5 Best Uses for a Foam Paint Roller

Paint rollers are a larger part of the painter's toolkit, and foam paint roller options offer a budget alternative to traditional rollers. Foam rollers are specifically helpful with certain kinds of painting jobs.

Here are some of the most common ways that painters use a foam paint roller for interior or exterior painting work.

On Smooth Surfaces

Because of the way they absorb paint, foam paint rollers are most useful on very smooth surfaces. When a wall has been finished to a fine, smooth flatness, the foam roller glides along and dispenses paint evenly. With rougher surfaces, foam rollers tend to have problems, and a traditional roller might be better suited for these types of projects, which is why some painters generally use foam rollers for interior walls. This is true because a rough wall will squeeze paint out of a foam roller and make it drip.

With Thinner Paints

Some experts caution that foam rollers are not a great option for thicker oil based paints that may not absorb as well as water-based or latex paints. It's important that the paint gets properly absorbed into the foam so that it gets applied evenly.

On Larger Surfaces

Because the foam roller absorbs a lot of paint, it's best to have a large surface to work on. Brushes or other tools may better serve a painter on smaller wall and surface areas.

On Matched Width Trim

Smaller foam paint rollers called "trim rollers" are available for various types of trim frames, molding and other smaller bits of a job. These 3 to 4-inch designs can give trim the same neat look as the wider foam roller gives to a wall area. Get the appropriate sizes of foam paint rollers to quickly cover all of the parts of a room or space.

For Short Term Use

Foam roller covers do not tend to last a long time. They are great for when a painter does not take on jobs routinely. For other types of jobs, tradition lambskin rollers may be a better idea, where a one-time purchase will last the painter a while.

These tools can help fill out a painter's tool kit and fill in when other types of application are not practical, for example, when spraying would be a good alternative, but is not practical. Spraying paint onto furniture or surfaces also provides a smooth, even application, but requires specialized equipment and often results in less control, where paint can end up where it wasn't supposed to.

Edward Kimble, professional painter and author of Interior House Painting Blog, contributed to this article.