# Back-Rolling Siding



## SeaMonster (Apr 13, 2009)

Am I the only painter who back-rolls? Today I was talking to my new awesome clients who are trusting us completely with their house, never stepping out to see what we are doing. Standing by their front door, we can see 2 houses that we've painted, and 2 houses recently painted by other companies. I point out to them why we back-roll. The houses we did not paint, if you look at the walls from certain angels, you can see all sorts of imperfections and sheen difference, while my houses have this perfect, even spread. Why do so many painters skip this step? We sprayed the entire house today, myself and one helper. I spent at most $150 including payroll costs to back-roll this house....so why skip it?


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## benthepainter (Jun 17, 2011)

SeaMonster said:


> Am I the only painter who back-rolls? Today I was talking to my new awesome clients who are trusting us completely with their house, never stepping out to see what we are doing. Standing by their front door, we can see 2 houses that we've painted, and 2 houses recently painted by other companies. I point out to them why we back-roll. The houses we did not paint, if you look at the walls from certain angels, you can see all sorts of imperfections and sheen difference, while my houses have this perfect, even spread. Why do so many painters skip this step? We sprayed the entire house today, myself and one helper. I spent at most $150 including payroll costs to back-roll this house....so why skip it?


Gday SM

Siding ? we call weatherboards like in my pics is that what you guys call sidings

In Australia hacks would roll them they look **** roller finished 

Myself depending on the weather i would take the minimum boards across at a time to maintain a wet edge without lap-marks or general ropiness 

If larger job i will roll on with a long nap roller but always lay of with the brush 

Current job im on my regular client just bought this investment property im just painting the interior getting it ready for tenants but he wants the exterior painted aswell 

Look at the crap rollerfinish it doesn't just Look like crap the texture also helps dirt and pollution sit on the surface


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

On textured siding you can't tell if you're halfway decent.

I did brush out some of this and on second coats. 

That's all I got to say about it.


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## SeaMonster (Apr 13, 2009)

TJ, is that LP?


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

I even rolled some primer on to block some tannin runs after washing. You can't see them now. No after shots of this side yet.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Woops


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

SeaMonster said:


> TJ, is that LP?


What's lp?


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Oh I rode this bike to work one day too. Had my truck into the shop. Took 3 minutes to get there. Rock on.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

TJ Paint said:


> What's lp?


Louisiana Pacific, one maker of composite siding. Like a lot of the wood/composite siding products, it's prone to failure. Here's an article about it.

http://hometownexteriordesigns.com/lp_siding.php


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Its composite. Its held up fairly well on this one But the ho has kept up on it.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

benthepainter said:


> Gday SM
> 
> Siding ? we call weatherboards like in my pics is that what you guys call sidings
> 
> ...


Rough sawn cedar siding you can't see the roller finish. Works well. I know what you mean on smooth siding I prefer back brushed look.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

I back roll rough or semi rough siding. To my way of thinking, its very important to work the paint into all the nooks and crannies of the textured surface. Makes it look more solid/uniform. 

Very smooth siding like aluminum or some composites, it can look better just sprayed. 
Whether it looks nice and uniform, or not, depends a lot on the technique of the spray person, the tip/pressure set up, and the conditions. 

Too light of a coat, an uneven coat, or the paint drying too fast, can all cause flashing.


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## Andyman (Feb 21, 2009)

I used to back roll everything, now only a few surfaces. Exterior preprimed surfaces get a heavy coat of Duration sprayed. I get best coverage without backrolling as it seems to remove some millage. New, raw surfaces get back rolled/brushed for at least the first coat.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

A lot of masonite around here and back brushing makes it look awful. I have had difficulty getting an even sheen on hot days also but wouldn't put a brush on it unless someone else had before me. I would never roll smooth siding. Ever.


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## KD PAINTING (Nov 8, 2012)

Depending on how rough the surface is (usually wood siding), we do back roll where it is roughest. Spraying covers well for the most part so we don't feel it's necessary to back roll the entire surface...


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

Jmayspaint said:


> I back roll rough or semi rough siding. To my way of thinking, its very important to work the paint into all the nooks and crannies of the textured surface. Makes it look more solid/uniform.
> 
> Very smooth siding like aluminum or some composites, it can look better just sprayed.
> Whether it looks nice and uniform, or not, depends a lot on the technique of the spray person, the tip/pressure set up, and the conditions.
> ...


We don't have many non wood house here a few hardiplank but not many. You can always tell the guys who give a quick scrape don't sand and then spray over the substrate( cedar shakes, claps etc.) looks like sh*t and doesn't last.


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## SeaMonster (Apr 13, 2009)

KD PAINTING said:


> Depending on how rough the surface is (usually wood siding), we do back roll where it is roughest. Spraying covers well for the most part so we don't feel it's necessary to back roll the entire surface...


Except we dont back-roll just to make it look even, we back-roll to rub the material on the substrate, regardless of what its made of.


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## SeaMonster (Apr 13, 2009)

Back-rolling


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

SeaMonster said:


> Back-rolling


If it doesn't fill in the seams by all means roll it.


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## One Coat Coverage (Oct 4, 2009)

SeaMonster said:


> Am I the only painter who back-rolls? Today I was talking to my new awesome clients who are trusting us completely with their house, never stepping out to see what we are doing. Standing by their front door, we can see 2 houses that we've painted, and 2 houses recently painted by other companies. I point out to them why we back-roll. The houses we did not paint, if you look at the walls from certain angels, you can see all sorts of imperfections and sheen difference, while my houses have this perfect, even spread. Why do so many painters skip this step? We sprayed the entire house today, myself and one helper. I spent at most $150 including payroll costs to back-roll this house....so why skip it?


Because if you know how spray without causing flashing, you don't need to backroll.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

The subtle differences between a Journeyman and a painter.

Some back roll because they think they have to, some don't because they think they don't need to.

You should choose your technique based on the circumstances.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

SeaMonster said:


> Back-rolling


Are you seeing roughtex plywood used as siding?? If that's what they're using as sidng, backrolling is probably appropriate. We've never encountered it as anything but soffit material.


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## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

One of my guys back roll siding it will be his last day, that's is lap siding like hardi plank and Masonite no way


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## Those Painter Guy's (Jul 5, 2013)

Bender said:


> The subtle differences between a Journeyman and a painter.
> 
> Some back roll because they think they have to, some don't because they think they don't need to.
> 
> *You should choose your technique based on the circumstances*.


And there it is.... It's just that simple.

I agree 100%


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

My guys like to back roll rough sawn cedar siding. No go in smooth surfaces like this:


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

every house I ever painted was either cedar shakes/shingles or cedar clapboard. I hand brushed every house. I did spray oil solid stain on my own house and tried back brushing. It was faster, but the amount of setup and taping off stuff is a pita. Nobody sprayed homes when the money was good.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

plainpainter said:


> every house I ever painted was either cedar shakes/shingles or cedar clapboard. I hand brushed every house. I did spray oil solid stain on my own house and tried back brushing. It was faster, but the amount of setup and taping off stuff is a pita. Nobody sprayed homes when the money was good.


Did they even have smooth Hardie plank siding back then? Did they have electric sprayers? Electricity?


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## SeaMonster (Apr 13, 2009)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> Did they even have smooth Hardie plank siding back then? Did they have electric sprayers? Electricity?


Isn'tt there a company in our area that never uses sprayers? I think they're on the large side too. Brush and roll the entire house...including the eaves...


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

SeaMonster said:


> Isn'tt there a company in our area that never uses sprayers? I think they're on the large side too. Brush and roll the entire house...including the eaves...


The only ones that I'm aware of are college pro and twin cities. I think they don't spray for very different reasons then Plain, or some others here.


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## SeaMonster (Apr 13, 2009)

It's actually one of the better ones I think. Forgot the name but they're not the franchise cub contractor types.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

SeaMonster said:


> It's actually one of the better ones I think. Forgot the name but they're not the franchise cub contractor types.


Idk. Most of the guys I know around here spray whenever it makes sense.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> Idk. Most of the guys I know around here spray whenever it makes sense.



That's the reasonable thing to do. What do the B&R only guys do with new steel doors? :blink: Ruin them......


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

Gibberish45 said:


> That's the reasonable thing to do. What do the B&R only guys do with new steel doors? :blink: Ruin them......


I know what you are saying. Although, Aura satin and a 1/4in nap weenie roller is almost like magic!


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> Idk. Most of the guys I know around here spray whenever it makes sense.


 Its the opposite here. Its weird really. 

One guy I bid against a lot, just always has labor guys roll. Even like 12 unit condo buildings.. 
A spray person and a helper can sometimes put out as much as 4 guys rolling. 

Another painter I know, does only high end int and ext, and does it well, without ever spraying.


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## Dkon7 (Jan 23, 2013)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> I know what you are saying. Although, Aura satin and a 1/4in nap weenie roller is almost like magic!


I was surprised it took this long for someone to bring up rollers. If you spray and backroll with a cheezey roller, the final appearance will look like hammerd dog sh*t. On the other hand, I've seen siding sprayed, then backrolled with a soft woven 1/2" nap and the finish looked like fine china. 

I agree that weather conditions has a lot to do with final appearance as well. High heat & humidity are paints enemy during summer months. We have all touched metal siding or a metal door on a hot sunny day and burnt our hand. Ambient temps as well as surface temps must be a factor when painting. Also keep in mind that high humidity kills gloss and can also result in blistering. Especially on wood siding because wood absorbs moisture. Then when the sun hit it and heats it up, the moisture will follow and literally push the paint off as it evaporates from the wood.

<sorry for the rant> <stepping down off the soap box>


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## Umissedaspot (Aug 14, 2021)

SeaMonster said:


> Am I the only painter who back-rolls? Today I was talking to my new awesome clients who are trusting us completely with their house, never stepping out to see what we are doing. Standing by their front door, we can see 2 houses that we've painted, and 2 houses recently painted by other companies. I point out to them why we back-roll. The houses we did not paint, if you look at the walls from certain angels, you can see all sorts of imperfections and sheen difference, while my houses have this perfect, even spread. Why do so many painters skip this step? We sprayed the entire house today, myself and one helper. I spent at most $150 including payroll costs to back-roll this house....so why skip it?


Yes, back rolling is a must. It's the difference of looking adequate or looking terrific. I want my customers to be happy they chose me for their painting project. Back roll it, don't be lazy.


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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

Umissedaspot said:


> Yes, back rolling is a must. It's the difference of looking adequate or looking terrific. I want my customers to be happy they chose me for their painting project. Back roll it, don't be lazy.


Back-rolling isn't always a must. Knowing when to back-roll is a must. Hopefully you can think of situations where it wouldn't be conducive and differentiate that from whether someone is being lazy or not.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Here's my opinion (if only because I have a little seniority here at PT. lol)

1. When spraying porous, rough, or textured surfaces...backroll
2. When spraying smooth surfaces (that have been primed and lightly sanded)...don't backroll
3. When rolling smooth siding with semi gloss paints...backbrush 
4. When rolling rough siding, or siding with countless surface defects...don't backbrush

Metal hand rails are an exception. If I'm not spraying them, I'm rolling and walking away. No brushing (except on the anchor points).


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## Krittterkare (Jul 12, 2013)

I roll is the siding is reallu bad or cedar or pannel and batt boards but I back brush most homes to work it in then immediately spray a coat over what I just back brushed then move on. 

One neighborhood we would work in had failing siding if people did not have their homes painted when they needed it and we did lots of back rolling. Looking back I am sure we did some crappy looking finishes which is why we went to back brushing I suppose but things like Floetrol was not in their bag of tricks.


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