9-Inch Roller Handle

• Choose a 9-inch roller handle made of steel. The larger size of a 9-inch roller spreads paint onto walls faster than a 7-inch roller. The plastic end of the roller handle should include a threaded opening for insertion of a painter's extension pole, or choose a handle equipped with a push-button locking feature. The locking feature allows you to quickly attach and reattach the roller handle to the extension pole without manually twisting the handle.
  
  

Roller Material

• Use a synthetic paint roller to apply latex or water-based paints indoors. Synthetic paint rollers consist of nylon or polyester materials and work best for rolling thin water-based paints onto walls and ceilings. Select a natural-fiber paint roller for thicker, oil-based paints. Common paint rollers made of natural fibers include lambswool and Mohair. Lambswool holds more paint and reduces paint splatter during application. Mohair rollers are useful for painting interior doors and applying varnish.
  
  

1/2-Inch Roller

• The 1/2-inch-nap roller size is recommended for painting smooth wood, drywall ceilings and walls indoors. The 1/2-inch size of the roller nap spreads paint nicely over smooth surfaces without leaving heavy stipple in the paint finish. Heavy stipple in a paint finish is highlighted when shiny paints are used, which makes the tighter stipple of the 1/2-inch roller ideal for applying a shiny eggshell or satin paint. The 1/2-inch-nap paint roller is the most common roller size for interior painting.
  
  

3/4-Inch Roller

• A paint roller with 3/4-inch nap is suitable for textured walls, plaster walls, fireplace bricks and interior concrete surfaces. The thicker hairs in a 3/4-inch roller holds more paint and spreads paint faster over rough surface, filling in tiny crevices and pockets found in old plaster walls. The thick roller hairs leave a heavier paint stipple on walls, making it a poor choice for painting shiny paints on flat drywall and ceilings.