Time To Paint Your Walls?

June 3, 2020 by Suzanne Lasky

S Interior Design has often said one of the quickest and least costly ways to get a big change to the look and feel of your home is to paint the walls.

As we all spend more and more time literally ‘staring at our walls’, you may be entertaining thoughts of painting them. Seems easy enough right? If you haven’t painted the interiors of your home before you may want to know the best way to proceed.

Below is a guest post on the pros and cons of using a paint roller or a paint spray gun when painting.

Should You Paint Your Walls With A Roller or a Spray Gun

If you plan on painting your walls, just know that at the bare minimum a brush is needed. There’s still no way around using a brush for cutting in near ceilings, baseboard, and around window/door trim. The next question to approach though is whether to use a roller or spray gun for the rest of the job.

It might seem like a slam dunk that using an airless paint sprayer would be the obvious preferable choice for your DIY painting job. Sprayers definitely get the actual painting task done much faster, but there are still situations where a roller is preferred. Here’s what you definitively need to know when deciding to paint with a roller or sprayer:

Cost: Sprayers vs. Rollers

If you have a sprayer, it would be a no-brainer to use it for your DIY paint job. For the majority of homeowners however an airless paint sprayer simply isn’t a part of the average tool arsenal.

Paint sprayers start off around $50 at secondary markets and can range up to $400 or more for high end models. Of course tool rental companies will often have paint sprayers available but they also charge by the day, meaning time would be a concern. Comparatively, a bundle of a paint roller, roller covers, a tray, and multiple tray liners could be had for $40 or less.

Another thing to factor in about cost is paint waste. A lot of the atomized paint drifts away when using a sprayer but rollers get nearly 100% of the paint on the surface.

Time: Sprayers vs. Rollers

Using an airless paint sprayer hands down get the painting job done quicker, right? Yes…and no. Once you get set up, using an air sprayer is a breeze but it’s getting to that point that pushes the timeline between a sprayer and a roller nearly even.

The whole room must be masked off to prevent paint damage from overspray when using a sprayer. Trim, baseboards, and molding still must be taped off when rolling – but also when using a sprayer.

There are some applications where the time saving of using a sprayer is obvious though. This includes when painting a door that has grooves or when doing the exterior of a home where not as much masking off needs to be done. Using a sprayer is also a much faster way to apply a textured paint.

Another thing to consider when comparing the time of a sprayer and a paint roller is the cleanup. After using a sprayer it must be cleaned extensively to prevent jams and clogging in the future. Roller covers and tray liners can simply be thrown away and the frame rinsed.

Convenience: Sprayers vs. Rollers

Simply put, using a paint roller can be a physically demanding undertaking, especially on ceilings and in high areas. That being said, it is much more convenient to simply tape trim and baseboards when using a roller instead of masking off an entire room. Skilled painters don’t even have to tape when cutting which means you can grab a roller and go.

Rollers are more convenient for smaller rooms and for wall sections with shorter widths like near doors and windows. A sprayer on the other hand is very convenient for new home builds and remodels where overspray damage is not an issue.

The actual equipment needed when rolling is also very minimal. Grabbing a roller, roller cover, tray, liner, and paint is a very easy setup. A pneumatic sprayer needs an air compressor and dragging that hose around especially in a smaller room. Airless sprayers do give a bit of a convenience edge in this regard.

Quality / Technique : Sprayers vs. Rollers

Another important thing to note about sprayers vs. rollers is that paint does attach a bit better with a roller. This is key when painting on a dirty wall as there’s more leeway with the initial coat from a roller. What many professional painters do is spray first for speed and then do a back roll for coverage.

It is easier to get streaks and lumps when using a roller, especially if the painter is on the inexperienced side. That being said, there is a technique involved with using a sprayer. Holding the sprayer close gives a heavier application but a narrower spray pattern. Moving the nozzle back widens the spray pattern but with a thinner coat. “Mastering” this process does take a bit of time.

So, Should I Use a Sprayer or a Roller?

For the exterior of your home and in remodelling situations a sprayer is the preferred option. On the interior, using a sprayer for ceilings would be more convenient than a roller On interior walls however or when painting on a budget it may be better to go with a roller. Then again, you could always use both as well!

BIO

Daniel has been scrubbing down walls, cutting in lines and perfecting wall painting for many years through DIY techniques, since he first started working on fixing up his old family home. Home improvement has become a passion of his and he aims to share some tips and techniques to others. He is a blog writer for PaintAccess online paint shop.

Color Trends 2017

August 17, 2016 by Suzanne Lasky

Every year new color trends are introduced in the world of design. Pantone, leads the pack as a color spotting expert, and all of the major paint color manufacturers follow suite with their won interpretations and insights. Below is Pantones predictions on color trends in 2017. Changing the colors of your walls, flooring, art work and accessories can make a big change in the way your home looks and feels. S Interior Design customizes color recommendations for their clients based on their specific likes and dislikes, trends are the least considered variable

Pantone unveils 2017 color trends for interiors

Nine palettes revealed at International Home + Housewares Show

Home Accents Today Staff — Home Accents Today, March 10, 2016

Pantone Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman shared the color institute’s latest forecast for home interiors during her annual seminar at the International Home + Housewares Show this week.

After sharing some general color trends and influences, Eiseman unveiled the nine color palettes for 2017 from Pantone View Home + Interiors.

“We are all familiar with consumers’ constant desire to see something new, yet they still want, in many cases, to have somewhat of a familiar comfort level,” Eiseman said. “We have to assess our customers’ aspirations by using credible forecasts as a guide to invigorated color design palettes that will inform and encourage new color directions. The question is: What can we do to tweak our color palettes to make consumers stop and take notice?”

The 2017 Pantone View Home + Interiors palettes are:

Day Dreaming – This palette is a continuation of the Color of the Year pastel theme, with colors that evoke thoughts that are light and weightless….in contrast to the heaviness of day-to-day stresses. A key here is that other colors, such as Yellow Iris and a Nile green, are used to expand on the blue and pink.

At Ease – A step from Day Dreaming, At Ease is grayed down for more of a sophisticated feel. A variety of ever popular neutrals, both cool and warm, are blended with muted tones in a way that seems effortless.

Native Instincts – Style-wise, current and future forecasts point to a homogenous mix of design and color where a piece of Native American pottery is compatible with a Turkish kilim carpet and/or a pre-Columbian artifact. Likewise, this palette offers bold colors like a smoky orchid and a Carmine red along with softer Earth tones.

Florabundant – Just like its name implies, Florabundant is filled with the sumptuous beauty of rich floral hues. This palette offers a lot of drama from Pink Yarrow, Chrysanthemum, Red Dahlia and Baton Rouge and includes varying shades of green.

Acquired Taste – In both food and surroundings, an acquired taste means an appreciation for the distinctively different. Such is the case with this palette which offers a mix of colors and/or textures not commonly seen together, yet they combine for a palette that is subtly luxurious. Colors include Orange Chiffon, Pale Gold, Mulberry, Brandied Melon, a dove gray and a muted pink.

Forest Bathing – This stress-reducing palette is inspired by the Japanese practice of “Shinrin-yoku” or forest bathing. Studies have shown that a contemplative walk in the woods reconnects the individual with nature and elevates their mood. Several shades of green and blue-green are enlisted, which are contrasted by Grape Kiss and a refreshing Acid Lime.

Reminiscence – A different kind of walk – a walk down memory lane – is the mood conveyed here. Traditional shades like Maritime Blue, Sepia Tint and Rattan convey a sense of nostalgia and stability, but the mix of new colors like murky Martini Olive and Bird’s Egg Green keep the palette feeling fresh.

Raw Materials – Both the re-use and re-purposing of materials from nature and the health and wellness movement are represented in this palette. Zephyr Pink offers an unexpected pop of color against the many, more natural tones.

Graphic Imprints – Described by Eiseman as “great fun,” this palette starts with a base of black and white but then pulls in a series of strong, vibrant colors with names that tell a story themselves: Blazing Yellow, Dazzling Blue, Prism Pink, Fandango Pink, Opaline Green and Orange Popsicle.

Read more about Eiseman’s presentation at the International Home + Housewares