When painting with a roller, here are several steps that will help you achieve a professional quality finish:

1. Quality of the Roller: The most important factor to consider when painting with a roller is the quality of the roller. Even if you use the best paint available (Benjamin Moore Aura®), you may not be happy with the results if you use a poor quality roller. Stay away from the bulk pack rollers and discount bins.

2. Applying Paint to the Roller: Avoid over loading the roller with excess paint. Cover the roller with as much paint as possible, but do not allow it to drip or run as you move the roller from the tray to the wall or ceiling. The key is to control the amount of paint on the roller, so after you dip the roller into the paint, roll it back and forth across the ridges at the top of the painter’s tray. This will remove the excess paint and help ensure that your roller is coated evenly with paint. In order to achieve a smooth, professional look, avoid putting to much pressure on the roller. This will eliminate heavy areas or roller marks. For best results, move the roller back and forth in a smooth, even motion.

3. How to Paint a Ceiling: When painting an entire room, start by painting the ceiling first. This way, if you get any drips on the walls there is no harm done since you will be painting the walls next. When painting a ceiling, cut in or mask off the walls first. Use an extension pole instead of a ladder. This will make your job go quicker, produce a smooth, uniform finish, and you will not have to constantly move the ladder around. Start in a corner of the room and roll slowly out of the corner and across the room about four feet at a time. Once you have completed a four foot section across the room, go back to the other side and begin again. Always roll from a dry unpainted area back into the wet paint.

4. How to Paint Walls: Before you start rolling the walls, cut in the ceiling, base, and corners and around windows and doors with a brush. When rolling walls, start in a corner--never start in the middle of a wall or ceiling. Start with a loaded roller about five inches from your cut in and roll into the corner, being careful not to hit the side wall. For a smooth and uniform finish, use an extension pole so you can roll from the base cut in to the ceiling cut in a single movement. Roll top to bottom in overlapping passes like narrow W’s. Work across the room. Keep the roller loaded with paint and always roll from an unpainted area back into the wet paint. Once you have completed a wall, follow the same process for each wall.

5. Roller Covers: Benjamin Moore offers professional roller covers that are shed resistant and designed to provide a smooth finish. For most surfaces, use the Benjamin Moore roller cover with the 3/8 inch nap. However, when painting a textured surface, use the ½ inch nap roller cover that Benjamin Moore designed to penetrate the cracks and crevices of a textured surface.