Brand-name 3/8-inch-nap nine-inch-long roller covers. Home centers and painting stores offer a wide range of roller cover options, but 3/8″ nap, 9″ length is homeowners’ best choice nine times out of 10. A nine-inch length is large enough to paint quickly but still small enough to be manageable. (Pros often use 12 to 18-inch rollers for greater speed, but these are tricky for novices to control.) The nap measurement refers to the depth of the roller’s pile. A 3/8-inch nap holds lots of paint yet still produces a smooth finish. Potential exceptions: A slightly shorter nap could be appropriate if you want a very smooth finish and are willing to take more time (shorter nap holds less paint)…a slightly longer nap-typically ½ inch-could be appropriate if you are painting a rough surface such as concrete block and don’t mind that textured finish.
Brand-name roller covers are worth their higher price. Off-brand roller covers usually don’t hold paint very well or last very long…and they are notorious for shedding lint into painted surfaces, which looks terrible. Good roller cover choices include Purdy WhiteDove roller covers…and Sherwin-Williams Contractor Series Soft Woven roller covers.
Also purchase a roller frame with an extension pole long enough that you can paint your walls and/or ceilings while standing on the floor, not on a ladder-a two-to-four-foot extension pole is sufficient for most residential jobs. Eliminating the ladder cuts painting time in half, reduces the stress on your knees and back and avoids the risk of a ladder fall.
