The Professional Painter’s 411 on Rollers & Nap 

Selecting the right equipment to paint with may seem simple enough, right? Buy some brushes, rollers, a tarp, and off you go. Unfortunately, there are actually some details to the equipment that you will need to understand in order to choose the right materials to get your paint project completed. Let’s take a closer look at the nap on your rollers so you get the most out of your painting equipment. 

The Purpose of a Roller 

If you are a painting newbie, you will want to invest in both rollers and brushes. The brushes will be used to paint small areas and detail work along the trim, edges, and baseboards. Rollers will help you paint large, flat surfaces in much less time than a brush. They are also excellent for use on all walls, stucco, concrete, or any other flat surface.

Not all rolling naps are the same, however. Roller covers vary in nap length. The nap is determined by the surface texture to be painted. The shorter the nap the smoother the surface. 

For example, a ¼  inch nap should be used for very smooth surfaces like metal doors and plaster. Longer roller naps, such as 1 ½ inch should be used for extremely rough surfaces like concrete blocks or surfaces that have nooks and crannies. Talk to the specialists where you are buying your paint about what length nap you will need to get the best results. 

Roller Quality & Materials 

Along with considering the length of the nap for your rollers, homeowners should also consider the quality of the rollers. As with brushes there are a wide array of materials that can be used on a roller. For example, there is the polyester knit which is one of the more popular materials as it offers the best protection against matting.

Other materials include sheepskin, wool/polyester, and mohair. Sheepskin material picks up and releases more paint than any other roller cover. Wool and polyester allows for easy pick up and delivery of the paint while holding shape for prolonged use. Mohair produces the smoothest finish possible with a roller cover. It is recommended for use with gloss and high gloss coatings.

Do you have questions about which roller type, length, and material you should be using for your surfaces? Talk to our specialists or to set up an appointment to discuss your latest paint project contact us on our website. 

Categorised in: Decorative Paint Techniques, Interior painting, Painting Equipment