# rolling pattern: up/down vs the "W"



## tcleve4911 (Nov 6, 2010)

The "W" pattern is used to spread the paint out into a 2-3' area as you first set the roller onto the wall.
Then you roll straight up and down.

If you rolled straight up and down upon first contact, there would be too much wet paint concentrated in a 9" area.

The "W" should be applied in the unpainted (dry)area and you work back into the the wet area.

If you start in the wet area and work out, you don't have any paint left as you get into the dry area.
Make sense?

I'm painting 5 rooms as we speak so I'm getting pretty good at the "W".

Hope this helps:thumbsup:


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

The "w" is for when you are first starting out as a painter. Start with a full roller about 2/3 of the way up the wall and about one roller width from where you left off depending on how the paint is spreading. Roll from the 2/3 starting point all the way down and then all the way back up then move towards where you left going at an ever so slight angle towards where you left off till it is even, then change direction and move through where you started this run continuing till you are ready to load up again.


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## beerdog (Dec 10, 2008)

maybe it is the pictures. They always show people making these little W's. I have painted a bit arround the house and I think I natuarally do what you are describing.


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

I think the biggest problem is they always show someone with the roller frame in their hand, and not on an extension pole. 
No pro ( or informed DIY) holds the frame for anything other than a small area. Put it on a pole that you can comfortably roll top to bottom in a single motion.
Then when applying paint, depending on the cover and the spread rate of the paint, do a "slight" V or w covering about 1.5 x the width of the roller, spreading evenly from top to bottom. Finish with a stroke in the same direction, top to bottom. repeat.


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## beerdog (Dec 10, 2008)

Just painted my bathroom and conciously payed attention to this. Definetly makes a difference. Next questions.....

Which end of the roller should face the wet paint being worked into, frame end or open end? Should I put more pressure on on either end?


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## Bob Guercio (Feb 25, 2011)

*Variation of "W" Technique*

Hi All,

I just read a slight variation of the usual "W" technique in Home Depot's "Decorative Painting 1-2-3" book.

They say to paint a W on an 18" by 18" area, which is about 2-3 square feet and then roll it out by going up and down. This is then repeated on a 2-3 square foot adjacent area. They then say to lightly load the roller and backroll the 4-6 square foot area in the direction of the floor to the ceiling.

This does make sense to me but they did say something else in the book that I found somewhat troubling. They said that the minimum size ladder for standard eight foot ceilings is four feet. To me, that is just too short a ladder to do the job safely!

Bob


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Bob Guercio said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I just read a slight variation of the usual "W" technique in Home Depot's "Decorative Painting 1-2-3" book.
> 
> ...


Hey Bob, good to see ya. I chuckled when I read about the ladder, a lot of times I use a two foot ladder. But, I'm a pro, don't you try that at home:laughing:. It's less height to fall from.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Forget that "W" stuff, that's a bunch of DIY baloney. Up and down is where it's at. I see people doing the "W" and go too slow and then when the paint dries, you see the "W" under the paint film. What a bunch of hokey. Where the wall meets the ceiling I go horizontal with the roller to blend it in with the "cut-in." Then you go up and down the length of the wall moving along at about 9-18 inches at a time. No messin around as you want to keep a wet edge. You can rest when you get to the corner.


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## Bob Guercio (Feb 25, 2011)

jsheridan said:


> Hey Bob, good to see ya. I chuckled when I read about the ladder, a lot of times I use a two foot ladder. But, I'm a pro, don't you try that at home:laughing:. It's less height to fall from.


Thanks Joe.

I've always used a five foot ladder for eight foot ceilings and I recently purchased a six foot ladder for the same ceilings. It was also a bit sturdier.

In any case, sturdiness aside, the extra foot gives me a more secure feeling because the top rung is always within reach to hold on to.

Bob


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## kboyz (Feb 25, 2011)

Forget the W or N or whatever the DIY books and shows say as gospel. Top to bottom, corner to corner. I'm guessing that some of you out there have even used a "5 gallon" ladder in a pinch.


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## Faron79 (Jul 16, 2008)

I always coach our customers/"infrequent Painters" on a "Hybrid" technique...

I have them work ~a 3'-wide column on a wall...
* Roll horizontally over the cut-in, but slightly lift roller at the edge, so only a light roller-stipple overlaps cut-in.
* 4 rollerloads per column, starting @ top-left.
* Each load about 2'x3', applied using your favorite letter!
* 4th load in lower-left.
* Right after this, bring roller immediately to upper-left of this column, and do the long/light/continuous "sweep" from ceiling-to-floor.
* I tell-'em to think of a plane taking-off....
* Repeat this column/sweeping technique around the room.

>>> I've actually had customers come back in and thank me for describing this method to them!

I don't tell them about doing the whole wall with only the long strokes. It takes a REAL pro to do that!!
Most average Joes' will push paint waaaayyy too thin doin' that.

Faron


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