Painting "W" first

4269 Views 33 Replies 14 Participants Last post by Matthewt1970, Jun 25, 2014

jho

Discussion Starter · Dec 9, 2012

Just out of curiosity, whenever I see paint ads advertised on tv for Sherwin Williams or Home Depot, they always show the models painting a big W on the wall. And they start in the middle of the wall. What's the meaning of this? I've been painting for 10 or so years, have worked for many paint companies, and was never shown to paint this way. I figured it's to simply get the paint that is soaked on the roller off in the middle of the wall, then to distribute all that paint throughout the wall to prevent drips at the bottom sweep of the roller by the floor boards, but I've always started either left to right, or right to left.

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Brushjockey

· #2 · Dec 9, 2012

I don't get it either. The ads must be made by ad men, not anyone who has a clue about painting.

First- a frame should be on a pole so you can make an even stroke from top to bottom in one clean pass.
Load roller well - i like to start on the up stroke and make a "slight " angle equal to 1.5 width of the roller. Go up and down spreading this evenly through that area. End with straight strokes from top to bottom.
Should be a total of about 5 passes through the area. Overlap the next one by half of a roller.
NEVER hold the frame in your hand on a full wall. Complete waste and inefficient.

Matthewt1970

· #3 · Dec 10, 2012

The W stands for Rookie.

Reactions: 1

ToolSeeker

· #4 · Dec 10, 2012

I will explain it to you the way it was explained to me. If you dip your roller then start painting left to right your first couple rolls will be with a fully loaded roller as you move to the right now there is very little paint in your roller so you dip again. Where you left off the paint is now light . when you start again it is heavy. In a lot of lights these will show as stripes. When you put the big W or M or whatever then you go back and even it out it will eliminate this effect. I believe this happens more with DIY than pro simply because pro knows to look out for it. JUst what I was taught, judge for yourself.

Reactions: 1

ashleyamazi

· #5 · Dec 10, 2012

Brushjockey said:
- a frame should be on a pole so you can make an even stroke from top to bottom in one clean pass.

...

NEVER hold the frame in your hand on a full wall. Complete waste and inefficient.

Ok, first off, I am a complete newbie and it's about to show... But what is a frame? I'll be painting soon and definitely don't want to be wasteful or inefficient.

Brushjockey

· #6 · Dec 10, 2012 (Edited)

The thing you put the roller cover on.

sorta like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnZIhBUhA30

jsheridan

· #7 · Dec 10, 2012

I wondered this too. But, if you think about it, the pattern of rolling is in the W or M shape, what they show is an extremely literal form of the letters/idea. Toolseeker had it right when he said the first effort is to spread the roller load over the width of the move, then up and down to cover, then back and forth/back into to layoff. When you're doing that you're actually making an abstract M or W. Watch for it next time you're rolling.

Reactions: 1

TheBobmanNH

· #8 · Dec 10, 2012

If you read any DIY / novice painting advice, it almost always says "start by painting a W and then spread paint out from there." I don't think I've ever seen a HowTo that DIDN'T say that. Im sure it's not how the pros do it, but the average person buying paint from Home Depot is NOT a pro, and isn't going to spend or work like a pro.

I'ts amazing to me how many people on the DIY website are pros who look down on those who DIY.

ToolSeeker

· #9 · Dec 10, 2012

TheBobmanNH said:
If you read any DIY / novice painting advice, it almost always says "start by painting a W and then spread paint out from there." I don't think I've ever seen a HowTo that DIDN'T say that. Im sure it's not how the pros do it, but the average person buying paint from Home Depot is NOT a pro, and isn't going to spend or work like a pro.

I'ts amazing to me how many people on the DIY website are pros who look down on those who DIY.

Who bob I sure haven't noticed it buy maybe m too close.

Brushjockey

· #10 · Dec 10, 2012

So Bob- is explaining a more efficient way to paint that every painter that has painted for more than a week uses looking down, or informing?
Go read my post, then go to see it for real here.
Knowledge is power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnZIhBUhA30

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flwNHJ-t5d

TheBobmanNH

· #11 · Dec 10, 2012

Brushjockey said:
So Bob- is explaining a more efficient way to paint that every painter that has painted for more than a week uses looking down, or informing?
Go read my post, then go to see it for real here.
Knowledge is power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnZIhBUhA30

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flwNHJ-t5d

No sir, I appreciate your input.

The "the 'w' is for rookie" comment just got me to thinking about all the similar posts I stumble upon from professionals. I love the constructive posts some of you guys make, and even the good-natured ribbing about those of us who don't know what we're doing, but sometimes it doesn't come off as good-natured so much as resentful. Tough to gauge online, I guess, so I could be just mis-interpreting.

chrisn

· #12 · Dec 10, 2012

That guy had more paint on his pants than on the wall:laughing:

Brushjockey

· #13 · Dec 10, 2012

Not like the HD girl wearing all black, no drop cloths and holding the roller frame, making a W... he must be good! lol

jho

Discussion Starter · #14 · Dec 11, 2012

We were all rookies of a trade at one point of our lives, and though some of you may be veterans of your trade, I'm sure you still seek advice from pros of other trades for projects you're working on to save on labor costs. If I would have known posting this thread up would have sparked that kind of a response, I wouldn't have asked. I mean, come on people, this is a DIY'er site, where inexperienced people come to seek advice from professionals. I was simply just asking to see if other pros have seen this and are using this strategy on a regular basis

jho

Discussion Starter · #15 · Dec 11, 2012

Thanks brushjockey, toolseeker and jsheridan for the answers I was looking for. Good luck ashley with the painting!

Reactions: 1

Brushjockey

· #16 · Dec 11, 2012

JHO- Don't worry about it- it's the nature of online forums.
Actually keeps it interesting to us who hang out here alot.
And this is tame- you should see some of the gaming sites I got to!

Reactions: 1

jho

Discussion Starter · #17 · Dec 11, 2012

I have to keep all that in mind and not take things so seriously. Thanks!

Brushjockey said:
you should see some of the gaming sites I got to!

Which gaming sites? Im a bit of a gamer myself

Brushjockey

· #18 · Dec 11, 2012

I'd have to reveal my other alter egos! lol.

007ben

· #19 · Jan 26, 2013

Signwriting...

Any signwriters out there? Just wanted to have a word or two.

Dave88LX

· #20 · Jun 20, 2014

Brushjockey said:
So Bob- is explaining a more efficient way to paint that every painter that has painted for more than a week uses looking down, or informing?
Go read my post, then go to see it for real here.
Knowledge is power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnZIhBUhA30

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flwNHJ-t5d

Never tried it that way -- is that the right way, the wrong way, or just an alternate way?

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

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