Even though some painters love creating an orange peel effect, it’s sometimes a nuisance that may make your wall look unattractive. Orange peel is the bumpy and uneven surfaces formed because of a poor mixture of paint droplets that dry off before smoothening out. It can be made through spray gun setup, spraying from a distance, or painting on a dirty/ oily surface.
Orange peel can make your walls look undesirable and take time to fix. To avoid this, give every coat time to dry off before doing the next layer. Also, work on clean surfaces with a clean roller, stain the paint, and avoid over-rolling.
Read this informative article for more understanding of all this.
Strain The Paint to Remove Air Bubbles
One of the best ways to avoid orange peel is to strain the paint to get rid of bubbles. Straining also helps you remove dust, dried paint, or lumps. Using a filter or strainer like tights, cone filter, or stockings, you can do this. Then pour the paint through the strainer and allow it to collect in a clean container. After that, you’ll get smooth paint without dirt that you’ll roll on the wall and not get orange peel.
Remember when you’ve got a paint with chunks, they’ll stick on your roller then create a bumpy look. The chunks will also give you additional work as you’ve got to clean the roller before continuing with the painting job. Note that it’s advisable to strain both new and used paint as they tend to have clumps.
Use The Right Roller
You can also avoid the orange peel effect by using the right roller. Every roller is designed for a specific purpose. For example, some are for creating a smooth look on the walls. But others are for the orange peel look. If you’ve got the roller for the ultra-smooth application, don’t use it on a rough surface and vice versa.
Also, remember you need to do perfect timing. This means the second coat should be done before the first one dries off completely to prevent having a bumpy look. Then after the two coats are laid down, you can back-roll.
Consider Thinning Your Paint
The other thing you can do to avoid orange peel when using a roller is thin the paint. Through this, you’ll be able to get a perfect finish after applying the paint on the wall with a roller. A thin paint will enable the roller to smoothly navigate the wall without leaving marks.
But a thick paint will take time to level out on the walls and will be sticky, giving you a hard time rolling on the walls. When thinning the paint, use the right thinner to create a perfect mixture without bubbles. Don’t use a thinner meant for oil-based paint to thin latex paint.
Avoid Over-Rolling
If you’ve been applying several coats of paint or over-rolling on your walls, it’s high time you changed that. Several coats with the roller will make the paint have bubbles while also breaking the walls. So, it’s advisable to overlap the strokes but don’t roll the paint in a given area after you feel it’s well covered.
Clean Your Roller
Another hack to stop having orange peel when painting a wall using a roller is maintaining it in perfect shape. Do clean it after every use to eliminate any dirt or clumps on the roller. Also, check if the roller is in perfect shape before using it for your next painting project. Having dried paint or dents on the roller will contribute to an orange peel texture on your walls. So, wash the roller and remove any dried paint. If it’s damaged, consider replacing it to avoid having this effect on your walls.
Don’t Paint When Its Highly Humid
Rolling paint on a wall at a high humidity level or high temperatures is not recommended. This is because the paint will have bubbles before it dries off. The walls will also have small bubbles before it dries off, resulting in an orange peel texture.
Also, don’t keep the paint in a room with high temperatures as it will affect how it dries off. You can check the paint’s recommended temperature by the manufacturers. Or use it in a room/ surface of fewer than 80 degrees.
Give The Paint Time to Dry Off Before Rolling the Next Layer
You can also avoid orange peel by doing one coat at a time. This will give the paint enough time to dry off before rolling the next coat. Being impatient when rolling paint on your walls will make it foam bubbles and have orange peel. So, take your time and give each coat enough time to dry off before doing the second layer. Use the manufacturer’s instructions to guide you here.
Stir The Paint Before Use
You should also stir the paint instead of shaking it before use. Doing this will help you reduce the chances of having bubbles, giving you a hard time when rolling the paint. The bubbles will also foam the orange texture on your walls, giving you undesired results.
But don’t stir vigorously, as this too can make bubbles foam. Instead, stir gently and steadily to reduce the number of air bubbles that will foam on the paint before you apply it on the roller.
Clean The Walls Before Rolling the Paint
Additionally, you can avoid orange peel when painting a wall with a roller by cleaning the surface before working on it. This will help you get rid of dirt, peeling paint, or stains. You can sand the walls that will trap paint on certain spots, resulting in uneven paint flow.
If there are dents on the wall, consider caulking to create a smooth surface that won’t cause the orange peel. You can use a dump piece of cloth or brush to clean the walls and get a perfect and attractive look.