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Start with Quality Painting Tools

Not even the best technique will work with poor-quality painting tools. Don’t waste your money on those all-in-one throwaway roller setups when you can buy a pro setup that will last a lifetime. Start with a good roller frame.

To extend your reach and give you better control, screw a 48-in. wood handle onto the end of the paint roller. You could also use a threaded broom handle.

You’ll need a container for the paint. While most homeowners use paint trays, you’ll rarely see a pro using one. That’s because a 5-gallon bucket with a special bucket screen hung over the edge works a lot better.

Here are a few of the advantages of a bucket and screen over a paint roller pan:

• It’s easy to move the bucket without spilling
• The bucket holds more paint. You won’t have to frequently refill a pan.
• You’re less likely to trip over or step in a bucket of paint.
• It’s quicker and easier to load the paint roller cover with paint from a bucket.
• It’s easy to cover a bucket with a damp cloth to prevent the paint from drying out while you’re taking a lunch break.

Use an old drywall compound bucket or buy a clean new bucket. Add bucket screen and you’re ready to go.

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Use a Good Paint Roller Cover

The most important part of your paint rolling setup is the roller cover, also known as a sleeve. It’s tempting to buy the cheapest cover available and throw it away when you’re done. But you won’t mind the few extra minutes of cleanup time once you experience the difference a good roller cover makes.

Plus, cheap roller covers don’t hold enough paint to do a good job. It’ll take you four times as long to paint a room. And you’ll likely end up with an inconsistent layer of paint, lap marks and built-up ridges of paint.

Instead, buy a 1/2-in. nap wool blend roller cover and give it a try. With proper care, this may be the last roller cover you’ll ever buy.

Wool covers do have a few drawbacks, though. They tend to shed fibers when they’re first used. To minimize shedding, wrap the new roller cover with masking tape and peel it off to remove loose fibers. Repeat this a few times.

Wool covers also tend to become matted down if you apply too much pressure while painting. Rolling demands a light touch. No matter what roller cover you’re using, always let the paint do the work. Keep the roller cover loaded with paint and use only enough pressure to release and spread the paint. Pushing on the roller to squeeze out the last drop of paint will only cause problems.