Roller covers absorb enough joint compound to make it a sufficient applicator.
You can apply joint compound to walls with a paint roller. The standard method for applying joint compound, which is also called drywall compound, is with a thin, flat object such as a metal spatula, putty knife or paint scraper because they allow you to apply large amounts of joint compound to fill in a sizable gap or hole in drywall. However, paint rollers work just as well as spatulas for applying drywall compound to shallow impressions such as nail or screw dents. Does this Spark an idea?
Preparation
Covering the floor and surrounding furniture before applying joint compound helps protect the surrounding area from dripping compound and splattering. Consider wearing protective gear over your hands, eyes and mouth to prevent accidental contact with sensitive body areas. Thin latex gloves provide a barrier between your hands and the mixture, they enable your hands to function mostly unobstructed, and you can simply throw them away after the project. Clear safety glasses that hug your face, have minimal openings for compound splatter to reach your eyes, and have a face mask that covers your mouth limits you from breathing fumes and pre-mix compound dust particles.
Application
Fill a paint tray with joint compound, coat the paint roller extensively with the drywall compound and roll over the shallow dent. Joint compound shrinks as it dries so leaving a small compound mound over the impression ensures the mixture fills the dent sufficiently after it hardens. Sanding down the joint compound after it dries makes it flush with the drywall. One method for minimizing sanding is to use a trowel to smooth out the compound after the roller application. Smooth joint compound is ready for primer and paint.
Additional Purposes
Applying joint compound to walls with a roller is also a method for creating a decorative drywall aesthetic. In this scenario, the purpose is not to fill in a dent but to create a textured appearance called orange-peel finish.
Use a power mixing paddle to stir water and joint compound until the consistency mimics paint. Roll the mixture onto the drywall using a one-half-inch nap roller, getting as close to edges and corners as possible. Adding a second coat after the first coat dries helps you achieve a more pronounced orange-peel finish. Use a standard paint brush or sponge to dab the compound along the edges and corners to cover up any gaps on a single wall.
Considerations
Paint roller "nap" refers to the thickness and texture of the roller cover. The thicker and more lush the nap, the more texture the roller leaves in the joint compound on the drywall after application. Any size nap is suitable for filling shallow dents, but review the finish of different nap sizes before creating an orange-peel effect. A foam roller cover, which is free of nap, does not work for the orange-peel aesthetic but it fills small impressions with compound after several layers.
Tags: joint compound, compound after, drywall compound, your hands, applying joint, compound walls