I am wondering if re-using a roller tray liner is asking for trouble. The old paint was white primer; the new paint is very slightly different white. Even if I scrape out all the possible flakes and thicker chunks of old paint, I'm wondering if the new paint will loosen up the old and create a mix / mess? I'm using Benjamin Moore Natura (White Dove OC17) on top of BM Natura zero VOC interior primer White 511 00.
Re-use a roller tray liner
painting
Related Solutions
As long as you can get it airtight, it will work just fine. I use the disposable tray liners and try to get as much of the paint off the liner as possible, pouring the remaining paint back into the can.
I leave the liner on the roller tray, cover it with plastic wrap and then put the whole thing in a tie-off garbage bag, trying to get as much of the air out as possible. Keeping it in a cool place helps to cut down evaporation too.
Another tip: 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bags are the perfect size to hold a 9" roller cover between uses:
I squeeze the roller cover out with a painter's multi-tool, drop it in the bag, and seal it up. It won't keep forever, but it will certainly last a week.
I have used a sprayer to paint my house before we moved in. While I can't qualify how much more paint I used, it did feel like I used more compared to rolling, but I think part of that is because it goes so quick and I may have been painting over the same areas more than I would have with a roller.
One thing to note though, when I sprayed my home, there was nothing in it. No flooring, window treatments, etc. Spraying, no matter how careful, will leave some atomized paint in the air, which will eventually hit the floor or whatever else you don't want to have paint on it. Be prepared to mask, tape, and tarp everything you don't want painted that can't be removed from the room. You will want a mask and a respirator of some kind (you probably don't need anything fancy). The mask I used had a roll of film built in it so that I could get a "clean view" when too much paint got on it. That was especially handy when doing the ceilings.
Personally, now that I have moved in, I would roll instead of spray.
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Best Answer
There is a good chance that you will be perfectly fine. I've rolled out of trays I've let paint dry in with perfectly fine results when I got lazy and it was an area I wasn't concerned about (like a shed, inside of my garage, etc...)
However, based on which paint you chose, I'd say this is more important area, so why risk it?
There is a chance that the new wet paint plus the bending, flexing, or pressure of you rolling could loosen up some more pieces/flakes.
Liners are cheap, but if you really do plan on reusing them clean them up immediately after use to make it easier.