Microfiber rollers: They provide a fine finish with the ability to apply a generous coat of paint, perfect for covering imperfections.
“They can mimic the look of materials like fabric and stone.” NeJame explains that textured rollers can also help conceal imperfections on drywall or plaster surfaces and even help dampen sound.
Glossy and satin sheens are more likely to show imperfections, but some matte sheens can be challenging to clean despite being better at hiding blemishes. Choosing a more middle-ground sheen, like eggshell, could be the best solution when your goal is to hide imperfections.
The two best paint rollers for a smooth finish is a High Density Foam Roller with a Rounded Edge and a Lint Free Low Nap Roller, but I will say that even though both of these are good rollers one wins the prize for the smoothest finish.
Darker shades like deep greens, rich blues, and warm browns naturally absorb light rather than reflect it, making bumps and uneven textures less visible. These deeper tones create depth while providing excellent coverage for various surface challenges.
Matte. This flat finish is great for hiding surface imperfections, while its angular shine helps make walls smooth and washable. Use this sheen for: Living rooms.
Imperfections: Despite being more durable, satin paint will show imperfections in your walls a lot more obviously than flat paint. This is down to the glossy nature, making it hard to hide things like cracks or patches. With the matte effect of flat paint, any minor imperfections are hidden away.
Quality 12mm nap rollers will apply an even paint film to your walls and ceilings and give you a great finish, without splattering paint all over you and the floor. Professional painters actually use 20mm nap rollers on ceilings, and 12mm nap rollers on walls.
White China—These natural bristle brushes are best used with oil-based paints, especially enamels and varnishes. Ideal for woodwork, enamels, or marine applications, White China bristles virtually eliminate brush marks.
Here are the typical qualities of matte paint: Conceals imperfections - the lack of sheen present in this finish minimises the visibility of flaws on the painted surface.
Sand the wall lightly to smooth out any imperfections. Prime the wall with a good quality primer before painting. This will help to seal the surface and prevent the paint from soaking into the drywall, which can cause the paint to appear uneven.
Flat paint, with its velvety, matte appearance, is the best choice for hiding any wall imperfections due to its lack of shine and reflective properties.
Microfiber rollers: They provide a fine finish with the ability to apply a generous coat of paint, perfect for covering imperfections.
If you're using a high-quality paint, you may be able to get away with just one or two coats. However, if you're using a lower-quality paint, you may need to apply three or more coats to achieve the desired results.
Walls, Wood, and Metal - Small 1/4″ roller covers or foam rollers will produce the smoothest finish. Light to Medium Textured Surfaces - Microfiber rollers are best. Smooth Surfaces - Use a white woven short nap roller for an ultra fine finish.
Choose your brush
You can use any brush, but softer, tapered bristles tend to promote a smoother finish. Try to avoid those with stiff and/or flat cut bristles. These can easily cause drag lines, creating brushmarks and encouraging overworking of the paint. In turn, this leads to an uneven texture.
If you're painting a smooth surface, use a White China Bristle for a super-smooth finish. When painting a textured surface, a Black China Bristle will work best because it's slightly stiffer, more durable, and is excellent for high-productivity applications.
Foam rollers have a few advantages, such as the fact they absorb large amounts of paint for great pickup, they do not shed and they cover well, especially when applying thin coats due to their ability to hold paint.
Low-nap rollers pick up less paint, while high-nap rollers pick up and hold more for larger projects. Surface texture and general environmental factors, including temperature and humidity, should also factor into your roller cover selection.
Step #3: Understand Nap Thickness
⅜” - ½” (9.5-12.7mm)—For smooth and semi-smooth surfaces like drywall, painted or unpainted walls and ceilings. ¾” - 1” (19.05-25.4mm)—For semi-rough surfaces like wood, stucco or a textured ceiling. 1 ¼” - 1 ½” (31.75-38.1mm)—For rough surfaces like concrete block, brick, or masonry.
Matte: A low-luster finish that's less durable, but easy to clean, touches up well, and hides minor surface imperfections.
High hide or high build primer tend to be much heavier bodied. They can help hide or fill very small imperfections like shallow sanding lines and small pinholes but they will not fill in any dings or dents.
Sand over the drip with medium (100-grit) sandpaper on a sanding block in a circular motion until you can no longer feel the paint ridge or any surface unevenness. Switch to fine (220-grit) sandpaper and sand over the same area to remove any scratches from the previous step.