# Exterior Brush and Roll



## AlanM (Apr 12, 2012)

Hi guys,
I have been painting for about 25 years, the last 15 being self employed. I've always run a small operation, usually just myself or at times, one employee.
About four years ago I quite doing exteriors altogether. The reason being mostly weather wise as we get a lot of rain up here (B.C., Canada) and it got to be a hassle plus I got tired of climbing around on roofs and up and down ladders etc. (I'm not the young buck I used to be!).
Anyhow, a friend of mine has asked me to do his exterior this summer and I agreed to take it on. Now, I've pretty well always brushed and rolled exteriors, very rarely spraying. I always found, especially being a one man operation, that the amount of prep required for spraying drove me mad plus I was always a bit paranoid about overspray on windy days. 
I always found I made pretty good money on exteriors and in my mind, at least back then, felt that brushing and rolling did a better job (not sure I believe that anymore).
I will probably continue with my tradition and do this house the same way but am considering perhaps spraying. There would be a fair bit of masking as the house has varnished soffits as well as a brand new metal roof. It's been awhile since I've done an exterior as I mentioned (other than my own house which I sprayed btw) and am thinking maybe I should move into the modern world and break out the Graco. 
I guess the purpose of this post was I got to wondering if I'm alone in sticking mostly to brush and roller for exteriors or if most of you spray? Probably won't change my mind one way or the other but it would be interesting to hear if anyone else follows the same mo.
Thanks,
Alan


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## scottjr (Jan 14, 2012)

I brush and roll everything but have been thinking about getting a sprayer for exteriors.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

I spray and back brush most exteriors.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

I spray and backroll, most houses are stucco. we doing one all brush and roll right now, glad I'm on other jobs


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Old school here. Only time I am tempted to break out a sprayer is for aluminum soffit.

Brush and roll work for us.


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## ttd (Sep 30, 2010)

Brush and sometimes spray. What nap are you using to roll with on Hardie board, masonite, etc.?


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## AlanM (Apr 12, 2012)

DeanV said:


> Old school here. Only time I am tempted to break out a sprayer is for aluminum soffit.
> 
> Brush and roll work for us.


Thanks guys, I guess I'm not totally alone in doing things old school.
I must admit, the times I have sprayed stuff it sure goes quick (if you don't count prep that is!) but I still like laying the paint on with a brush and roller best.
Alan


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## Ace Painting (Jan 11, 2011)

Don't spray much anymore. We'll spray aluminum siding, deck spindles and wood siding that is being stained.


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## Sir Mixalot (Sep 8, 2009)

It just depends on the layout of the home for me. If it's to much prep, I'll brush and roll. But, I prefer to spray and backroll though. :thumbup:
Most of the exteriors I paint are stucco.


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## playedout6 (Apr 27, 2009)

We mostly all brush and roll . Most of the work we get are shingles . Usually the houses around here with siding are done by the weekend warriors...they always leave the hard ones for the real tradesmen . I actually like doing the older homes with shingles . I enjoy using the pressure washer to remove the old loose paint and it is a real workout by the days end . The warriors do not want these types of jobs...too much climbing and work involved .:thumbsup:


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## hotwing7 (Mar 31, 2012)

lol funny was just considering this same quandry today with an exterior I have to do in the summer.

Am 90% at the mo leaning towards brush and roll - its theraputic more than anything


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

I do both, depending on what makes the most sense for that situation.


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## AlanM (Apr 12, 2012)

Thanks for your responses. 
I'll probably stick with my tried and true methods of brushing and rolling. I sometimes feel I'm a bit old fashioned and I should maybe start being more efficient time wise by spraying but I still like doing it the old fashioned way. I'm also not always convinced that spraying is that much more efficient when you're a one man operation. If I had a few people masking and covering infront of me I might spray more often. Also, as I mentioned, all the prep involved in spraying most jobs puts me off, I'd rather be applying the product, more theraputic, as one of you mentioned. 
Thanks,
Alan


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## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

I always sprayed exterior siding (haven't done one in quite a while) and brushed trim. Worked well for me as I just got the helpers to stay ahead of me masking stuff off. Gets things done quick.


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## sendit6 (Sep 6, 2008)

Brush and roll baby


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## Finn (Dec 18, 2011)

Alan
I'm pretty old Sokol myself, however I recently hired a foreman who has 15years experience in this game, he is a seasoned sprayer, and I have started to look at things in a different light. I have started to paint exteriors here in Denver CO , and am using a sprayer and brushing rolling the trim, the trim is where most prep is needed in most cases here, so I have two helpers always moving ahead of us, the helpers sand prep and mask, they are pretty good at it, and then we come behind and hit it with the sprayer, cuts down time and I an able to utilize more labor on prep which is the most important


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## Scotiadawg (Dec 5, 2011)

DeanV said:


> Old school here. Only time I am tempted to break out a sprayer is for aluminum soffit.
> 
> Brush and roll work for us.


I'm old school as well, hardly ever use spray outside. Too many fancy cars always around, not to mention flower gardens and manicured lawns. It can all be covered up of course and you can wait for the right wind direction but I find that's all a huge PITA, rather just get er dun with the brushes:yes:


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## playedout6 (Apr 27, 2009)

Scotiadawg...as us Maritimers all know...the wind is always blowing in one direction or another ! :thumbsup:


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

If you're applying a primer coat and a finish coat, spraying will be faster. 

There's a time and place for spraying in this industry. You just have to know how to recognize when it is appropriate. Wind is the opponent, and if it can't be controlled or scheduled around, abandon it and grab the brush and roller. 

Good luck trying to bid a job considering those variables.


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

I came up as a brush in and roll guy. Somewhere along the line I learned to spray. I'm equally competent in both methods. A two man spray crew can out produce a six man brush and roll crew and do as nice of a job and not work as hard.


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## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

I spray and back brush when I can. I came up brushing and rolling so I don't mind defaulting to that if the conditions aren't right for the sprayer, but I do find that spraying is quite a bit faster.


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## Finn (Dec 18, 2011)

mpminter said:


> I spray and back brush when I can. I came up brushing and rolling so I don't mind defaulting to that if the conditions aren't right for the sprayer, but I do find that spraying is quite a bit faster.


Coming up brush and roller myself I have just recently started spraying, what do you mean by back roll and why would you do it?


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## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

Finn said:


> Coming up brush and roller myself I have just recently started spraying, what do you mean by back roll and why would you do it?


It just means that you have one guy spraying and another guy running a roller over the surface right behind him. In my view it accomplishes two purposes:

#1.) Back rolling or back brushing works the paint into the surface and gets rid of pinholes that could otherwise result.

#2.) Back rolling or back brushing textures the paint in such a way that I can come back and touch it up later without having to set up a sprayer.

Maybe someone else does it for a different reason, but I won't spray primer on a porous surface without back rolling or back brushing. I just don't have confidence that it's really been worked in without agitating the surface somehow.


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

Finn said:


> Coming up brush and roller myself I have just recently started spraying, what do you mean by back roll and why would you do it?


Backroll on stucco so you can lay the paint into crevices and eliminate laplines. Backbrush siding to fill in feathered sanded areas or hairline cracks. 

If the siding is sound, as in new and smooth, there is no need to Backroll or Backbrush. The Touchups factor is a non contender in my opinion, it's an exterior and is not subject to the same scrutiny, and I cannot ever remember needing to touch up an exterior. 

Bottom line, I Backbrush rarely because I typically brush primer on feathered areas, and shoot exteriors without Backbrush or roll. 

Stipple sucks. And brush and roll for gutters and downspouts is terrible both in appearance and long term durability. IMO.


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

TJ Paint said:


> I do both, depending on what makes the most sense for that situation.


 You mean most cents!


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

mudbone said:


> You mean most cents!


Sometimes it's not what you want but you just gotta grin and behr it.:thumbsup:


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## AJobWellDoneLLC (Jul 23, 2011)

Used brush and roller method my first year, using sprayers religiously now.

You can apply a thicker coat , more seamlessly, in less time, while doing FAR less physical moving and work. Plus you dont have to cut the same spot (under clapboards) over and over to get coverage, just spray, and one or two back brushes.

I would say my crew is 2-4 times more efficient using a sprayer and back brush, than using rollers and brush


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