Take a wool-blend roller cover for a spin

The most important part of your paint roller set is the roller cover, also known as a sleeve. It's tempting to buy the cheapest cover available and throw it away when you're done. But you won't mind the few extra minutes of cleanup time once you experience the difference a good roller cover makes. Cheap roller covers don't hold enough paint to do a good job. It'll take you four times as long to paint a room. And you'll likely end up with an inconsistent layer of paint, lap marks and built-up ridges of paint.

Instead, buy a 1/2-in. nap roller cover and give it a try. (One good one is the Sherwin-Williams Poly/Wool cover, about $6, which is a combination of polyester for ease of use and wool for maximum paint capacity.) With proper care, this may be the last roller cover you'll ever buy.

Wool covers do have a few drawbacks, though. They tend to shed fibers when they're first used. To minimize shedding, wrap the new roller cover with masking tape and peel it off to remove loose fibers. Repeat this a few times. Wool covers also tend to become matted down if you apply too much pressure while painting. Rolling demands a light touch. No matter what roller cover you're using, always let the paint do the work. Keep the roller cover loaded with paint and use only enough pressure to release and spread the paint. Pushing on the roller to squeeze out the last drop of paint will only cause problems.