Decorating - paint roller or paint pad?

Mockingjays

Hi all,

Apologies if this has already been posted. I'm doing some decorating over Easter and have always used a roller for paint. I wondered if anyone has tried paint pads and what people think is best? (I'm thinking of the manual paint pads rather than the Dulux paint pod machines.)

I can't find anyone who has used paint pads so would welcomes opinions from anyone who has used them.

Many thanks

Ruski

The fact that you can't find anyone speaks volumes

Use a good quality microfibre roller and you'll be fine.

HTH

Russ

cox377

Don't think you beat a roller for speed and coverage.

J

nickj_2

if paint pads were that great , decorators would be using them ... they don't

PasturesNew

In the past (before I realised painting is a soulless, desperate and desolate activity) I used both - I'd use the pads to do the edges, then use a roller for coverage. I still also needed to use the edge of the roller to 'texture' the edges that I'd done with a pad as they come out differently.

Pads look like a good idea, but getting the paint loading quantity right was a problem for me, as an inexperienced and unwilling decorator.

lee111s

I used pads when I moved in and while you get good coverage it's quite hard work! Plus they do tend to drip quite a bit.

Repainted my lounge and hallway last week and used a roller, will not be going back to pads!

lstar337

How do you get a smooth (non orange peel) finish with a roller?

Keep seeing rooms with perfectly smooth flat painted walls with no brush strokes or roller marks, how do they do it?

Alphamare

I use a paint brush. I hate rollers and prefer to take the extra time with a brush. I don't know why but I just can't get the hang of rollers. I end up covered in tiny paint flecks and it goes on all weird and uneven. Hate them!

missingmum

Pads for me. I always seem to end up with more paint on me than on the walls with rollers. I find the pads really easy and quick.

david39

Like Pastures New, I use a pad for the edges but a good quality roller for the big areas.
The pad can be very accurate when butting in a corner against another colour but it is not as easy as it looks on the shopping channels for getting a consistent finish on large flat areas.

traineepensioner

Paint pads every time
Quick, no splashes and a great finish.:)
Apply using 45 degree strokes over 50 cm to 1M area (depending on pad size) making sure fully covered. Then lightly drag paint pad vertically to remove 45 degree strokes over the painted area. Then move onto next area with a slight overlap.;)