Which type of gloss roller

[narrowboatmike]

Hi,  could some one please recommend a decent 4 inch gloss roller for applying craftmaster paint on a new sailaway. 

I'll be laying off with a 4 inch purdy, thanks , Mike.

[WotEver]

I’m no expert but as you’re laying off with a brush I wouldn’t have thought it matters much. All the roller is doing is applying the paint to the steel, the brush is doing the finishing.

[Tony Brooks]

I  used foam on JennyB but make sure is is specifically for solvent based gloss. Some fluffy rollers fall apart and shed load of  hair into gloss paint.

[Mike Tee]

When you buy the roller, make sure it is suitable for solvent based paint, it's easy to pick up the wrong one - don't ask how I know this - but the wrong one will virtually melt!

 

^^^ just beaten to it!!

Edited May 19, 2020 by Mike Tee

[Tony Brooks]

6 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

When you buy the roller, make sure it is suitable for solvent based paint, it's easy to pick up the wrong one - don't ask how I know this - but the wrong one will virtually melt!

 

^^^ just beaten to it!!

 

So pleased I am not the only one!

 

[Higgs]

1 hour ago, narrowboatmike said:

Hi,  could some one please recommend a decent 4 inch gloss roller for applying craftmaster paint on a new sailaway. 

I'll be laying off with a 4 inch purdy, thanks , Mike.

 

For the cabin sides and large areas, I'd use a 7" or 9" foam roller. A 4" is too slow at covering and doesn't hold much paint. Should be able to manage a 2 foot strip of cabin side at a time. You'll need to thin the paint, so that it flows well, especially as the temperatures rise. If the temperatures are too hot, don't paint, you'll have little time to lay off. 

 

35 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

When you buy the roller, make sure it is suitable for solvent based paint, it's easy to pick up the wrong one - don't ask how I know this - but the wrong one will virtually melt!

 

The foam rollers will not melt, if the paint is a one part enamel (those that will thin with white spirits). I've used a lot. And, they will be ok for two part enamels. 

 

The word thinners can be misleading. It is just the particular type of agent that can be used to thin a paint: White spirits (slow drying enamel paint), cellulose (fast drying paint, usually auto, and water (water-based paints). Two part paints will have a specifically supplied thinner. 

 

One thing to remember, about cheap rollers, sometime the plastic tube supporting the foam does not support the end of the foam roller. Mainly the 4", you can't see the end of the plastic tube. The end of the roller will distort and not help you paint consistently. 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2020 by Higgs

[Detling]

Get up very early, or paint after 6pm in this weather, Even well thinned, in the sun the paint will dry as it comes off the roller and hits the steel. If early wait till any dew has gone, in the evening ,stop in time for the paint to skin before 9pm ish when dew may form.  When I did mine we were able to do about a 10-12 foot panel am, and pm on the shady side, so 6 days to do both sides, roof took 1 day + an hour to paint over the webbed foot prints, I hope the duck enjoyed having it toes painted.

 

It can be advantageous to moor in the shade of, but not under trees, they drop nasty bud casings, seeds and heaven knows what, you also become a target for birds roosting in the branches.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Detling
additional

[Paringa]

https://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/shop/product/search?searchword=foam+rollers

 

For all your roller needs... I like the concave foam ones for gloss.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Paringa

[WotEver]

1 hour ago, Paringa said:

https://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/shop/product/search?searchword=foam+rollers

 

For all your roller needs... I like the concave foam ones for gloss.

What a great site

[Ray T]

Part 1 of 7

 

[narrowboatmike]

Many thanks for all your suggestions, Mike.

 

[jacko264]

Where I work we paint double decker buses using rollers we use sponge rollers for primer and under coat and Hamalton rollers for top coat

jacko

[narrowboatmike]

Thanks jacko, mike.

 

[blackrose]

On 19/05/2020 at 11:47, WotEver said:

I’m no expert but as you’re laying off with a brush I wouldn’t have thought it matters much. All the roller is doing is applying the paint to the steel, the brush is doing the finishing.

 

I'm about to gloss one of the cabin sides. I was going to roll on the paint and lay it off with a brush but I've never done it before. A guy on a boat near me who is a fairly experienced house decorator told me that rolling on and laying off is really for those who can't apply an even layer of paint with a brush. Also it seems like more work to me: rolling the paint on, putting the roller down, picking up the brush, laying it off, then putting the brush down, picking up the roller...

 

I worked in a boatyard for a couple of years and we used to paint the big passenger boats every year but never used rollers. So is it really necessary if you can handle a brush?

[blackrose]

On 19/05/2020 at 19:32, Ray T said:

Part 1 of 7

 

 

Oh for the perfect conditions of a covered dock... 

[WotEver]

48 minutes ago, blackrose said:

So is it really necessary if you can handle a brush?

Absolutely not. When Phil Speight saw the roller technique he commented “Or you could come on one of my courses and I’ll teach you how to do it properly”. 
 

See at about 20 mins on this video for the roller technique in action:

 

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, WotEver said:

Absolutely not. When Phil Speight saw the roller technique he commented “Or you could come on one of my courses and I’ll teach you how to do it properly”. 
 

See at about 20 mins on this video for the roller technique in action:

 

 

Thanks for that.

 

I wasn't sure if you meant the roller was not necessary when you replied "Absolutely not" and quoted Phil Speight?

 

Anyway, having watched the video and as an amateur I will use the roller technique. 

Edited May 23, 2020 by blackrose

[WotEver]

21 minutes ago, blackrose said:

I wasn't sure if you meant the roller was not necessary when you replied "Absolutely not" and quoted Phil Speight?

Yes, I meant that it wasn’t necessary if you are good enough with a brush (like Phil) but it’s a good technique if you’re an amateur. 

[WotEver]

27 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Anyway, having watched the video and as an amateur I will use the roller technique. 

Here’s another example of the roller & brush technique. About 8ft of side in 3 minutes. (9” roller). 

 

[blackrose]

Thanks. To be honest however I put the gloss on it's never going to look as good as these youtube examples. I thought my prep was pretty good until I put on my first coat of undercoat which just highlighted all the uneven areas.  Also I'm painting outside and having to deal with the sun, wind, showers, willow pollen, dust, insects, etc.

[blackrose]

Before I paint I usually spirit wipe until the cloth is clean but after watching these videos I went out and bought some tack cloths as I've never used them before. However, after taking one out of the pack they seem really greasy and waxy. I'm really hesitant to use them as I don't want to leave a layer of waxy residue all over the cabin sides. I can't see how that would help paint adhesion? It left a waxy residue all over my fingers which I had to wash off. 

 

I can see how they might be ok for wooden surfaces like window frames, etc. Perhaps the wood absorbs the wax but not sure for primed and undercoated steel surfaces? Do others here use tack cloths?

[WotEver]

4 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Do others here use tack cloths?

I do. You sand, you wipe over with spirit, you gently pass the tack cloth over the surface (you don’t rub, the tack cloths will hold onto any remaining dust), then you spirit wipe again, then paint. But if you’re doing the painting outside then I’d say the tack cloths are a waste of time; there’s plenty of dust in the air. 

[Higgs]

22 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

Thanks for that.

 

I wasn't sure if you meant the roller was not necessary when you replied "Absolutely not" and quoted Phil Speight?

 

Anyway, having watched the video and as an amateur I will use the roller technique. 

 

There's no stigma attached to using a roller. For someone that paints boats, as I used to do for 11 years, it's a time saving device. In fact, for the first few years, I always brushed and was reluctant to use a roller. As a painter, I was only interested time, and the finish. I would hasten to add - never skimped on the prep work. 

 

 

[blackrose]

10 minutes ago, WotEver said:

I do. You sand, you wipe over with spirit, you gently pass the tack cloth over the surface (you don’t rub, the tack cloths will hold onto any remaining dust), then you spirit wipe again, then paint. But if you’re doing the painting outside then I’d say the tack cloths are a waste of time; there’s plenty of dust in the air. 

Ok, I guess if you spirit wipe after using the tack cloth then that's ok. I'm not sure if I'll use them. Just taking one out of the pack left grease all over my fingers.

[Higgs]

19 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Before I paint I usually spirit wipe until the cloth is clean but after watching these videos I went out and bought some tack cloths as I've never used them before. However, after taking one out of the pack they seem really greasy and waxy. I'm really hesitant to use them as I don't want to leave a layer of waxy residue all over the cabin sides. I can't see how that would help paint adhesion? It left a waxy residue all over my fingers which I had to wash off. 

 

I can see how they might be ok for wooden surfaces like window frames, etc. Perhaps the wood absorbs the wax but not sure for primed and undercoated steel surfaces? Do others here use tack cloths?

 

Vacuum, surface wipe, tack cloth. The cloths are ok, but no need to use any pressure - just in a dusting fashion. I would generally only use proper surface wipe on the steel.