Painting walls - brush, roller or spray gun?

[Sunny B]

I have 3 rooms to decorate over the winter. I don't like the finish you get with a brush, so use a roller, but really hate the paint splattering everywhere.

How about a paint gun? Are they worth it and do they give a good finish? Do you have to water down your emulson?

[ChrisG]

You could always get a splatter guard - much cheaper than buying a spray gun.

[Novastar]

I'm a fan of the paint pads - they spray loads less than rollers and are still pretty quick to use :)

[jannie]

Make sure you use a good quality lambswool roller Sunny .. mine has done 4 houses this year with no mess .... the cheap nylon ones do splatter ...... I should think the sprayer would make a mess ..

[baileysgnasha]

I just done my bedroom ceiling with a h4rris roller very good hardly no splatter which makes a change with ceilings! However it did start to fall apart abit toward the end and I kept having to pick bits off the ceiling

Spray guns are good but can be just as messy as a roller but do give a very good finish. I think painting is just a mess full stop! Best of luck , let us know how you get on!

[Mad Chick]

I use the paint pads too. They are so quick and no splattering

[foghornleghorn2]

There is always an element of splatter with a roller but in this day and age it should be minimal.

I decorate properties as part of my business.

Use a good quality roller sleeve such as this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/hamilton-perf ... eeve/61857

This is made from microfibre, it holds a good amount of paint and doesn't spatter all over the shop. For most walls and ceilings a medium pile is sufficent, a longer pile will allow paint to be thrown off more easily.

Roll at a slow to medium pace, I see people tearing into it and then they wonder why they are covered in paint.

Use a good quality paint, trade paint is quite different from own brand stuff and is worth the money, own brand is usually quite watery.

So combine cheapo paint with a cheapo roller and you will get spatter, good quality roller and good quality paint significantly less spatter.

The sleeve that I linked to will cost you about £10 in a certain decorators merchant. (begins with B ends in S and has REWER in the middle)

[Sunny B]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks!

Oh dear, I've just been trawling the internet, as I'd never heard of paint pads before. I've just ordered Foggy's microfibre roller and a paint pad

I'll let you know how it goes in due course. (I will be waiting for rainy days when I'm stuck indoors to do the work)

[Oheckitseck]

I'm a fan of the paint pads - they spray loads less than rollers and are still pretty quick to use :)

I'll second that I love paint pads too

PS Who had to start a thread about decorating ???????????? I 'm just praying that Annie doesn't see it and get her dreaded measuring tape out ( That means BIG trouble for Eck )

[Orfy]

Pads here as well.

[saint-spoon]

pads are the way ahead but don't buy the really cheap ones or you'll be picking bits out of the paint all day, especially on a textured surface such as a ceiling.

[Panteg Produce]

Quality roller every time!

[Mo]

I prefer a roller to a brush but how do you do the corners? and where the wall meets the ceiling. I get an edge line and using a brush looks different (thoug I don't suppose anyone looks that closely except me when I'm doing it).

[p.penn]

I am a complete fan of paint pads and wouldn't use anything else any more.

[Grannyof4]

Decorator........keeps me lovely and clean!!!!!!!