Priming overlap areas are very visible

[ksanny]

Hi,

I'm attempting to paint the walls in our bedroom using primer followed by latex paint. The paint and primer are both tinted.

We attempted to prime the walls using rollers in small 3X3 sections at a time. After the primer dried, we notice that the edges of the 3X3 sections that tend to overlap the neighbouring sections are pretty dark when compared to the interior of the 3X3 section. So what we have are darker borders and a lighter interior for each of the sections.

We've left the walls alone for a few days, and over the days, the darkness of the edges has faded a bit, but they are still very visible.

How do I fix this? What am I doing wrong? Any help would be appreciated.

Do I just paint over and hope for the best that the primer borders will be hidden. If they are still visible after a layer of paint, do I just try another layer of paint? How do I stop the same phenomenon from happening when I paint?

Thank you for any advise you can throw my way.

[Scott]

You can count the days I've painted on one hand, but here's what I do: as I am painting those 3x3 squares in vertical strokes, after I finish a couple I take my roller and run horizontally across all of the squares. Basically, I aim to smooth out the paint distribution and blur the borders across the various squares.

Another issue might be cheap paint/primer. I had an experience with cheaper paint (Glidden) that left some very, very noticeable patchy-ness, even with using the technique described above. I have

*not* had similar problems with Berh Premium Plus paint. (You can read the entire thread of this discussion over at Of course, I'm certain there is a more professional way to do it, but my technique (with non-cheapo paint) has worked well. Also, I've found that even with a nice-looking first coat, putting on a second coat provides better results.

Good luck.

ksanny wrote:

[Joseph Meehan]

If the primer is flat (that is it does not have ridges where there is overlap and only a different color) I would not worry about it. Primers are primers and not paint. They are not designed to give you a nice even color, that is for the paint to do.

Next time however and especially on the finish coats, paint with a wet edge. That is don't stop until you hit a corner, keep working against a wet edge of paint.

[m Ransley]

Use a roller on a pole and paint from top to bottom not in small squares and overlap as you roll, if it looks good as you roll it should dry fine.

Who ever said to paint in 3x3 squares is wrong.

You want to paint continously, keeping it wet, overlap a bit, with a wet roller, a 3/4" roller holds more paint and the job is faster.

[Chet Hayes]

Yes, you want to paint walls in large sections, top to bottom, after cutting in around the edges first. What you're seeing is the overlapping areas have more paint, so the color looks different. With primer, this sounds normal. I would just proceed with the actual paint.

[ksanny]

I just finished putting on a coat of paint and the room looks great. No checkered priming pattern is visible. It looks fantastic. It does not look like I'll need a second coat.

I used Benjamin Moore tinted Primer and paint.

Thank you all for your advice.

[Joseph Meehan]

Glad to hear you like your results.