Sorry you're having such a rough time. Sounds like you're using all the right tools. Are you sure the brush marks were not there when you started the project? Sometimes when I paint I think I've done something to cause an imperfection, then realize it was there all the time and I just painted another layer over it.

Here's a little tip that helped me. When you dip the roller in the paint, you always end up with the ends of the roller overloaded with paint compared to the middle. When you go to the wall, hold the roller at an angle and roll those overloaded edges on the wall first (do one side of the roller, then the other). You'll get two heavy streaks of paint there, but then you've cleared off the overloaded ends and the paint will be evenly distributed along the length of your roller. Then immediately roll over those heavy streaks with your N or W pattern and blend in. A building contractor taught me this trick and since doing that, I don't get roller lines.

Also, be sure you do 2 x 2' sections at a time and roll very lightly. Don't try to "squeeze" paint out of the roller by pressing hard.

If your wall has a lot of imperfections, using a flat paint helps hide them compared to a satin, eggshell or gloss finish. But if you want the paint to be scrubbable, then opt for an eggshell. Also, it's my understanding that if you use a roller with a thicker nap, it will create more stipple which also helps hide imperfections. I did that in a bathroom where I had removed wallpaper and had a really hard time getting the surface smooth because of all the paste and some of the wallboard came off with the paper.

Good luck.

First of all, I'm a professional and I can't get rid of roller marks either. Remember most paints you buy these days are 100 percent acrylic. This is considered an upgrade from the vinyl/acrylic paints of yesterday. 100 percent acrylic paints are much more durable than the vinyl/acrylics, but they are less user friendly and harder to apply simply because they dry too fast. Keeping a wet edge is almost impossible on high walls unless you have one person rolling the top while the other person is rolling the bottom and even then it's not going to look perfect. You think you are keeping a wet edge, but you aren't.

There are a few things you can do to give yourself a better chance. You can add extender, you can use a thicker nap sleeve and you can do whatever you can do to control temperature and humidity in the house. Don't paint with the windows open, run the AC, etc.

But, hiring a pro won't solve all your problems these days. The acrylic era is here, and painters have had to adapt. The walls are more scrubbable and durable, but they don't look as good as they used to.

Thank you for your advice!

I read this board and researched the internet before I started and thought I had my act together. Painting is an art and practicing first or doing a small room first would have been the smarter thing to do.

Now I have to try to correct the situation.

Can someone tell me how long the paint has to cure before I can sand it? The last coat was done late on Friday.

Test sand a small area with #180 grit. If it powders, it's ready to sand. If it rolls, it's too wet.

Michael