A paint roller consists of a handle, a sleeve (or roller cover), and a cage (a skeletal frame with rotating ribs).
- Pick a paint roller with a steel handle, which is equipped with a plastic grip threaded to fit an extension pole.
- For an oil-based paint and primer, you can use a sleeve made with synthetic fibers or natural fibers, like lambs wool, sheepskin, or mohair. Lambs wool holds more paint and produces less splatter than most synthetic covers. And mohair is excellent for very smooth surfaces, like doors.
- For a latex water-based paint and primer, use a sleeve made of synthetic fibers. Natural fibers absorb water and become unmanageable.
- For a specialized paint job, here are some specialty sleeves:
- Fabric sleeves can be used with a variety of faux finishes like rag rolling.
- Foam sleeves come as textured or smooth. The smooth sleeves can spread oil, latex, enamels, and varnish on ultra smooth surfaces.
- Stenciled sleeves are made from cut rubber or foam. They come in single and double roller models. A double roller offers the best results.
- Stippling sleeves work well with textured paints and offer a unique finish with house paint.
- Use a sleeve with thick naps. The nap or pile is the length of fabric that sticks up from the backing (like the pile of carpet). A rule of thumb is the smoother the surface, the shorter the nap should be. Conversely, the longer the nap, the more paint it holds.
For a paint roller with the right nap size, follow these guidelines:
- 1/8 to 1/4 naps for ultra smooth surfaces, like new walls, ceilings, wood doors, trim. Use with enamels, varnish, oil and latex paints.
- 3/8 to 1/2 naps for medium rough surfaces, like textured plaster, concrete. These can be used with all paints.
- 3/4 is a general purpose nap length for semi-rough surfaces. It is excellent for interior and exterior surfaces like smooth concrete, walls, and siding.
- 1 to 1½ naps are for the roughest surfaces, like split face concrete and stucco.
Tips
- When picking a paint roller, also buy a roller tray or a roller screen.
- Use mini rollers for trim and small areas.
- Before dipping your paint sleeve in oil-based paint, remove any loose fibers. Wrap masking tape around the sleeve in a spiral pattern with little pressure. Then unwrap cover to remove loose fibers. This is essential with synthetic sleeves.
- Use 9” paint rollers for walls and ceilings. Larger sizes are heavier, so using them will tire you sooner.
- Use professional paint rollers and sleeves to make your job easier, more professional, and eliminate repainting.
A paint roller is a vital tool for any home paint job. Once you determine your needs, you can pick the perfect one.
