Applying emulsion with a roller is the quickest method of covering a sizable surface area, although you may require more coats than when painting with a brush because the paint goes on quite sparingly with a roller. Roller sleeves are available in many sizes and textures. Choose a short-pile sleeve for any even wall surface, and a shaggy sheepskin style sleeve for the more textured surface. The parts the roller cannot reach will have to be finished with a brush. Solid non-drip emulsion, which is supplied in a tray, can also be applied using a roller. While you apply the roller, the paint liquefies and allows the roller to gather up the correct quantity of paint.

1 Pour the emulsion paint into the paint tray reservoir - it ought to be about a third full. Dip the roller sleeve in the paint and roll it firmly up and down the tray's ribbed slope to spread the paint evenly. Do not overload the sleeve or paint will splash everywhere.

2 Move the roller over the wall surface, using random strokes applied with a lightweight, even force. Try not to work too fast or you will probably create a fine mist of paint spray. Every time the roller is dipped in the paint, move it to an adjacent unpainted area and work your way back to the painted area in overlapping strokes to blend in the wet edges.

Using Paint Pads:

Paint pads come in several sizes. These are flat and rectangular with closely packed short fibres bonded with a foam backing strip, which makes the pad flexible. Pads are excellent for painting big areas with liquid paint - the larger the pad, the faster you can cover the surface. They create less spray and mess than rollers, but they will need reloading with paint more often. Use a paint pad tray which includes a built-in ribbed roller on which excess paint can be removed.

1 Pour the paint into the paint pad tray, then draw the pad over the built-in roller to distribute the paint evenly and remove any excess - a paint pad will give a patchy finish if it is loaded unequally, and will drip if there's a lot of paint on it.

2 Start painting next to a corner and work in strips about 4 times the width of your pad. Keeping the pad flat to the wall, move it up and down the surface with a mild scrubbing action.

Painting Edges - Cutting in

Rollers and larger paint pads are excellent for covering whole walls rapidly, but they cannot reach the whole way into the edges, you will have to finish off these areas using a brush or small paint pad - a process often referred to as 'cutting in'. This is done before or after the main painting, but you will probably obtain the most uniform finish if you do it before the main area is painted.

1 Paint four or five overlapping strokes at right angles towards the edge to fill the gap linking the edge and the new paint.

2 Painting parallel to the edge, go over the first brush strokes in an extended sweeping motion. Repeat until the entire edge is painted. Job done.