How to Choose the Right Paint Roller

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (6 Ratings)

A roller consists of a handle, a cage and a roller cover, also known as a sleeve. Here's how to pick a quality paint roller for the job.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

  • Roller Grids
  • Paint Roller Pans
  • Paint Rollers With Extension Pole
  • Paints

Step1
Choose a handle made of steel and equipped with a plastic grip that is threaded to accommodate an extension pole.
Step2
Be sure the cage allows for easy roller cover replacement.
Step3
Check to be sure roller cover will stay in place on the cage and will not slide off.
Step4
If you'll be using oil-based paint, choose a roller cover made from natural fibers, such as sheepskin, lamb's wool, or mohair. You can also use a synthetic-fiber roller cover.
Step5
If you'll be using water-based (latex) paint, use a cover made of synthetic fibers.
Step6
Choose a roller cover with dense fibers. For fiber length, the rule to remember is the smoother the surface, the shorter the fiber length should be.

Tips & Warnings

  • Choose smaller rollers for trim and small areas.
  • Choose 9-inch-long rollers for painting walls and ceilings.
  • When selecting a roller, also purchase a roller tray or a roller grid (or screen).
  • Buying an inexpensive roller is not recommended - cheap rollers cause paint to splatter. It's best to spend a few more dollars for a better roller rather than spending more time and money fixing a sloppy paint job. You'll inevitably end up buying a better roller anyway.

Comments

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Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 6/30/2006 A power roller is an affordable and smart choice. Just what I expected, being able to control the exact amount of paint on my roller and never having to reload meant a more complete job with less time. The pump is also a stand for a one gallon paint can. It's a little heavier to hold onto but worth the effort. Clean up is simple. With set up and clean up, it's best for jobs that use two or more gallons of paint.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 3/20/2006 Tired of cleaning the paint tray after each use? Line the paint tray with aluminum foil all over. Discard the
foil when finished! Simple.

To clean the roller after use, squeeze out the remaining paint with a blunt knife a few times. It will take out most of the paint.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 10/1/2007 If you take a break from painting (even for a day or two), use the plastic sleeves that protect your newspaper when it is delivered to cover the roller. Tie with a twist tie and you can pick up where you left off and not have to wash the roller every day.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 If you're taking a break when painting, place roller sleeves and brushes in large Ziplock bags. Place the name of the product on the bags. Slide a roller pan into a plastic grocery bag to prevent paint from drying out if you are delayed in returning to your task.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 10/1/2007 Use a paint stick that sucks up the paint in the handle out of the bucket and makes less splatter. When painting the ceiling, no need for a ladder and the going up and down that uses up a lot of energy. The splatter guard works great! Fast on walls, too!

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eHow Article:  How to Choose the Right Paint Roller

eHow Home & Garden Editor

eHow Home & Garden Editor

Category: Home & Garden

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