What are rollers for painting surfaces

Paint rollers have been used throughout the painting and plastering industry for over 50 years. During this time, the instrument has remained virtually unchanged. The paint roller is used to process even surfaces of a large area, which simplifies the work of the painter-plasterer. Thanks to the possibility of choosing different fur coats, you can achieve all sorts of decorative effects on walls, floors and ceilings, change the texture of surfaces, use any paint or even decorative plaster.

Rollers can be used to paint almost any surface

Types, design features and purpose

Rollers are used not only for applying paints, but also for adhesives, plasters, primers. They are intended for painters and are actively used by furniture makers for processing workpieces or parts in industry. Many people compare rollers with a regular brush and try to find the advantages or disadvantages of the tool.

A professional does not have such questions, since tools with various nozzles and brushes of various types have their own purpose and narrow specialization.

Advantages over the brush:

1. Even a medium roller covers a large area in one pass. To process the same surface, it takes ten times more time with a brush.
2. The clasp for the roller (handle) is designed in such a way that the painter can quickly change the fur coat on it and with one tool solve various problems and work with any type of finishing materials.
3. It evenly distributes the paint over the surface, does not leave smears, visible streaks, as is the case with a brush. Using a wool or nylon hand roller, you spread the material evenly over the surface. Using a brush, the material is simply smeared, without penetrating into pores, cracks, it is simply laid on the surface. The result is an absolutely flat, smooth and uniform surface.
4. The efficiency when applying paint is much higher than when using any brushes. In addition, you can use extension cords and handles to work with ceilings, walls, floors, and finish facades.
5. A high-quality velor roller does not leave lint and traces of a fur coat, while the brush begins to crumble over time, and if the master did not notice the appearance of bristles on the working surface in time, correcting errors can lead to additional costs.

A high-quality velor roller will not leave any lint or traces of a fur coat

Flaws:

1. When using a paint roller to paint corners and seams, you will need a specially designed tool, usually a narrow roller.
2. The work is carried out using a tray for paint and evenly distributing it over a fur coat. In some cases, this is inconvenient.
3. The width of the roller does not allow it to be used in hard-to-reach places. It is very problematic to paint uneven surfaces; in any case, you have to use a brush.

Separately, it is worth mentioning that roller coats help create decorative effects of various types that cannot be realized with a brush. For example, a long pile roller creates a textured surface, giving it extra depth. Even just passing the tool over a dried surface creates an orange peel effect if you do not have a suitable decorative roller coat on hand. The embossed pattern is enhanced by light sources and shadows.

Design

The tool consists of a metal locking handle, a working surface (roller) and a fur coat. Sometimes protective rollers are also used. Depending on the size, purpose, design features of the clasp, various types of tools are produced.

The roller consists of a metal locking handle, a working surface and a fur coat

If you do not know how to choose a roller for painting, you should first of all proceed from the amount of future work. A tool with a large fur coat, long handle is ideal for processing the surface of walls, for working on the floor or ceiling. Mini is better to choose for creating rolls, engravings, stencils, for working with corners, applying liquid paints.

The handle of the tool is very important for comfortable and efficient work. It should not interfere with the use of the roller tray, should not slip, dangle, or interfere with the application of liquid formulations.

Most handles are designed in such a way that a stationary structure extension can be used. Before choosing a roller for painting, carefully inspect the plastic of the handle, the extension connector. It may have various types of clamps, which may be intended, including for factory extension cords, which will entail additional costs. With a handle it is convenient to handle:

• vinyl wallpapers;
• doors;
• liquid wallpaper on the walls and ceiling;
• perform work on applying bitumen on the roof;

In this case, the painter-plasterer performs all the work from one place, covering a large area around him. With a nozzle, you can quickly paint technical rooms, roofs, high walls, ceilings.

With a roller with a nozzle, the painter paints technical rooms, roofs, high walls, ceilings much faster

Tooling and classification

Thanks to a wide choice of coats, a conventional roller can be used in various processes with different efficiencies.

Depending on the size, the tool for applying materials is divided into the following types:

1. Mini roller - applying paint, glue to small areas, working with corners, stencils.
2. Midi - designed to work with alkyd, polyurethane, polyamide, polyacrylic paint. Most commonly used by painters. Convenient for floor, wall surface.
3. Special rollers for working with structural paint, bituminous compounds, aggressive materials, on uneven surfaces.

A roller and a mini roller can also differ in the type of fur coat:

• Thread roller - creating a special texture on the surface due to the application of a repeating ornament. The thread roller is used with polyurethane, polyamide paints to apply a pattern on the finished coating.
• Perforated roller - has a similar purpose, as well as a hand tool with a thread coat. This is the application of structural coatings, decorating walls, ceilings.
• Faux fur roller - used to work with any water-dispersion paints. Faux fur has good characteristics that prevent the fur coat from intense abrasion.
• Felt roller is a soft tool for various types of surfaces. Used for water-based paints and paints containing aggressive solvents. High quality felt can be effectively used to work on smooth and rough surfaces. This is important for technical rooms, when used on wood, ceilings and walls with raw concrete.
• Nylon roller - used to work with water-dispersion, oil, paints, varnishes, compositions containing solvents.

Nylon roller is designed to work with various types of paints, varnishes and compounds containing solvents.

• Foam rubber is used for water-based adhesives, it is also used for varnishes, but it is absolutely impossible to use a tool with solvents that simply dissolve the foam nozzle. Sponge and fur nozzles are often used as elements of decorating surfaces after applying paint, to create the effect of ivory, orange peel, microcracks.
• Enamel rollers are a special tool that is designed to expel air from under vinyl or any other wallpaper. Sometimes they are used for technical purposes, in production, when connecting several adhesive-based coatings, or when distributing thick compositions, including water-based ones.
• Mini Seam Roller - Features a hard rubberized base designed to go over seams and improve adhesion.
• Special tool with a special design - needle, angle roller and others.

It is worth noting that all nozzles are applicable to all three tool sizes. That is why, using a mini velor roller or a rope roller, you can achieve high quality processing on a small area.

What else do you need to know about this tool?

Professionals pay special attention to the type of fastening of the roller to the metal handle.

Professionals pay special attention to attaching the roller to the metal handle

There is a tool with three types of systems:

• clasp;
• frame;
• special.

The clasp securely fixes the roller, thanks to which the mini roller or midi becomes reusable. You can only change the fur or sponge nozzle. The groove at the end of the metal clasp and the latch provide quick removal of the roller, its replacement, giving other characteristics of the working surface.

The frame system has a special design of the roller, which is designed in such a way that there is a plastic bearing, plastic plugs and a lock inside. A fur or foam coat is fixed by a special mechanism with a rotational element and limiters.

How to work with the tool?

To avoid the appearance of defective areas on the surfaces that you process, you need to follow some recommendations when working with this tool:

1. Use only a clean mini roller, a container for glue, paint or varnish.
2. Before applying the paint, it is worth checking the condition of the fur or foam rubber coat - it should not leave stains, the pile should not remain on the surface.
3. Pay attention to the metal elements, they should not be rusty, the roller should rotate freely and evenly.

1. Before starting work, immediately prepare all fur and foam rubber coats, a mini roller for working in hard-to-reach places, plastic wrap to prevent the spread of splashes, an extension cord (if you plan to work with high walls or ceilings).
2. Use the paint pail to evenly spread the paint or glue over the surface of the roller. To do this, simply swipe back and forth several times, the fur coat will absorb a sufficient amount of material.
3. When working with textured tools, it is important to follow the technology, since the surface characteristics will be different, depending on the degree of their drying. Even using the highest quality coats, you will not get a guarantee of achieving results. It is important to work under certain conditions, carefully monitor the drying time of paint, varnish, structural paints, liquid wallpaper, bitumen.

Regardless of the type of tool, its design, it will take a little time to hone the skill of painting and plastering. With proper use, the work will be efficient, fast and easy.