A calender for webs of paper includes a hard roller having a smooth outer surface. A soft roller is disposed adjacent to the hard roller and forms a roll gap therebetween. The soft roller has a coating made of flexible plastic. The coating includes an inner layer and an outer layer. The inner layer is made of a first plastic material and the outer layer is made of a second plastic material. The outer layer has lesser flexibility and greater hardness than the inner layer. The outer layer has an outer surface having wear properties such that under normal operating conditions the average roughness R.sub.a does not exceed 0.5 .mu.m.