Best Paint Roller for Cabinets and Furniture for a Smooth Finish

[@adriennebradshaw-m3l]

What a thorough comparison, thank you.

[@RefreshLiving]

Thanks for the positive feedback! I appreciate it!

[@ILruffian]

Good stuff, thanks for taking the time to do this. One suggestion: no tack cloth if you are using waterborne finishes. The residue they leave behind is only compatible with oil-based finishes. For the modern waterbornes, vac and wipe with (moist) microfiber. I only learned this recently myself.

[@jillballard8489]

I used the Wooster Pro lint-free foam roller with the SW Emerald paint, and it is FANTASTIC!!! Thank you for the tips and comparison. I love the results!

[@RefreshLiving]

YES! I'm so glad it gave you a beautiful finish!! After doing a side by side of all alkyd enamel paints, SW Emerald rolled the best of any of the brands. It really is a fabulous paint.

[@eddiemarano9998]

Thanks for this video! Just got back from the paint store with a pack of flocked rollers. I cleaned it with painter's tape, washing and spinning and I noticed all kinds of very small fibers that were very shiny which I guess is from the material that the flock is made of, all over my hands. I washed the roller (and my hands!) again and the fibers were still there. I will give it one more wash before returning. I also contacted the manufacturer to get their take.

[@RefreshLiving]

Please let me know what they say - I'm interested and wondering if I'm missing some trick on how to use it, because I can't believe they actually sell these based on how poorly mine performed!

[@eddiemarano9998]

@@RefreshLiving Hi! As of today, I have not heard back from the manufacturer. However, another washing or two and I can report that those fibers are gone. I would also like to note that the manufacturer of the ones I purchased is different from the one you showed, so results may vary.

[@swere1240]

tip for keeping brush marks out of corners is to dab it on instead of brushing it on. and for steel fire doors ive always used mo hair roller but we also have always used oil based for those. and a tip for getting hairs or lint out of a roller is to take some super sticky tape and wrap it in it and pull it off.

[@jrobbx]

Very well done and informative, thanks!

[@jennamuffintop3981]

thank you sooo much for all the effort you put into this. It has helped me immensely.

[@michelewoods9365]

Thanks so much. You were very helpful.

[@RefreshLiving]

I'm so glad to hear that!!

[@Bob-do8pf]

Al ka lied = Alkyd, it's Al Qaida in the subtitles.. Great Job! Thank You!

[@RefreshLiving]

Oh my goodness. Thank you for letting me know. I'm going to change that!

[@williamprezioso2742]

That’s how Al Qaida funds their terrorist network by supplying roller sleeves to America

[@Valeriedavismpls]

@@RefreshLiving It still says Al Qaeda, but maybe it's good for engagement 😂

[@FlagdropNJ]

@@Valeriedavismpls Google isn't the greatest with voice-over closed captioning. It does alot better with "live" audio translation. Alkyd paint is an odd word anyway!

[@patrickcate6520]

Great roundup. I’d love to see a follow-up with other rollers like Woosters microplush, Purdy’s white dove, ultrafinish, parrot, and other brand short nap woven covers.

[@GordHerrema-rs1rj]

The microplush roller is my favorite. Try it!

[@accomplishedtheory9502]

Do you like emerald more than ben moore advanced? thanks for the tips!

[@RefreshLiving]

Yes, I do! I've used both a lot and like them both, but I recently put them in a side by side test (next to all the other water based alkyd/urethane enamel paints) and I liked sherwin williams emerald better for how well it applied, especially with a roller, and how well it sprayed. Plus, it was a tad bit more durable than advance. I'm working on editing the video and hope to publish it soon!

[@accomplishedtheory9502]

@@RefreshLiving Thanks so much for your reply! Your content is really good! Have you ever used Kilz 3 primer on cabinets? Just wondering what your thoughts were if you did. Thank you!

[@lesleewatson4266]

Thank you ❤🎉

[@rw3476]

Good technique to evaluate. I guess the trusty old foam roller is tried and true!

[@michaeld.3779]

You should have tried the Wooster Micro-Finish. Leaves no hairs and is ultra-spray-like smooth. I don't even pre wash them. Just load them up and use on doors and cabinets with great results.

[@Avital4414]

Do you mean micro-plush?

[@RelaxingRestoration]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@RefreshLiving]

So glad it was helpful! Thank you!

[@Avital4414]

Would you recommend brushing over rolling?

[@ruthdaines9040]

Thanks for the great video

[@RefreshLiving]

You're welcome! I hope it's helpful!

[@jesus.maryandjoseph8880]

Great video, but one important tip for improvement based upon the content. When showing each section with the various rollers, it would have been great if the lighting was going across the doors, to actually show a better view of the actual texture in the finish. If you look at the way the light is reflecting across the doors at the very last couple of seconds in this video, that is about what I am speaking. The light is reflecting across the doors, making the textured finish more easily seen on camera. If you still have these doors, it would be wonderful if you could make another video using the same application footage from this video, but adding in close-ups of all of the roller finished using the light reflecting angle. There were a couple of moments in the video where the light was reflecting just right, but not many. The angle you chose to end your video is the best, but if the camera was very close-up on each section at that reflection angle, it would have made for an incredible, close-up comparison that we could clearly see for ourselves. Thanks, again, and I hope this tip helps for future videos. Merry Christmas! 🙂

[@hilaryknight6050]

Which sprayer do you use with enamel paint? Don’t thin paint with sprayer?

[@ILruffian]

If you are going to spray unthinned, you need an airless sprayer.

[@pa2000xxxx]

Quick question...in this video u applied the Sherwin Williams alkyd trim paint direct without a primer. Does that work well?? I'm doing custom closet shelving and priming then using the same SW alkyd trim but I have another closet to do and wondering about results without primer.

[@suspensefulness]

which one would u suggest for clear top coat epoxy

[@RefreshLiving]

Of these in the video, I would suggest 1/4" nap mohair, but just be sure it's prepped to remove hairs. If you use it fresh out of the bag, it'll be bad news. I've also heard microfiber work well for epoxy but haven't tried it myself. Foam will give no shedding, but it might not hold the epoxy well considering the consistency.

[@suspensefulness]

@@RefreshLiving thank u

[@debralugar7235]

I can't thank you enough!

[@christaspraggins1586]

Can you compare the one that was brushed to those that were rolled?

[@michaelsiekmann3156]

Can you tell us what knap length or does it only come in one size?

[@RefreshLiving]

Of course! High density foam rollers will not have nap lengths, but mohair will - I'd recommend a 1/4" nap (those are the ones you see in the video as the shorter naps are best for smooth, thin coats)

[@MrsAnaelimont]

You did t post the video on sanding inbetween coats of paint

[@Stevesbe]

Temp and humidty makes all the difference in the way a paint lays down

[@RefreshLiving]

Yes, you're right! I tried to do the test in a controlled home temp environment to mimic what most DIYers would experience, for that very reason you mentioned!

[@Tile-and-Error]

What temp and humidity is ideal? I have been using SW Emerald and have been wondering if it would be best to use in cooler temperatures.

[@pampamela636]

FIRST YOU USE WRONG PAINT FOR SHOWING UP BLACK PAINT IS NOT GOOD FOR THAT ,USE LIGHTER COLOR

[@RefreshLiving]

CAPS usually indicate yelling - hopefully that wasn't the intent since it's just paint. Black shows imperfections in paint application very well, which is exactly what I was going for when testing.

[@superg6819]

Have you ever heard of self leveling paint??? the Sherwin-Williams emerald urethane enamel self levels out after you roll and brush it on. I’d like to use woven rollers with a quarter inch nap. And I am shocked that you didn’t even test any woven rollers, shaking my head.

[@GordHerrema-rs1rj]

The soft woven microplush is fantastic!