About Paint Rollers

Painting is a job that is loved by many and loathed by many more. There is a lot of set-up, prep work and cleanup involved with the process. With that being said, paint rollers are an instrumental tool to speed up the process and make it as painless as possible.

Function

The main function of a paint roller is to cover a lot of surface area in a quick and convenient way. It is used on drywall surfaces, wood, concrete and cinder block.

Features

Paint rollers are constructed out of a hollow-core center with a type of fiber wrapped around it. This core resembles that of a paper towel center. The exterior fiber is usually made from lamb's wool, synthetic fibers or mohair, which is a fancy name for goat hair. The thickness of this material is called the nap size.

Other than their use with paint, rollers can also be used to spread stain, polyurethane, driveway sealant and wood treatment.

Identification

There is also a textured roller that can be used. These are heavy duty with a rug-like design that leaves a decorative finish on the surface area it is covering. It is generally used with textured paints that are thicker and heavier than regular paints.

Size

Paint rollers come in an array of sizes. They can be as small as 2 inches for intricate work and as large as 18 inches for covering big, open areas. The nap size can go from 1/4 inch up to 1 1/4 inch for surfaces that have deep crevices. The smaller naps are mostly used for drywall and smooth wood.

Prevention/Solution

If a paint roller is going to be used again in a few hours or the next day, it can be wrapped up tightly and sealed in a garbage bag. The paint will stay fresh and it will not dry. This will save time and eliminate the aggravation of cleaning it up.

Also, when the roller is going to be cleaned up at the end of the day, there is a tool that can be purchased at paint stores that makes the process a lot easier. It is called a Roller Power Washer. It is a device that attaches to a faucet or garden hose and uses high pressure water to clean a roller.

Expert Insight

When selecting paint rollers, stay away from ones that have a cardboard core. They have a tendency to absorb paint and get mushy. Always try to find rollers with hard plastic cores as they are resistant to just about anything.