Paint Rollers - Various Advice Required Please

[Metal Head]

Hi,

I just did a search on the type of info I required but didn't find anything.

Can you tell me which size rollers are best used on walls & ceilings?
Which roller material is best for acyrlic paint as opposed to oil?
Is a certain "nap" better than another for either of the paint types?
Do certain rollers hold more paint (less work) than others?
Which brand do you think make the best rollers?

I bought one of those Bunnings "good value" packs a few months ago and found bits coming off with the paint onto the wall - not bad if you like a grit type finish:rolleyes:. I was advised afterwards that if you pre-wash them that would eradicate the problem but it didn't - maybe there is a special process for it:?.

I'm sorry for all the questions (and unfortunately I think it will put a lot off from replying) but I don't think I will be the only one to benefit from the replies:wink:.

Thanks to those who do take the time out even if it only to do one.

Cheers
MH

[durwood]

Hi Metal Head,
Could't let your questions remained unanswered,( not after our little shoulder weep on each other )

I can understanmd your frustration especially when you go to a place like Bunnings and there are hundreds of rollers all stating they are the greatest. I'm sure some are a lot better than others but I havn't found one yet that has been that much better than the "Good Value" ones.

Sure they let go of a few bits of fluff initially but that seems to be the case for any one I've ever tried. So do brushes even the top of the line ones.

Only to be expected I suppose but I have always set about using a brush or roller anticipating the worse. So I use them initially on the undercoat or as the first coat knowing I will be back for two or possibly three coats.

If it sheds I remove the offending object and keep going, often its junk in the paint so the applicator is not always to blame.

By the time I get to the final coat I'm fairly confident the roller has been broken in.

The beauty of the cheap ones is that I don't feel guility when I throw them away especially as the water to wash them is just about costiing more than roller itself. I certainly object to buying an expensive roller and not getting much noticable benifit from it and then feeling it necessary to wash it thoroughly for further use and finding it no better next time than if I had done the same for a cheap one.

I usually start with a cheap roller , wash it first as you were advised, break it in wash it reaonably well store it in water till the next coat and throw it away when the job is done, Unless I have something else to paint in the next few weeks.

To answer a few of your queries.

The normal 230mm ones work the best unless you have very large areas to do and then you could use a wider one. The problem with that is you then need a wopping big tray. I remember having a roller so wide I had to round up a car bonnet to pour the paint in it was so wide ( but we were painting a large warehouse)

Rollers are good for walls etc but rarely would you be doing them with oil based enamel and the cost of cleaning out the roller with turps would be a big factor if considering doing so. I think a large brush would be the go for the enamel.

You would need to do a comparison test to decide which "nap" works best for any one paint. Hopefully someone has done this and can tell you. The only experience I have was with a long nap one which held heaps of paint tended to throw it out everywhere as you rolled and sprinkled dots of paint over me and everything near it it held lots of paint but was terrible to clean and we lost heaps of paint just loading the roller.

If the roller held more paint it may go a bit further each dip but could also make the job harder to do especially if it tended to put excess onto the surface initially and required you to then try and wipe it out into a smooth coat. Again let hope a housepainter who uses these things everyday can give you a sensible answer ( its a good question)

[Barry_White]

MH

I would just go into a good paintshop and they will give you all the advise you need regarding paint, rollers and brushes to do your job.

[scooter]

Shorter nap for higher sheen (glossier) paints.

Longer nap leaves stippled finish.

[peter_sm]

I found the best advice from my friendly paint shop. I suppose we were lucky that the salesperson really took a shine to us. Well the missus was preggers, and she was a mum too, so they got along well, and we were buying paint for the entire inside and outside of a house, so she was really helpful.

In regards to the products to apply the paint, she was pretty straight up and said they didn't even bother carrying the very cheapest throw away products. They were too inconsistent and using them could create problems with the finish.

They had a house brand which was manufactured by Rokset. A middle of the range type of product that would last the distance of a house repaint. Although with the actual roller covers She said to use one for only a couple of rooms. $10 or whatever they were. The reason being that after a bit of use rolling, cleaning etc. they can get a little bit flatter on the ends.

Now this is different with buying top of the range. I don't remember what the brand names were, but $50 for a brush came to mind. They were professional items to be used by tradespeople, and designed to last a much longer time.

I have to admit she was right. We have done all the painting and all the equipment at the middle range (House brand / Rokset) lasted. Except for the roller covers which we went through five of them. It was a relief not to have to clean them a few times as they were being tossed anyway.

[peter_sm]

Oh and I will add. I bought both 230 and 280?mm rollers. I had a lot of painting to do, sealing, ceilings, wall colour changes, different colours every room etc. A whole house becomes 30% quicker to do with the larger roller on the extension boom, although you get 30% more tired and sore. I used the smaller roller for smaller rooms like bathroom, laundry, toilet and contrast colour above picture rails.

[Metal Head]

Thanks Durwood, Velvet Voice (Barry White), Scooter & Peter SM for your replies:2tsup:.

I had been hoping for a few more replies, especially off the pro painters but it maybe they are worried we will take their lively hood off them:).

Cheers
MH

[munruben]

I had been hoping for a few more replies, especially off the pro painters but it maybe they are worried we will take their lively hood off them:).
Cheers
MH
Hi, I was a painter for 40+ years. use the long nap, wooly type for acrylic paint and the foam looking ones for gloss. We use to use the commercial type holder for the roller. The roller being supported at both ends, however for home use around 200mm to 300mm is satisfactory for that use. DON'T ask your local paint store salesman/owner which is the best roller to buy.These guys are primarily there to sell, sell, sell and will point you in the direction of the expensive rollers (more profit) The cheapies are quite capable of doing the work for you and as stated in the posts above, throw away items.
DO NOT throw your roller away after painting only two rooms, unless thats all you intend to paint. Even the cheap rollers will last for quite a few rooms of average size. One cheap roller should paint the walls of the average 3 bedroom home.
Again, it is in the interest of the salesman to tell you this to sell you more products.
Good luck.

[Paynta]

Hi Metal Head,

Late post but hope I can help...

Your choice of roller sleeve will also depend on the condition of the surfaces you are painting. For example, if the surface is undulating/wavy such as a slightly sagging ceiling, I would recommend using a 230mm sleeve or smaller . Otherwise you will find that you will have "misses" were the sleeve skips over the hollows. If the surface is consistent I would use a 270mm sleeve. The 270 will be a bit heavier but a lot faster.

In regards to nap length, we typically use anything between 9mm and 12mm for low sheens (generally walls) and 12mm up for ceilings if they are being finished in a flat paint. You'll find that the longer the nap, the greater the texture and as most people tend to finish ceilings in flat paint, the texture is not as obvious.

We use either 230mm foam or very short nap mohair rollers for enamels. I prefer foam sleeves. Less surface bubbling and cheap!! As Durwood mentioned, turps aint cheap and at around $3 - $5 for a foamy most people can live with the guilt of throwing them after the job is done.

In regards to which brand is best... good luck! As the owner of a painting business, I have paid as little as $2.50 and as much as $42.00 for a roller sleeve. For the past 6 months or so we have been using Rolana brand sleeves. They are a good allrounder and at about $13.00 each they are pretty good value. These would be fine for a project.
I totally agree with munruben about getting worked over by the sales person. Anyone trying to sell you a sleeve worth more than $20 for a home reno should be shot or dipped in varnish.

And yes, you must thoroughly wash any sleeve prior to use. I usually wet the sleeve well and twist it firmly with both hands under running water for a minute or two to loosen and remove any loose material. This isn't too kind to the environment given the water shortages in most states but I havn't found a better alternative. If anyone has one, please let me know.

Phew!! hope this helps, and sorry to everyone for the lengthy reply.:B

[Metal Head]

Thank you Munruben & Paynta for your excellent replies. I apologize for not having got back sooner.

To everyone,

Is it possible that by putting rollers into a bucket (and cover them with water) that the most of the paint will fall to the bottom in a day or two?

Is there also a brand (name) of roller that (when brand new) will not shed any of it's material onto the surface being painted?

Cheers
MH

[peter_sm]

I have used a few Rokset brand sleeves at about $10 each, and they only shed a couple of fine bits later in life, certainly not when new for me.

[westcoast]

There's no need to clean the roller out each day (assuming you will use the same paint the next). Just wrap the roller in glad wrap or similar and leave overnight - should be fine for a couple of days even.

When you are ready to clean them leaving them in a bucket overnight (or maybe a bit longer) works a treat. Its best to give the roller a very quick run through a cleaner ring and then leave in soapy water. Give it a thorough clean the next day with a bit of detergent and the paint will come out much quicker with less water.

cheers

[Metal Head]

Hi Westcoast,

Thanks for the advice but what is a "CLEANER RING" please?

Cheers
MH

[westcoast]

its a plastic ring that you connect to the tap. turn the tap on and push the roller thru. water forces into the nap of the roller and forces the paint out.

[hansp77]

another painter here,

I love the foam for enamels, but cheapo foams can be a problem (as I recently discovered). We are moving more to medium (from long) nap lambswool sleaves for acrylic lately, for the finish and because the long nap tends to just pack down.

Mostly I prefer the rollers that connect only from one side (but buy a good one- it will have a lot less flex and will grip and seal the sleave better) as you can get alot closer into your corners and can get away with a much smaller cut in (and if you do stuff up and touch the other wall around the corner you were not supposed to then a little splatter from the roller is a lot easier to fix up than a scrape from a metal edge). The rollers that connect from two sides are lovely and solid, and I would go for them if doing anything extra large and flat with minimal cutting in (like a big long wall or large ceiling with minimal details).

Regarding the paint shop assistants (usually now 17-22 yr old girls or boys), unfortunately my experience with them is that most of them (now days and in my area) have never even picked up a brush. You may very well be better off closing your eyes and pinning the tail on the donkey than following their advice (they are sailspeople not skilled-professionals). This is not always the case, and if you can find someone who knows what they are talking about (ie IS a painter) then you are lucky.

[pawnhead]

Steer clear of the really cheap and nasty rollers. I bought a packet of a dozen Chinese 'no brand' rollers for a couple of bucks. :oo: The problem was that I couldn't find a single one that was round.

Have you ever tried driving on a corrugated road full of potholes, in a Ferrari with square wheels? :(

[Metal Head]

My thanks to Westcoast, pawnhead & hansp77 for your additional comments:wink: :2tsup:.

MH

[Ekim]

For cleaning paint rollers, the “Rolla Cleana” from Rota Cota is by far the easiest way to clean paint rollers (it really works). Sold by Bunnings for about $19.95 (at the Bunnings store where I shop the paint department has a video that demonstrates the product).

http://trade.selleys.com.au/ItemDisplay.aspx?ItemID=88
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Also see:
http://www.fingtec.com.au/2.htm
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The product is no good for “shaggy dog” type rollers – the nap is too much.

Mike

[Wind_dancer]

Hi, you've answered some of my questions too. Additionally, would the foam type roller be okay for applying ACRYLIC gloss onto floor to ceiling wardrobe doors? (Original paint job is around 30 years old and I don't know whether it's enamel or acrylic.)

[scooter]

Yep