Table of Contents
¼-inch nap is best for very smooth walls, ceilings, cabinetry, and other surfaces without texture, including metal. ⅜-inch nap is good for lightly textured surfaces, including most interior walls. ½-inch nap is a good length for moderately textured walls, paneling, and painted brick or concrete.
How do I choose a nap roller?
When painting a new drywall surface, choose a nap length between 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch. With a nap that short, the roller cover won’t hold a lot of paint, but you’ll be left with a smooth finish. For previously-painted drywall, use a 3/8-inch or 5/16-inch nap length. The longer nap will hold more paint.
What size nap do you use to paint walls?
12mm NAP. The most commonly used roller for painting all walls and ceilings around the home. They are designed to hold a fair amount of paint, usually for applying flat or low sheen paints.
What is the most common paint roller nap?
When it doubt, a 3/8-inch nap is one of the most common roller options and should be sufficient for just about everything in your home.
How thick should a nap roller be?
The nap is determined by the surface texture to be painted: 1/4-inch, 3/16-inch: For very smooth surfaces like metal doors and plaster. 3/8-inch, 1/2-inch: For smooth and semi-smooth surfaces like drywall. 3/4-inch: For semi-rough surfaces like wood or a textured ceiling.
What is considered a short nap roller?
For smooth surfaces such as new drywall, choose a shorter nap (3/16” or 1/4″) to evenly apply the paint. Because a shorter nap picks up less paint, it is common for some painters to “bump up” to a longer nap for increased production.
What is the best type of roller for painting walls?
Using the best type of roller Basically, foam, mohair and sheepskin rollers come in short, medium and long-pile. A short-pile mohair roller is suitable for applying silk emulsion, while a medium-pile sheepskin roller is best for matt emulsion. Short pile is the choice for very fine or flat surfaces.
Will a thick nap roller to hide imperfections?
A thick nap roller will hide imperfections but it will not fill any holes. Rollers are made to cover a large area in one stroke so they will miss some places where you will have to touch it up with a brush.
Are knit or woven rollers better?
Knit roller covers can pick up and release higher amounts of paint than woven fabrics because the fibers have a looped backing with a single pass-through process resulting in a more “open” fabric. You can achieve spray-like results with both of these roller covers when applying any type of paint, varnish, or enamel.
What is a 3/8 nap roller?
3/8-inch nap for smooth to light-textured walls. 1/2-inch nap for most walls and medium rough surfaces, such as textured plaster, and concrete. 3/4-inch nap for rough surfaces, such as textured walls and ceilings, textured plaster, and concrete. 3/8- or 1/2-inch nap is a good general-purpose roller cover.
What is a medium nap paint roller?
Medium length naps, around 3/8-inch length, are good for semi-rough surfaces because the slightly longer fibers can push paint into the dips in the surface, allowing for full coverage, but aren’t so long that they add additional texture to the surface.
What rollers do professional painters use?
Which is the Best Paint Roller to Use? PRODEC 9″ Trade Professional Medium Pile Roller Kit. Hynec Ultimate Paint Roller Set. Harris Walls & Ceilings Essentials. Wickes Professional Roller on an Extendable Pole. ProDec Twin Head Masonry Kit. Harris Powercoat Paint Roller.
What size roller should I use for textured walls?
¾-inch nap: This is ideal for working with medium-textured or rough walls. ⅜-inch nap: This is best for medium-textured surfaces, like drywall.
Are Purdy rollers good?
Best Overall: Purdy White Dove Woven Roller Cover ⅜-Inch Nap You’ll get top-notch results, even if you are new to DIY painting. It’s truly a multi-purpose roller cover. Use this roller cover with any latex or oil-based paint, stain, varnish, or sealer over walls, doors, trim, cabinets, ceilings, floors, even metal.
Is drywall smooth or semi-smooth?
Very Smooth – for metal doors and plaster. Smooth – for drywall. Semi-Smooth – for drywall.
What is the thickest nap paint roller?
Paint Roller Cover Thickness The thickness of roller covers is called the nap or pile. 3/16 to 1/4-inch thickness is perfect for smooth surface roller covers for painting metal doors, interior doors, trim and cabinets. 3/8 to 1/2-inch thickness is preferable for semi-smooth surfaces such as drywall.
What is a mohair roller used for?
Mohair Rollers When utilized with varying length naps, Mohair roller sleeves are excellent for use on most surfaces. They may even be used with varnish. These rollers are ideal for use with oil-based radiator paints and are often used with gloss paints.
Should I paint walls or ceiling first?
The ceiling should always be painted first. This allows you to effectively cover the surface with at least two coats while not having to worry about any over-spray (the effect of excess paint being sprayed onto the walls) by the roller. When painting the ceiling, you should always use a roller with a double arm frame.
How do I get a smooth finish with a paint roller?
Start at one end, running the roller up and down the full height of the wall, moving over slightly with each stroke. Move backward where necessary to even out thick spots or runs. Don’t let the roller become nearly dry; reload it often so that it’s always at least half loaded.
