Painting bare internal brickwork

spray it

 

A roller won't get into the mortar lines or the pores of the brick, you will need at least 3 coats to get a decent coverage. Buy or hire a compressor and spray gun.
As for the paint, emulsion will be fine.

 

It is possible to flood the morters and brickwork with a roller, and then back-roll with an empty roller to lay it off. Although i do agree, spraying is the way to go.

 

That's absolute nonsense giving advice by telling someone to go and buy/hire a compressor just to paint the inside of a garage.

If you're on a tight budget which it appears that you are then use the roller, a brush and some emulsion.

 

Have you painted much brickwork Suppa?

 

DIY, is it brick or block? Block can be a sod to paint due top its rough texture - trying to get paint into them wee bits.

Basically, suck it and see. When I did the inside of my block garage walls, I tried a large brush, a masonry roller, and an airless spray gun.

The spray gun was best for getting the paint into every part of the rough block surface, but because the paint had to be thinned, it didn't fully obliterate the block colour when it dried, so needed a further coat. I think I'd gotten tired of the vibration and racket by then so used the roller.

As 'Tosh says, load it up well and shove it on. But you will likely find that runs will trickle out of the deeper bits, so keep an eye on it and roll over again or use a large brush.

If what you have is brick, so the surface ain't deeply knobbly, then a roller would be the simplest I guess. Have a brush handy too to get the paint into deeper bits...

 

Never used an airless gun as I've always had a compressor but you can buy a compressed air spray gun for around £20 off our hosts.
The hire costs I have just realised are horrendous, a compressor that costs £100 to buy is at least £45 a day to hire, robbing gets!
You could buy a second hand one off ebay and then re-sell it or keep it and get some different air tools such as nailers or staplers if you do a lot of DIY.

 

There is a trade off between getting the paint thin enough to spray and coverage but if you hadn't sprayed some paint into the pores the subsequent rollering wouldn't have looked as good.
I hate painting, hate painting brick and hate spraying but I keep on having to to it and spraying is the easiest and quickest way.

 

You have to use a 'circular scrubbing' action, wider the brush the better.

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

Do you mean this, Chippie: http://www.screwfix.com/p/energer-enb558srg-100w-solenoid-spray-gun-220-240v/11919

That's the kind of beast I meant - the kind I used. Effective for crude jobs in short periods, but will soon drive you to distraction...

But, as you say, it is the best solution for getting paint into them pores.

 

I meant one like this
http://www.screwfix.com/p/gravity-feed-spray-gun-600ml/21063

 

Ooooh, I wouldn't pre-wet the walls, DIY. If the surface is absorbent, then thin the first coat by whatever - 10-15%?

From what you say, your walls are not going to be too much of a problem - nothing like coarse block. So roll away...

And have a large brush handy too.

 

Was gonna say exactly the same as DA but he just beat me to it.....

Treat the bricks like a newly plastered wall and mist coat 1st if you think the bricks are gonna be thirsty

Use a long pile roller and this will get into the mortar lines easy

Roll slowish to avoid too much splatter - especially with the thinner mist coat

But lets remember, this is a garage wall so we aint looking for a Picasso surely ?

 

painted a lot of rough masonry surfaces with masonry paint a 4 inch brush in small circles with a decent amount of paint on it ought to get the job done

 

If you are anywhere near Hitchin you can borrow my gear for free.