Poor flow and leveling occur when paint fails to dry to a smooth film, which results in unsightly brush and roller marks after the paint dries.

What Causes It?
Using lower-quality paint can lead to this problem. In addition to the quality of the paint, a number of other things can cause poor flow and leveling:

• Applying additional paint to “touch up” partially dried areas.
• Re-brushing or re-rolling partially dried areas.
• Using the wrong type of roller cover or poor quality brush.

How to Solve It
Top-quality latex paints are generally formulated with ingredients that enhance paint flow. Brush and roller marks thus tend to “flow out” and form a smooth film.

When using a roller, be sure to use a cover with the recommended nap length for the type of paint you are applying.
A high-quality brush is a must, since a poor brush can result in bad flow and leveling with any paint.

Note: Images provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint Quality Institute.