As a professional painting company, we get the question all the time – “Is it better to spray or brush and roll”? It’s a common misconception that using a paint sprayer rather than a brush and roller results in a lower quality job. In fact, in most cases, the newer substrates being used for siding today are better sprayed. In the hands of a skilled painter, spraying will leave a smooth, durable, uniform coat of paint. The brush and roller can leave the paint looking very uneven, and can leave roller or brush marks. Another big advantage of spraying is the cost savings.
Before getting the answer to “Is it better to spray or brush and roll?”, you will need to find a reputable painter. Your first step when looking for a professional painter should be to read the reviews. Comments left by actual clients will speak volumes as to the painting company’s practices. You should be able to tell if this company is reliable and has fair pricing from reading reviews. Of course there will always be those people who are never happy. Those types of negative reviews can typically be recognized and taken with a grain of salt.
After you have researched painters and have selected a couple who look promising, it’s time to call them. Actually speaking to the professional painting company you are looking to potentially hire is critical. Ask them the question: “Is it better to spray or brush and roll?” In fact, ask all your questions, how do they respond? Are they knowledgeable, are they friendly, are they accessible? Trying to find a good quality painting company that is also willing to honestly answer your questions can take some work. You want to be able to trust who you select and trust their answers! Afterall, you are trusting them with the protection of your home.
One of the questions you should ask the professional painting company is how they apply the paint. When asking the question “Is it better to spray or brush and roll?”, the company should be able to give you a straight forward answer. While there is more preparation involved with spraying, rolling and brushing a home is much more labor intensive. Some painters will only spay, some will spray the body and brush and roll the trim, and some will give you the choice of either option. Given the choice of spraying or brushing and rolling, the cost for brushing and rolling will obviously be much higher. The time it takes to brush and roll takes much longer and will simply be more expensive.
In years past, when asked “Is it better to spray or brush and roll?”, professional painters usually advised the method of brush and roll for exterior painting. The substrate most commonly used then was actual wood that had texture. Paint rollers and brushes were better at getting into all the nooks and crannies of the wood grain. At that time, brush and roll was the best application method for actual wood. Now we have newer substrates and better methods.
With today’s substrates, you will not be sacrificing quality when using the spraying method. In fact, as long as you’ve hired a quality painter, they will be able to produce a more uniform finish with a sprayer. A quality painter understands the importance of the amount of paint and pressure needed for perfect results. That being said, it is still recommended to brush and roll the trim since it is typically actual wood.
Today, when asked “Is it better to spray or brush and roll?”, a trustworthy painter will be able to recommend the best method for your specific home. This is where your diligence in researching and talking to the painters ahead of hiring pays off. If you trust your research and who you’ve hired, you can relax knowing the painter you’ve hired will recommend the best method for painting your home.
Another concern we’ve heard regarding “Is it better to spray or brush and roll?”, is whether the paint will last as long. The answer is most definitely, yes! Spraying or rolling has no effect on the longevity of the paint. The longevity of the paint depends on the quality of the paint, the quality of the prep work done, and how skilled the painter is! If your painter is not experienced, the brush and roll technique can actually cause your paint to fail faster. Continued brushing or rolling can actually thin out the paint which puts it at much higher risk for earlier failure.
In the end, when searching for the answer to “Is it better to spray or brush and roll?”, your best bet is to first, find a good painting company. The research will pay off when you’ve developed a relationship with a painter you trust to tell you the truth and to help protect your most valuable investment through the years. Your painter will be able to guide you and answer all your questions, including “Is it better to spray or brush and roll?”!
