The “nap” of a roller is the length the material is from the core of the roller. Longer naps are better for high-texture surfaces, and shorter naps work best for smooth surfaces.

Find the right roller covers for your project.

Never cheap out on the paint brush. Using a high-quality paint brush ensures a smooth, brushstroke-free finish.

Find top-of-the-line brushes for your project.

Color pigments and paint sheen naturally separate over time. Not mixing paint thoroughly before painting can result in uneven color and flashing (the paint appears to have different sheens in some areas).

The roller needs to be fully loaded with paint to the core, otherwise you’ll get air bubbles on your wall, resulting in “paint acne.” To avoid this mistake, roll back and forth on the roller tray until all bubbles are gone and the roller feels heavy.

Paint starts to dry as soon as it’s on the wall, so you want to work quickly and make sure you’re not adding wet paint on top of dry or you'll end up with an unwanted texture.

It's helpful to work in 3 foot by 3 foot squares so you can easily see any touch-up areas before they’ve dried.

Using too much or too little paint will result in an uneven finish and can add unwanted texture to your paint job.

If you load the roller or brush too much, it can cause drips and sags. It also extends dry time.

Using too little affects the texture because you have to paint more coats than necessary.

It’s important to wait for each coat to dry completely before moving on to the next. Wet paint is a slightly different color than dry paint, so wait until all blotches are gone and the color is uniform across the room.