Just as with brushes, the quality and design of a paint roller system can make a big difference to the final finish, as well as the ease and speed of the job. Here, Andrew Cummins, Senior Product Manager at Purdy, looks at how to choose the right ones and what sets Purdy rollers and frames apart.
Taking on big painting and decorating jobs with large areas that need to be covered can be hard work and time-consuming. However, choosing a roller system that has been designed with professionals in mind can make a real difference.
Roller frames
While often not fully appreciated, a well-designed frame can make work far easier and more comfortable as well as improve productivity.
Ease of use
Choosing a lightweight frame, such as the Purdy Revolution, reduces fatigue day to day and helps prevent injury and damage to joints in the long-term. A rubberised, ergonomic handlewill provide a comfortable grip to minimise fatigue further and prevent your hand slipping, for better control at all times.
A common and frustrating problem with low cost roller frames is sleeve ‘walk-off’, where the roller sleeve slides off as you work. To prevent this, Purdy Revolution frames have ribbed ends to hold the sleeve securely in place.
Adapting to different requirements
There is no one roller size that is right for everything, meaning frequent switching between sizes is often required. An adjustable frame that can accommodate many different sizes will reduce the number of different frames you need. The Purdy adjustable frame is suitable for 12 to 18 inch roller sleeves and has a cam latch system to make sleeve swaps easy.
Additionally, extension poles are an essential part of any painting and decorating kit, but some are easier to use than others. For example, Purdy roller frames and poles have a quick connect attachment system. The poles can simply be clicked into the handle, so work can continue quickly, and then removed at the press of a button. The Purdy frames are also compatible with traditional threaded connections.
Roller sleeves
There are a wide range of roller sleeves on the market but choosing the right one is essential to get the best possible finish first time.
Manufacturing and material quality
One of the biggest issues with poor quality rollers is lint being left in the freshly painted surface, which then has to be removed. Purdy rollers consist of a high quality fabric bonded to the roller core using a strong epoxy adhesive to keep the fibres in place for the life of the roller. The quality also means greater longevity. For example, the Purdy Marathon sleeve has been designed to achieve the same flawless finish even after 40 hours of use.
Sleeve shape
If the sleeve ends are not shaped correctly, paint can build-up at the edges and cause unsightly tramlines, which have to be painted over. Purdy rollers have tapered ends to prevent this happening, making the work quicker.
Knitted or woven fabric
The type of sleeve construction is also important to consider. A knitted sleeve, such as Purdy Colossus and Marathon, will provide a superior level of paint pick up and release to reducethe number of times the roller needs to be reloaded. A woven sleeve, such as Purdy White Dove, offers the smoothest finish – ideal for projects where clients are looking for the very best quality results.
Consistency
With different areas of a job requiring different roller sizes, it is important to ensure a consistent finish by using the same roller material. For example, Purdy has 4.5 and 6.5 inchversions of its White Dove, Marathon and Colossus rollers alongside the larger sizes.
The Purdy range includes everything you need to tackle any job, big or small and achieve a quality finish. Purdy’s years of experience in creating painting and decorating products means its rollers and frames have been engineered for excellence.
To find out more about the difference Purdy products could make to your work visit: www.purdy.co.uk.
