Are paint rollers better than paint brushes?
There’s a reason professional decorators use paint rollers over brushes for the majority of the work: in short, it’s faster, neater, and easier. The porous texture of a paint roller is designed to hold on to plenty of paint. And the large surface area and rolling motion creates a much speedier painting process. Rollers are also ergonomically designed, so they're generally much more comfortable to hold for long spells than brushes.
However, a paint brush does have some advantages. If you’re after precision be it at the corners of your walls, or to paint intricate areas like small panels, then a brush is a valuable tool. You'll generally want to have both a roller and a paint brush to best complete your home decorating project.
What size of paint roller do you need?
Each size of roller has its own advantages. A 9" (23cm) roller is the most common all-rounder as it provides a generous surface area without sacrificing precision. A 12" (30cm) roller is useful for painting large walls in a flash, although more care is needed at corners and edges. A small roller - often around 4" (10cm) - is brilliant for precision jobs, like reaching behind a radiator.
How can you get a smooth finish with a roller?
Painting using a roller can be daunting at first, but there are a few simple things you can do for the best results. Be sure to use a light pressure. A common mistake is to push down hard, but it should be the paint doing the work rather than your arm strength. Keep your roller wet, rather than rolling until it is completely out of paint, and always paint one wall at a time rather than switching between them. To avoid stripey walls - also known as lap marks - be sure to roll the full height of the wall, rather than stop and start.
What’s the best paint roller to buy?
We weighed up the benefits of the top paint rollers on the market, considering value for money, quality, and versatility, and decided that the Stanley 126103 Max Finish Roller Set is the best paint roller to buy.
How we chose our recommendations
Because we know nothing beats a recommendation from other parents who have decorated themselves, we started by reading the Mumsnet forums for Mumsnetters’ preferred paint rollers. We then considered the brands professional decorators use themselves, and read best-buy lists from across the internet. We then decided which paint rollers were best suited to specific needs.
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