a sprayer instead. As there are downsides to both methods and benefits to each one too, it’s helpful to take a look at what each one entails and when using one method over the other is better.
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How to Use a Sprayer
Before you use a Wagner (Check Price on Amazon.com), you need to do quite a bit of prep work to prepare the surfaces. You’ll need to use tape and newspapers or cloths to block off your area. They will not leave behind any adhesive residue and come off quickly.
It requires the use of tarps and drop cloths that you put down to protect the floors and other surfaces in the room. You may need to dilute or thin the liquid and figure out which tip to use too. It’s important to keep in mind that the tip may clog, which will require that you take a break to remove that clog before you can go back to coloring.
As you color with one of these tools, you need to maintain a steady hand. Using too much pressure or too light of a hand changes the flow rate as it comes out. It can cause it to create splotches on the walls and other messes. Experts typically recommend using a Graco (Check Price on Amazon.com) for bigger jobs and rollers for smaller jobs.
If you want to check out our reviews of the top paint sprayers, click here.
How to Use a Roller
Using this item requires some of the same prep work, but you can usually get to work much faster. As long as you have primer in your tray, you can start right away. It has a lip that you can run it over to remove any excess liquid from the edge, which prevents most mistakes.
You’ll need to run the it over the surface multiple times and in different directions to apply an even coat that hides the old color. Depending on the amount on the tool, you may need to put more layers than you expected.
There are some risks to using this method, namely that you risk spilling liquid everywhere. You may trip over the tray and spill colors on the floor. There is also a risk that it might come off it and leave behind drips.
When to Use a Sprayer
Once you know more about how you can use each product, it's time to think about when you should use each one. Using an Astro product is best in some certain situations.
Working in Larger Spaces
The best time to reach for a HomeRight (Check Price on Amazon.com) is when you need to cover a large amount of space either inside or out. One example is someone doing an entire bedroom. Using a manual tool to do the job can take hours, and when you factor in the drying times between each coat, it can take a weekend or more to paint that room.
With a TACKLIFE product(Check Price on Amazon.com), you can apply each individual coat in around an hour or less, though it depends on the size of the room or the surface. You'll still need to wait for each coat to dry but will finish jobs faster.
Doing a Major Remodel
Doing a major remodel is another time when you'll want to reach for this product. If you want to put down new flooring and make other serious changes, you won't need to do as much prep work as you usually need to do. It doesn't matter if the liquid falls on the floor or drips down the walls because you'll put down new materials later.
When You Have Clear Lines
The best time to use a it outside is when you have a project in mind that has some clear lines and boundaries. A good example is a job that requires you to do all the cabinets from your kitchen. You can put those cabinet pieces on a tarp or a cloth that covers the ground.
As you run the it over those doors, you apply an even coating on all the doors. You can throw away the cloths or tarps later or save those materials for future projects. Clear boundaries can include the edges of your home when coloring exterior walls too.
Surfaces Have Texture
If you want to color a surface that has some type of texture on it, don't even think about using a roller. Think about ceilings with a popcorn texture. It takes multiple applications of both primer and paint to cover those surfaces because the texture absorbs so much of the liquid.
Using this product is a better alternative. The liquid comes out at a high velocity that can penetrate beyond the top layer of that surface. Each layer goes deeper and provides more coverage to help you cover that texture quickly.
When to Use a Roller
There are times when it makes more sense to use this product though, which we included here.
You Want to Save Money
It makes sense to use this item when you want or need to save some money on a project. They cost under $20, and trays are even cheaper, but even a basic one can cost $50 to $100 or more. You can also throw away this item and replace it at the end of a project, though this can get expensive when you do more projects at home.
You should also consider how much coloring you waste and how those costs can add up. Sprayers release a small amount into the environment each time you use one. You may waste some when setting up the tool and deciding what level to use.
Doing Interior Work
If you have a project in mind that you can do inside your home, you'll want to use this tool. Sprayers are better suited for larger jobs and require a lot of prep work that you won't want to go through when doing something basic like coloring your ceiling or some trim work. They also allow you to focus on one spot at a time and apply pigment exactly where you need it.
Painting Dirty Surfaces
They also win out when it comes to coloring dirty surface because you can adjust the pressure of your hand and how much force you use to make the paint stick better to those surfaces. Sprayers may not release as much as you need, which will require multiple coats when working on a dirty surface.
Sprayer vs. Roller: Who Wins?
In a direct battle between the two, sprayers usually win out. You can use one to cover a larger area and make adjustments based on the type you want to use. Rollers come out ahead when doing smaller projects, working inside and retouching dirty surfaces.
