5 Insider Secrets to Using a Paint Roller

Here are some tips you can try the next time you're using the paint roller.

1. Make sure you use twice the paint tray.

Before starting, cover your paint tray with a garbage bag or grocery bag. Tape the bag securely in place. Then, you use your tray just as you would normally. This will allow for easy cleanup simply let dry any remnants of paint after which you can take the bag and dispose of it. Additionally, you'll get double (or triple) usage out of a single paint tray.

2. De-fuzz your roller.

Remove any loose dust from the cover of your roller before you start, or give it a clean-up using painter's tape to stop any loose dust from getting stuck to the paint. Alternatively, you can give your cover a thorough wash in plain water using liquid soap and wash it thoroughly.

3. Make sure you have enough paint.

Painting shouldn't be a hassle. When it comes to putting the painting on the roller, you'll be looking to find the ideal balance that is not too little but definitely not too excessive (you don't want it to drip). The paint should be sufficient to evenly cover the roller so that it appears wet. Think "ample."

4. Learn the art of rolling spin.

The trick to getting an even coating for your rolling? Spinning it.

Here's how:

• Pour a large quantity of the paint into the "well" of the paint tray.
• Then take your roller and dip it into the color and then roll it a little, making sure that you can pick up the majority of the paint.
• The roller should be pushed over the ridged and slanted area of the tray of paint--fastly, to the point that it turns. (Be mindful of splashes as this is why it's crucial to avoid putting too much of that on the painting.) The roller should be turned at least six or seven times in order to evenly spread the paint over the roller.
• Paint the surface using straight swaths.
• If you're running dry on the roller, go back over the areas you've just painted, this time in straight lines, in order to smooth it out and get rid of any excess paint.
• Repeat.

5. Save your roller cover for later.

We had to go through our roller covers with furious speed when we were painting in the mistaken belief that we'd require an entirely new cover for every coat. But not with this tip. If you're taking breaks between coats, you can wrap your roller cover with a damp paper towel to stop drying. (You could cover your tray of paint with a towel, too.) Alternately, wrap the cover of your roller with plastic wrap or in a plastic bag.