Painting tip

I was at a Resene talk the other night and found out a really interesting fact.



On a paint roller, the soft part that slides on the roller is called a roller nap. There is a misconception amongst some painters and DIYers that the thicker the Nap the more paint you can hold and therefore the quicker you can do it, and the less coats you need.



This is wrong!



Because the thick nap holds more paint it is more likely to create an uneven and irregular finish.



Bunnings explains it well here:
Roller sleeves are sold in short, medium and long nap lengths. A short nap, usually about 5 to 8mm deep, does not hold as much paint as the others, but is the best kind to use with glossy paint since it leaves a thin, very smooth coating. The all-purpose medium nap, about 8 - 12mm deep, holds any type of paint well and produces a soft-looking stippled effect. The pile of a long nap, about 20mm, works a heavy load of paint into the irregularities of a textured, damaged or extremely porous surface, and can create a deeply stippled effect on any surface.


This is particularly important with high gloss paints and metallic finishes.