I'd like to start by saying some of the best ways to apply paint hasn't changed in a hundred years. We're still using a brush to do most painting work. This much is true, but the technology of the way brushes are built and the materials they are built from has changed. Changed for the better, they last longer, hold more paint and do a smoother job. Brush makers have developed a brush for almost every different kind of coating out there. There are times when using a paintbrush just isn't practical. Either the surface is just too large or the texture too rough. What do we do then? Another workhorse of the industry is the roller. We have all used or seen rollers used on the inside of a home, maybe not so much on the outside. Rollers can solve many problems we may run across in our exterior painting projects from painting aluminum siding to painting a cement floor. When used with an extension pole; a small roller works nicely on overhangs or even fascia. Rollers can be bought in different thickness and textures depending on your needs.

Lastly and probably, the most important of all the ways of applying paint is the sprayer. Be warned, a sprayer can be a dangerous weapon in the hands of an untrained person. Not to mention cause costly property damage not only to your property but also to your neighbor's. Sprayers are a nice way to paint a super smooth finish. They do use more paint than brushes or rollers. When you account for over spray, which is paint coming out of the gun that didn't make it to the surface; additional material will be lost in cleanup and waste. I've found there have been more times that I couldn't spray than times I could. In order to start a spray project anything not being painted must be properly masked off and covered. In addition, on a windy day, forget it. Over-spray can carry a long way, on your car or your neighbor's car costing big money to get their car cleaned. Before renting a paint sprayer, do your homework first and save yourself some aggravation later. If the store you're renting the sprayer from won't take the time to show you all the safety instruction on how to handle the sprayer, find one that will.