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4 Things To Consider When Shopping For The Best Roller

The success of the painting job lies in the tools the painters use. Since paint rollers are the primary tools used in painting, everyone must understand all the criteria on how to pick the best roller for painting doors.

Here are a few things to consider when shopping for the best roller for painting doors:

1. Paintbrush vs. Paint Roller

paint brush and paint roller

Paint rollers may be the best tools used in painting jobs. But there are some who are confused between a roller and brush. The avoid any confusion, everyone must know when is the best time to use paintbrushes and rollers.

Paintbrushes are best used for both smooth-surfaced and panelled doors. But due to its small size, it only is advisable for small doors or around the edges or frame of the door.

On the other hand, the paint roller is recommended for large-sized doors with a flat surface. To ensure one will get the best roller for painting doors, everyone must determine first the types of paint rollers available.

2. Types of paint rollers

Paint rollers

Paint rollers are made of different materials. This is the manufacturers’ way to ensure that they can cater to all the needs of each job, no matter what the painters use for paint or surface they apply it on.


Related Article: How much does house interior painting cost?


The most common materials used to create paint rollers are foam, synthetic fibre and lambswool.

  • The foam paint roller is the best roller for painting doors with a smooth surface. Since it’s made with foam, it can easily absorb latex and water-based paint. This is a good advantage of this roller as this can evenly distribute the paint on the door’s surface.

The only disadvantage of a foam paint roller is it is for one-time use only. For DIYers, this is a handy option because it is useful and inexpensive. But for anyone pursuing a career in painting, this is not an ideal option.

  • The lambswool paint roller is the natural type of paint rollers. Unlike with foam paint rollers, lambswool paint rollers can be used several times. It can cost higher compared to other roller options, but using it is worth it as it doesn’t shed easily or lint even after several uses. Not to mention the result it delivers upon application.

Due to its thick and straight roller cover, it expands once dipped in paint. This is a good advantage as it will absorb more paint, saving the painter’s energy in dipping it regularly.

  • The microfibre paint roller is considered as the best roller for painting doors due to its flexibility in adjusting on any type of surface’s texture (light to medium), and door’s materials (wood and metal).

After understanding the different options of paint rollers, the next to identify is the door’s material and surface type. This is an important factor as it can determine the right thickness of the paint roller cover to use.

3. Identify the door’s material and surface type

The common material used for doors is timber because of its stability. But fibreglass doors, vinyl, aluminium, and steel are also good materials to consider for doors.

The surface type of each depends on its design – it ranges from smooth to roughly textured. In choosing the best roller for painting doors, painters follow the general rule and that is: the thicker the paint roller cover is, the more it is effective for rougher surfaces.

What is the available thickness of paint roller covers?

4. Paint rollers cover thickness

The thickness of the paint roller cover is presented differently, depending on brand or manufacturers. To avoid further confusion, painters identify and describe each thickness:

  • Thin nap

A thinner nap is the best roller for painting doors as it produces an appealing, smooth and glossy finish. Particularly to doors that are constructed out of wood and metal. This result becomes possible due to this roller cover’s fine fibres.

The exact thickness of a thinner nap is often presented in fraction form or measurement in mm. The ideal thickness to choose for painting doors is 1/4″ or 5mm nap.

  • Medium nap

The medium nap is the most common choice of roller cover used for general painting. Though this is not the best roller for painting doors, it’s still worth purchasing as it can be used for general painting.

The thickness of this paint roller cover has a distinct finishing effect – very fine stipple. This is an advantage for painting walls using a matte type of paints.

The ideal thickness to choose (for general painting) is 3/8″ or 12mm nap.

  • Thicker nap

Just like with medium nap, a thicker nap is not the best roller for painting doors because this is designed for massive surfaces with a rough and/or uneven texture. The typical thickness for this roller cover nap is 3/4″ or 20mm.

Tip: It’s highly recommended to choose the right thickness of nap to maximise the efficiency of the paint rollers. At the same time, this will assure to achieve the door finish that you wanted.

Featured Photo Courtesy of stux via Pixabay


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