Best Rollers for Painting Furniture + How to Paint Without Marks

One of the ways you can easily breathe new life into your home is by painting your furniture. This is a great way to modernize your space. However, you need to make sure you’re properly prepared in order to get your desired results.

Paint rollers are a great tool for delivering beautiful results on most furniture projects. To help you find the best roller for painting furniture, this article will cover the following:

• 10 best paint rollers for painting furniture
• What’s the best type of roller for painting wood furniture?
• Best way to paint furniture: roller, brush, or spray?
• Best way to paint furniture without leaving marks

Before we get into how to paint your furniture, let’s dive into the best options for paint rollers available. If your cabinets could also use some freshening up, check out the best rollers for painting cabinets.

10 best rollers for furniture paint

There’s a variety of paint rollers available. However, not all rollers are ideal for updating your furniture. These are our recommendations for the best paint rollers for your furniture.

1. Purdy White Dove Mini Roller Covers

Quantity: 2

Size: ⅜-inch nap, 4-inch length

Material: Woven fabric

Best Feature: Smooth finish

For quality results, opt for the Purdy White Dove Mini Roller Covers. These roller covers are made with a microfiber that helps create a lint-free, smooth finish on your furniture, making them a contender for the best roller for painting wood furniture. They work well with latex and oil-based paints, stains, and primers.

2. Wooster Mohair Blend Roller Cover

Quantity: 1

Size: ¼-inch nap, 4-inch length

Material: Mohair-polyester blend

Best Feature: Coverage

If you want a roller cover that offers both great application and durability, check out the Wooster Mohair Blend Roller Cover. This roller cover is made with a blend of mohair and polyester to give a beautiful mark free coverage. It’s approved for use with all paints and various other materials.

3. FoamPRO Fine Finisher Roller

Quantity: 1

Size: 4-inch length

Material: High-density foam

Best Feature: Versatility

The FoamPRO Fine Finisher Roller is a great option for those wanting to try a foam roller for painting their furniture. This is the best paint roller for smooth finish on furniture and is designed to provide a high-quality lint-free finish. It works with glossy paints, stains, primers, and more.

4. KILZ Master Collection Professional Mini Paint Roller

Quantity: 1

Size: 6-inch length

Material: High-density foam

Best Feature: Lightweight roller frame

For flawless-looking furniture, try the KILZ Master Collection Professional Mini Paint Roller. This roller is made with quality and lightweight material to help you comfortably achieve ideal results. It works well with interior and exterior paint and primer.

5. FoamPRO Finest Finish Roller

Quantity: 1

Size: 4-inch length

Material: Super-fine foam

Best Feature: Versatility

Also from FoamPRO, the Finest Finish Roller is a great choice for furniture with very smooth surfaces. Like others in the brand, this roller will give a lint-free, incredible smooth finish. It can also be used with a variety of materials.

6. Wooster Tiz Foam Roller Covers

Quantity: 2

Size: ⅛-inch nap, 3-inch length

Material: Yellow foam

Best Feature: Durability

If you’re looking for an affordable, quality option, this 2-pack of Wooster Tiz Foam Roller Covers is for you. The foam helps provide a lint-free, smooth finish and is made of durable materials, so it can be reused many times. They work best with oil-based paints.

7. Purdy Parrot Jumbo Mini Roller Covers

Quantity: 2

Size: ¼-inch nap, 4.5-inch length

Material: Woven mohair

Best Feature: Smooth finish

The Purdy Parrot Jumbo Mini Roller Covers work really well with wooden furniture. They’re designed to give a “glass-like” finish that can rival the work of paint sprayers. They work best on very smooth surfaces with enamels and clears.

8. Wooster Pro/Doo-Z FTP Roller Cover

Quantity: 1

Size: ⅜-inch nap, 4-inch length

Material: White fabric

Best Feature: Versatility

For those wanting a roller cover with great paint flow, go with the Wooster Pro/Doo-Z FTP Roller Cover. This cover is made with Hydro Flow technology to provide great absorbency and release capabilities for a smooth, even coverage. It works well with paints, primers, and more.

9. Bestt Liebco Tru-Pro Roller Cover

Quantity: 1

Size: ¼-inch nap, 4-inch length

Material: Shed-resistant fabric

Best Feature: Smooth finish

If you’re looking for a roller cover that’s shed-resistant, the Bestt Liebco Tru-Pro Roller Cover will work well for you. This cover works on very smooth surfaces and is made with pickup and release technology to give you great coverage. It can be used with all paints and stains.

10. Wooster Big Green Jumbo Mini Roller Covers

Quantity: 2

Size: 4.5-inch length

Material: Green flocked foam

Best Feature: Coverage

The Wooster Big Green Jumbo Mini Roller Covers 2-pack is a great option for those wanting to stock up on quality covers. These roller covers are designed to give surfaces even coverage while helping you save time while painting. They can be used with all paints, stains, and varnishes.

What’s the best type of roller for painting wood furniture?

When shopping for a paint roller, you might find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of options. Knowing what to look for in a roller will help you determine which one is right for your project. Follow these guidelines to find the best roller for painting furniture.

Choosing the right paint roller design and grip

Whether you’re purchasing a complete paint roller kit or need to purchase a frame separately from your roller cover, different factors will impact how successfully you can paint. Here are some things to consider when selecting your paint roller frame/handle:

• Ergonomic: Handles with a comfortable grip will help you paint for longer.
• Ball-bearing: Frames with ball bearings installed will help you apply paint smoothly without hiccups and errors.
• Compatible: If purchasing separately, ensure your roller cover will fit on your chosen frame.

Choosing the right paint roller length

The length of your roller cover will impact how efficiently you can paint your furniture. These are the different lengths you’re likely to select from when selecting a roller for painting your furniture:

• 3-inch: One of the smallest roller sizes available; best for painting small/thin surfaces on your furniture.
• 4-inch: The most common size for small projects, this is the most ideal size for furniture projects.
• 6-inch: Slightly larger than the 4-inch mini but not too large; good for painting furniture with slightly larger surfaces.

Choosing the right paint roller cover material for your project

The material your roller cover is made of will affect how well your roller works with your paint/stain and the surface of your project. Here are the most common materials you’re likely to use to paint your furniture:

• Foam: Has great absorbency and release capabilities; works really well on smooth surfaces.
• Microfiber: Synthetic material that works well with most paints and helps apply an even coverage to most surfaces.
• Mohair: Natural material that gives surfaces a soft finish.

Choosing the right paint roller nap (thickness) for your surface

Different naps are required for different levels of texture on your surfaces. These are the roller cover naps that works best for painting furniture:

• 3/16-inch: The thinnest roller nap available; ideal for very smooth surfaces.
• ¼-inch: A more common smaller sized nap that works well on very smooth or smooth surfaces.
• ⅜-inch: A slightly thicker nap that works best with smooth or lightly textured surfaces.

Best way to paint furniture: roller, brush, or spray?

Whether to use a roller, brush, or spray to paint furniture depends entirely on your specific project and your own personal preferences. Rollers are great for painting furniture with bigger, flat surfaces, and they will help you to speed up the application process while providing a smooth, even coverage. If you’re working with smaller sections or minor touch-ups, a brush might be the better option. Brushes allow for more precision while painting and are available in different sizes and styles that might better suit the design of your furniture.

Paint sprayers and sprays are fun options for many paint projects, and can make the process of applying paint quick and easy while delivering a smooth finish. However, both of these options can get pretty messy, especially if you’re working on a detailed piece of furniture. Sprayers can also be really expensive, so they should only be purchased if it will be worthwhile to do so.

Choose a roller if…

• You’re working on a bigger piece of furniture
• You want to paint faster
• You want to achieve even coverage

Choose a brush if…

• You’re working on a small piece of furniture
• You’re painting small sections or touch-ups
• You want better precision while painting

Choose a spray if…

• You have multiple large projects to paint
• You want to significantly speed up the painting process
• You have the money to spend

Best way to paint furniture without leaving marks

Now that you have picked the right roller brush and are ready to get started, learn how to avoid roller marks when painting furniture. There are various things to keep in mind while painting in order to get the best results for your project. For furniture free of brush marks, follow these tips:

• Clean the furniture – Use a damp cloth to wipe down your furniture. This will remove any dirt and debris that could appear in your paint.
• Sand before and during – In addition to using sandpaper to remove the old layers of material, you should also use it between coats of paint. This will help smooth out your paint.
• Repair any imperfections – Fill any cracks and holes and sand away any scratches before painting. This will help your furniture look its best and prevent damage to your work in the future.
• Thin out thick paint – If you’re using a thick paint, add a half cup of water to each gallon of paint. This will help you to better spread your paint for smooth, even coverage.
• Use only what you need – Use a paint tray or screen to remove excess paint from your roller. This will help prevent unnecessary blotches, splatter, dripping, and uneven coverage.
• Avoid heavy pressure – Applying paint or stain lightly will help maintain the smoothness of your work. It’s better to apply multiple light coats than one thick coat.
• Finish each section before it dries – Paint each individual surface one at a time and be sure to finish the entire section before it dries. This will help you prevent overlapping.

Now that you know everything about finding and using the best rollers for painting furniture, it’s time to get started. If you’d prefer to hire a professional, the City Painters are here for you. Contact us here or give us a call for a free quote.