# Backrolling



## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

Will anyone explain what is the advantage of the backrolling over just spray over new texture. In couple of decades can't figure it out. Results are the same, well, spray looks better, but why is so much fuss about it?

As far as I can see, backrolling is about about the one that can't apply spray evenly.


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

Back rolling is to level out the paint, make sure no runs happen. Spraying is inconsistent enough to need to be back rolled. We tried just spraying had some minor weak issues and from that point on we back rolled.

You can always get a roller attachment for your spray gun.


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## HD painting (May 27, 2013)

If it's smooth or sandswirl I don't bother because I feel confident with a spray gun to apply it even and I'm free of stipple from a roller.. If it a heavier texture (skip trowel) I would say back rolling it pushes it into the pores and creates a better bond and smoother finish. Just spraying leaves paint on the peaks of the texture. It won't fill the nooks and crannies. Back roll first coat and spray only second coat I feel is acceptable also. 
I think people get hung up on back rolling drywall... Ive never had a bond issue with my primer because I didn't backroll. Some GCs just think your skipping a step. Once again if the drywall crew sucks it would behoove you to have some excess roller stipple to hide the imperfections in the drywall. Spraying a awesomely smooth bad drywall job just highlights bad drywall work. Thank god I do mainly hardkote plaster and follow guys that know what they are doing.


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## HD painting (May 27, 2013)

Forgot...Spraying and back rolling most med to smooth ceilings is a good idea. More like an insurance policy. I've had it work good both ways but to be safe backrool. It's one thing to re roll a wall but ceilings just suck. Using dead flat paint is also good idea...


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## dyneser (Jul 26, 2011)

If for some reason you have to go back later & touch something up on the ceiling, usually an electrical or hvac relocation or whatever then it's a PITA to touch up if it wasn't backrolled.


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

dyneser said:


> If for some reason you have to go back later & touch something up on the ceiling, usually an electrical or hvac relocation or whatever then it's a PITA to touch up if it wasn't backrolled.


Good point.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

On smooth drywall, if you don't backroll , everywhere the face paper has been roughed by the sanding process will "fuzz up" and have to be sanded smooth after the primer is dry. Backrolling is easier and more efficient than having to sand all the fuzzed up paper.


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## kmp (Jan 30, 2011)

I've had so many problems in the past,commercial and residential, with touch up that I just back roll the final coat no matter the type of drywall finish. Just easier. I have been talking to a home owner about finishing his house after his painter walked off. This is a custom home in a ski town and the finishes have to be good. The house was sprayed, smooth wall finish, no back roll and the h.o. thinks I can just go in and touch it up with no flashing or problem. His g.c. told him that the other painter used a flat paint and it could be touched up with no problem. Told him it could but not by me. Funny every time we talk the price doesn't go down.


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## HD painting (May 27, 2013)

Agreed. As far as being able to touchup later having a roller texture will save a lot of headaches but it's not full proof either.
When spraying primer on drywall I've found I can lay it on thicker using hi build primer and not backroll. Top coat cut and roll for sure.


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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

HD painting said:


> If it's smooth or sandswirl I don't bother because I feel confident with a spray gun to apply it even and I'm free of stipple from a roller.. If it a heavier texture (skip trowel) I would say back rolling it pushes it into the pores and creates a better bond and smoother finish. Just spraying leaves paint on the peaks of the texture. It won't fill the nooks and crannies. Back roll first coat and spray only second coat I feel is acceptable also.
> I think people get hung up on back rolling drywall... Ive never had a bond issue with my primer because I didn't backroll. Some GCs just think your skipping a step. Once again if the drywall crew sucks it would behoove you to have some excess roller stipple to hide the imperfections in the drywall. Spraying a awesomely smooth bad drywall job just highlights bad drywall work. Thank god I do mainly hardkote plaster and follow guys that know what they are doing.



To each his own. FWIW, it sounds like I do the exact opposite. Smooth wall is back-rolled, (at least final coat). Agreed, it doesn't leave the glass-like finish, but either do brushes/rollers when it's time to touchup those walls.


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## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

I guess it all depends on prime before the texture and the texture itself, if it were done poorly with lines and flat spots no backroll or the roll itself will fix it, as the paint sucks into the surface unevenly where the prime is missing leaving flat and shiny spots/lines. There should be at least two coats, backroll on not made no difference, it is like painting raw wood. 

From what I've seeing if backrolling is required to save the paint from running, there is something wrong with the spraying technique. So I guess it is all about the texture/priming team than the painters themselves. Touchups will be visible anywhere anyway, as it is a different structure of texture on texture spots.


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## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

Forgot to mention, backrolling first prime coat will save a lot of headaches and sanded paper pimples. So yes, backroll is a good idea, but not for paint itself, as it takes three times rolling the new textured wall to achieve same or close to same look and paint thickness than the one time good thick coat sprayed, but that maybe just me.


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## Crackshot (Dec 29, 2015)

actually, 

Backrolling is for one purpose, if you look @ gib wall boards under a magnifying glass, you will notice its all fibers, the purpose of backrolling as one guy almost mentioned but went on about sanding, (which is true, your sealer will let u snap them off when passed over) you backroll so in future. when the repaint happens 6-12 years later, it doesnt come off on them. many times u think its plaster fail when it rolls off onto your roller instead of on. its actually not backrolled paint. this can also be curbed by just being better at spraying and actually put sealer on properly not just a dusting. you shouldn't have to backroll at all.


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## MIZZOU (Nov 18, 2012)

We're starting a NC this week where the builder primes and finishes ceilings/closets. Knockdown ceilings, smooth walls. His ceilings actually look pretty good considering he didn't touch a roller. Like Slinger said, the smooth walls are the roughest things I've seen. We'll be pole sanding till our arms fall off. I'm interested to see how this goes, but I think the guys and me will want to stick to back rolling.


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## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

As I've mentioned with the post above, first coat of paint, primer or what not on bare paper should be backed up with pressure, rest of it will make no diff how it was applied. 

The paint still goes on the wall, spray, fingerprint, bucket pouring over it, spray, the first coat of paint will always be sucked in in between the primer under or over the texture where it was missed making rough looking spots. It is all about prep work before. Just play with it to see.


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## Crackshot (Dec 29, 2015)

ive just finished a job where i dusted down with a wooster dust eater. sprayed sealer coat / ceilings and walls with a 1221 tip and a 311 in the square corners and frames.. feel the wall aftewards, not even a grit out of place... absolutely smooth walls. its all about controlling your oversprays not thinning your paint and of course de_dust2


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## Doolucks (Apr 18, 2013)

HD painting said:


> Agreed. As far as being able to touchup later having a roller texture will save a lot of headaches but it's not full proof either.
> When spraying primer on drywall I've found I can lay it on thicker using hi build primer and not backroll. Top coat cut and roll for sure.


Yep, that's how you do it


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## KamRad (Nov 30, 2015)

Blow and go painters do not backroll. This is how the new construction painters do it. We are not your blow and go painters.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Crackshot said:


> actually,
> 
> Backrolling is for one purpose, if you look @ gib wall boards under a magnifying glass, you will notice its all fibers, the purpose of backrolling as one guy almost mentioned but went on about sanding, (which is true, your sealer will let u snap them off when passed over) you backroll so in future. when the repaint happens 6-12 years later, it doesnt come off on them. many times u think its plaster fail when it rolls off onto your roller instead of on. its actually not backrolled paint. this can also be curbed by just being better at spraying and actually put sealer on properly not just a dusting. you shouldn't have to backroll at all.


Around here, with the GWB finished with texture, we've never had occasion to backroll. That being said, on new GWB, we do put on a full coat of primer followed by two topcoats...with a broad fan and methodical application.

I've seen more issues from back-rolling that not...lots of "blocky" ceilings and roller tracks around here. When we've been brought on only to do trim or dec. painting, I've had a chance to watch some of the other outfits at work. The biggest issues seen to be insufficient/uneven application by spraymen and too much lag time before back-rolling.


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## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

KamRad said:


> Blow and go painters do not backroll. This is how the new construction painters do it. We are not your blow and go painters.


Blow and roll follow painters always backroll, cuz have to skills to apply the paint evenly, so spreading it with the roller to "smooth" it out. We are not your blow and roll follow painters, we do the quality produces by high skills and mentality.

PS: I do back it up on old exteriors with cracking underlayment to push it in and "calk" the cracks, inside.. never. It is either roll or spray, never together.


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## Crackshot (Dec 29, 2015)

I've actually taken to NOT backrolling and being pulled up for it. yet their concern isn't the same as the reasons why they "tell those blow n go painters". 
most of them. "being foreign and little english". apply sealer/primer like its a guide coat and expect it to be fine when they come to top coat. also they back roll because they put so little paint on they will show up any of the stopping/plaster issues because they simply left it so you could see. "texture/paperbacked gib" next to smooth seams and nailhead/patching still look smooth. so they ask to backroll to hide the plasterers stuff ups.

I however use a 1221 tip for ceilings and 1st coat walls. most the time I put on so thick the texture is amazing. then they bitch and moan at me when some other trade dings my mint work and wants to touch it up. but cant. because there is no roller texture.. 

I tell them. you can touch it up. its just your not a painter so you dont know how. 
you just run a project. you dont actually DO THE WORK..


a good painter can touch up spray finish and match it. (not sure about a gloss) but I know i can do it for ceilings(flat) walls (lowsheen) trim lowsheen/satin/semi... its all about technique. dont got it. you'd never consider it..

speaking of not considering it and me just contradicting my earlier post. 
I find out the backrolling has other purposes..


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

Personally we never back roll. I had to show my guys for about a year and several jobs how to do it right.

Spray finish gives the best finish. Period. 

Yeah brushes and rollers are great and people can brush trim etc. But comparing the quality of spray to brushing and rolling...especially for walls..forget it.

We spray very thick, using large tips, and with some technique it comes out beautiful. Our go to paint for NC is $17 a gal and I've had paint reps and customers come to look and they think we used cashmere or some other high end product. Reps. still can't believe we don't backroll. 

Touchup has to do with more than just backroll or spray. Comes down to boxing the paints, 5 gal vs 1 gal, type of brush/roller for touchups, etc., etc.


P.s.
We've done entire houses with Emerald. Spray no backroll. Looks just like the $17 a gal paint. Comes out great either way. At that point the extra cost isn't in finish quality, but in the chemical makeup of the paint (durability, washability, etc.)


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## Doolucks (Apr 18, 2013)

Do you mask the walls and then paint the cieling Woodcoyote?


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