There are certain tools that work so well that they’re unchanged for decades, and one of them is the simple paint roller.

But you need to condition the paint roller to get a perfectly smooth coat of paint.

When you buy a brand-new roller sleeve, and you first pull that out of the packaging and put it on your roller, most people just go and start rolling paint. But if you look closely, when the roller sleeve comes right out of the factory, it has loose pieces of lint. If you don’t condition it first and get rid of those little pieces of lint, they’ll end up on the wall when you paint.

So, all you need to do to condition a perfectly brand-new roller sleeve is get a spray bottle with some water on it. You just want to mist the entire roller sleeve and then spin it to remove the excess water. Then get a clean piece of cardboard and roll off the sleeve; any excess water will come right off.

So now you have a perfectly conditioned roller ready to apply a smooth coat of paint!

Watch the video above to see Joe’s Simple Solution.

Editorial Contributors
avatar for Joe Truini

Joe Truini

Radio Show Co-Host

Joe Truini is a contractor, author, and the host of “Simple Solutions” on Today’s Homeowner TV and the weekly Today’s Homeowner radio show. He has worked on both large commercial projects and residential remodeling, and has written for national publications such as This Old House and Popular Mechanics. He has also written eight books, including three best-selling shed-building books. Joe lives in Connecticut with his family and enjoys hiking, traveling, and baseball in his spare time.

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