The Ultimate Guide to Choosing nylon roller

Rollers are a key component of your garage door system. They connect the door to the tracks and permit smooth operation. Here&#;s how to choose between the two most common materials for garage door rollers: steel and nylon.

Durability

The durability of garage door rollers depends largely on whether they have ball bearings. Ball bearings are small metal balls that are placed between the stationary rod and the rotating wheel of the roller to reduce friction. Without ball bearings, rollers wear out much faster. Most steel and nylon rollers have ball bearings. Plastic rollers, on the other hand, never do.

Rollers typically have between seven and 13 ball bearings. The greater the number of ball bearings, the longer the lifespan of the product. For example, a nylon roller with 13 ball bearings is typically rated at 20,000 cycles, whereas a nylon roller with 10 ball bearings is rated at 10,000 to 15,000 cycles.

In terms of the materials themselves, both steel and nylon are durable and have comparable lifespans. The main difference is that steel rollers can corrode. While they do have a rust-resistant coating, this protective layer can get scratched or worn down.

Maintenance

Neither type of garage door roller requires a great deal of maintenance. To keep them in good condition and prevent squeaking and grinding noises, simply lubricate them twice a year using the lubricant recommend in your owner&#;s manual. For nylon and steel rollers with exposed ball bearings, apply the grease directly to the bearings. For rollers without bearings, apply the grease to the roller itself. Rollers with sealed ball bearings don&#;t require any lubrication.

For more in-depth and comprehensive information, read our article on maintaining and lubricating rollers.

Noise level

When it comes to silent operation, nylon is the clear winner. Steel rollers produce vibrations and rattling noises as they travel up and down the metal garage door tracks. One of the main advantages of nylon rollers is that they&#;re quiet. If having a soundless garage door system is important to you, then nylon is the obvious choice.

Cost

Steel garage door rollers cost less than nylon. If you&#;re looking for the most affordable option and don&#;t mind the extra noise, they may be the right choice.

However, note that the price of rollers also depends on the number of ball bearings they have. Rollers with 13 ball bearings are superior to rollers with 10 or seven ball bearings and are therefore more expensive.

About plastic

Plastic garage door rollers are also sold in some stores. However, they should be avoided at all costs, as they&#;re low-quality and typically last only two or three years. In fact, they&#;re a cheap product used by some home builders to cut costs. If you currently have plastic garage door rollers, you should replace them as soon as you can.

The right rollers for you

Most garage door experts recommend investing in nylon rollers. They cost more than steel rollers, but they&#;re worth the upgrade. Nylon rollers are durable, dependable, and allow your garage to operate silently. However, steel rollers remain a practical option for homeowners who want to save some money upfront and don&#;t mind a noisier garage door system.

Roller replacement

You may be wondering if your garage door rollers are due for a replacement. Here are some possible signs that your rollers are worn and on the verge of failing:

• Vibrations. When rollers begin to wear down, they no longer run smoothly along the track and can cause the garage door to vibrate more violently than usual.

• Unusual noises. If your rollers are creating a screeching or grinding sound, either they need to be lubricated or they&#;re damaged and need replacement.

• Door misalignment. If your door lurches or gets stuck when opening or closing, it may be due to a damaged roller that&#;s casing the door to open unevenly.

The best way to know if you need new rollers is to have your garage door inspected by a professional. It&#;s recommended that you get your whole garage door system inspected and serviced at least once a year. A qualified garage door technician will be able to determine whether any rollers are damaged and can replace them on the spot.

Operating a garage door with faulty rollers can result in costly damage to your garage door system.

Quality Garage Door Rollers In Western Canada

If you want to replace worn-out rollers or upgrading to silent ones, trust the experienced team at Creative Door Services&#;. We supply quality garage doors parts and provide dependable garage door maintenance and repair services.

Contact us at one of our locations in Western Canada: you&#;ll find us in Vancouver, British Columbia; Kelowna, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta, Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Having the right roller can make or break your project. But how do you know which one is right for you? Let us help give you some tips from the professionals.

Roller Sizing

Rollers can come in a variety of sizes. They range most commonly from 3 inch mini rollers to 18 inches long. Mini rollers are generally used for smaller areas such as closets, cabinets, or behind toilets. For the average wall, a 9-inch roller would suit perfectly. The larger rollers tend to be used on large projects and for commercial painting.

TIP: 9 Inch Roller is the most commonly used size

Roller Covers

The next thing to consider is the fiber the roller cover is made of. Roller covers are replaceable sleeves that fit your specific paint roller. They come in different materials, ranging from natural and synthetic fibers to foam. Each roller cover works best in specific applications.

Best Roller for Latex Paint

When using latex paint, a nylon or polyester roller cover tends to work best. The nylon or polyester material resists matting, making them the best option for water-based latex paint.

On the other hand, a wool roller is a good choice when working with oil-based paint. This is most ideal for painting on any surface that has texture.

Best Roller for Semi Gloss Paint

A woven roller cover is most ideal for high sheen paints such as the semi-gloss finish. The woven roller reduces the amount of lint as the fibers making up the roller are locked into the backing.

Best Roller for Eggshell Paint

A microfiber roller will give the smoothest finish possible for eggshell and other flat paint sheens. Microfiber tends to be very popular with contractors as they hold four times their volume of paint to help finish big projects efficiently.

Foam or Microfiber Roller for Cabinets?

A foam roller will help to get a smooth finish on a surface such as cabinets. Foam can hold a lot of paint, fitting for porous surfaces such as bare wood.

Learn more about painting cabinets and trim here.

Roller Naps

A final thing to consider is the nap of the roller. The longer the nap, the more paint it can hold. But the flip side of that is that the longer the nap, the greater the risk of leaving behind a stipply, textured finish on your wall. Here is a general rule of thumb when choosing a nap length.

• The duller the paint finish you're using, the thicker the nap you can get away with. Flat paint, like ceiling paint, is generally done with a 1/2" nap. 
• Wall finishes like matte and eggshell are best applied with a 3/8" nap. 
• Semi gloss finishes on doors and trim are best applied with a 1/4" nap.

TIP: 3/8 nap tends to be the average size for most home projects.

Paint Rollers Near You

Aboff's has a wide variety of rollers to choose from. If you are still unsure, talk to your Aboff's Paint Specialist at any of our 33 locations.

Durability

The durability of garage door rollers depends largely on whether they have ball bearings. Ball bearings are small metal balls that are placed between the stationary rod and the rotating wheel of the roller to reduce friction. Without ball bearings, rollers wear out much faster. Most steel and nylon rollers have ball bearings. Plastic rollers, on the other hand, never do.

Rollers typically have between seven and 13 ball bearings. The greater the number of ball bearings, the longer the lifespan of the product. For example, a nylon roller with 13 ball bearings is typically rated at 20,000 cycles, whereas a nylon roller with 10 ball bearings is rated at 10,000 to 15,000 cycles.

In terms of the materials themselves, both steel and nylon are durable and have comparable lifespans. The main difference is that steel rollers can corrode. While they do have a rust-resistant coating, this protective layer can get scratched or worn down.

Maintenance

Neither type of garage door roller requires a great deal of maintenance. To keep them in good condition and prevent squeaking and grinding noises, simply lubricate them twice a year using the lubricant recommend in your owner&#;s manual. For nylon and steel rollers with exposed ball bearings, apply the grease directly to the bearings. For rollers without bearings, apply the grease to the roller itself. Rollers with sealed ball bearings don&#;t require any lubrication.

For more in-depth and comprehensive information, read our article on maintaining and lubricating rollers.

Noise level

When it comes to silent operation, nylon is the clear winner. Steel rollers produce vibrations and rattling noises as they travel up and down the metal garage door tracks. One of the main advantages of nylon rollers is that they&#;re quiet. If having a soundless garage door system is important to you, then nylon is the obvious choice.

Cost

Steel garage door rollers cost less than nylon. If you&#;re looking for the most affordable option and don&#;t mind the extra noise, they may be the right choice.

However, note that the price of rollers also depends on the number of ball bearings they have. Rollers with 13 ball bearings are superior to rollers with 10 or seven ball bearings and are therefore more expensive.

About plastic

Plastic garage door rollers are also sold in some stores. However, they should be avoided at all costs, as they&#;re low-quality and typically last only two or three years. In fact, they&#;re a cheap product used by some home builders to cut costs. If you currently have plastic garage door rollers, you should replace them as soon as you can.

The right rollers for you

Most garage door experts recommend investing in nylon rollers. They cost more than steel rollers, but they&#;re worth the upgrade. Nylon rollers are durable, dependable, and allow your garage to operate silently. However, steel rollers remain a practical option for homeowners who want to save some money upfront and don&#;t mind a noisier garage door system.

Roller replacement

You may be wondering if your garage door rollers are due for a replacement. Here are some possible signs that your rollers are worn and on the verge of failing:

If you want to learn more, please visit our website handle for sliding doors and windows.

• Vibrations. When rollers begin to wear down, they no longer run smoothly along the track and can cause the garage door to vibrate more violently than usual.

• Unusual noises. If your rollers are creating a screeching or grinding sound, either they need to be lubricated or they&#;re damaged and need replacement.

• Door misalignment. If your door lurches or gets stuck when opening or closing, it may be due to a damaged roller that&#;s casing the door to open unevenly.

The best way to know if you need new rollers is to have your garage door inspected by a professional. It&#;s recommended that you get your whole garage door system inspected and serviced at least once a year. A qualified garage door technician will be able to determine whether any rollers are damaged and can replace them on the spot.

Operating a garage door with faulty rollers can result in costly damage to your garage door system.

Quality Garage Door Rollers In Western Canada

If you want to replace worn-out rollers or upgrading to silent ones, trust the experienced team at Creative Door Services&#;. We supply quality garage doors parts and provide dependable garage door maintenance and repair services.

Contact us at one of our locations in Western Canada: you&#;ll find us in Vancouver, British Columbia; Kelowna, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta, Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Having the right roller can make or break your project. But how do you know which one is right for you? Let us help give you some tips from the professionals.

Roller Sizing

Rollers can come in a variety of sizes. They range most commonly from 3 inch mini rollers to 18 inches long. Mini rollers are generally used for smaller areas such as closets, cabinets, or behind toilets. For the average wall, a 9-inch roller would suit perfectly. The larger rollers tend to be used on large projects and for commercial painting.

TIP: 9 Inch Roller is the most commonly used size

Roller Covers

The next thing to consider is the fiber the roller cover is made of. Roller covers are replaceable sleeves that fit your specific paint roller. They come in different materials, ranging from natural and synthetic fibers to foam. Each roller cover works best in specific applications.

Best Roller for Latex Paint

When using latex paint, a nylon or polyester roller cover tends to work best. The nylon or polyester material resists matting, making them the best option for water-based latex paint.

On the other hand, a wool roller is a good choice when working with oil-based paint. This is most ideal for painting on any surface that has texture.

Best Roller for Semi Gloss Paint

A woven roller cover is most ideal for high sheen paints such as the semi-gloss finish. The woven roller reduces the amount of lint as the fibers making up the roller are locked into the backing.

Best Roller for Eggshell Paint

A microfiber roller will give the smoothest finish possible for eggshell and other flat paint sheens. Microfiber tends to be very popular with contractors as they hold four times their volume of paint to help finish big projects efficiently.

Foam or Microfiber Roller for Cabinets?

A foam roller will help to get a smooth finish on a surface such as cabinets. Foam can hold a lot of paint, fitting for porous surfaces such as bare wood.

Learn more about painting cabinets and trim here.

Roller Naps

A final thing to consider is the nap of the roller. The longer the nap, the more paint it can hold. But the flip side of that is that the longer the nap, the greater the risk of leaving behind a stipply, textured finish on your wall. Here is a general rule of thumb when choosing a nap length.

• The duller the paint finish you're using, the thicker the nap you can get away with. Flat paint, like ceiling paint, is generally done with a 1/2" nap. 
• Wall finishes like matte and eggshell are best applied with a 3/8" nap. 
• Semi gloss finishes on doors and trim are best applied with a 1/4" nap.

TIP: 3/8 nap tends to be the average size for most home projects.

Paint Rollers Near You

Aboff's has a wide variety of rollers to choose from. If you are still unsure, talk to your Aboff's Paint Specialist at any of our 33 locations.

The company is the world’s best casement door hinge supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.