A couple of questions for Foam roller users

[MYX]

I started painting my cab yesterday. (went much slower that I thought it would). I used a foam roller because I read that this is the best way to achieve a super smooth finish. I did the primer and experienced 2 things. 1. After a while the foam roller started to break up. 2. The texture was anything but smooth, in fact it was quite rough. I have already planned to sand it, but after hearing so much about the silky smooth surface and do not see one.

Also, I have 220 grit sand paper. Is this ok or too gritty?

[Timoe]

220-200 grit is perfect.


Is your foam roller white?  It should not come apart at all.  It should be real smooth.

[sodapopinski]

i've had foam rollers come apart. Just buy the more expensive ones and you shouldent have a problem. Personally, I'm taking the spraying approach, never used one, hope its not a mistake.

[MYX]

Yes it was white. I got like 5 of them for 6 bucks.
I decided to spray prime the hard to reach places and roll the big ones. Sand then paint.
I found today that if I tried to do corners that is what makes the roller fall apart. Still the issue of the rough surface.
I am using Killz oil based primer with black pigment and rustolium dark grey auto primer. So far the 2 seem to be working well together. oil and oil.

[leapinlew]

I used latex on the jukebox. I sanded with 400.

It feels pretty slick... not sure if it made much difference than the 160 I used before it. I'd use the 400 again.

[danny_galaga]

Yes it was white. I got like 5 of them for 6 bucks.
I decided to spray prime the hard to reach places and roll the big ones. Sand then paint.
I found today that if I tried to do corners that is what makes the roller fall apart. Still the issue of the rough surface.
I am using Killz oil based primer with black pigment and rustolium dark grey auto primer. So far the 2 seem to be working well together. oil and oil.

hmmm, i cant remember the price of mine but it was more likely more than that for ONE! i think you may have scrimped on the wrong thing 

[MYX]

I didn't see any other choices. This was the only foam brush with (super smooth) actually listed. They had softer ones but they were listed medium texture n stuff like that.

[Fozzy The Bear]

I think the thing you actually needed to buy was what they sell as a "Glossing Roller" They're made from a chemically resistant foam. Other rollers will break up when they get some of the more vicious oil based paints on them.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[AtomSmasher]

It looks like you just got cheap rollers, but even with nice rollers you still want to sand between every coat.

[MYX]

I got the best ones that HD had. They were listed as latex or oil. Where should I go to get lab grade industrial strength gourmet elitist rollers?

When you guys rolled your primer was it smooth before or after you sanded. Was it rough before you sanded?

[AtomSmasher]

I got the best ones that HD had. They were listed as latex or oil. Where should I go to get lab grade industrial strength gourmet elitist rollers?

I got mine from OSH, thats odd that HD only had crappy rollers.

When you guys rolled your primer was it smooth before or after you sanded. Was it rough before you sanded?

It was very rough before I sanded, but smooth after.  I basically just took a vibrating sander with 220 grit and ran it over the primer/paint as quickly as I could so that it just took the roughness away, it worked very well.  I did 2 coats of primer and 5 coats of paint, sanding between each coat, and I'm very happy with the results.

[RayB]

Did it break up on first use? Some people think that you can wash a roller and re-use it. Not so. You'll get lousy results, "shedding" being one of the problems.

[ShinAce]

The smoothest finish you'll get is with paint applied by spraying and fine sanding between coats. The only problem is that spray paints are typical enamel and scratch easily.

For applying oil paint, I use a brush mostly. I find a good trick is to sand with 200-300 depending on the smoothness already. Also you can thin the paint as you get to the final coats. Something like 1 part thinner for 25 parts paint will make it very thin. 1:100 would make a little smoother but not perfect.

[Stingray]

I bought foam rollers at Home Depot, I used oil based paint and I didn't run into this problem. I'm not sure what to tell you. I used the small rollers that are about six inches long and maybe an inch and a half thick. Are you using full sized rollers? I don't know how this could make a big difference, but it sounds like you and I used the same stuff otherwise.

-S

[MYX]

Yes, I am using the 6 inch ones. I just got some really fine sand paper yesterday. I am only spray painting in the hard to reach places (with the roller and by hand). Most of the sprayed places are in the corners. I am using good (not cheap) spray but, spray paint IS spray paint.

It was very rough before I sanded, but smooth after.  I basically just took a vibrating sander with 220 grit and ran it over the primer/paint as quickly as I could so that it just took the roughness away, it worked very well.  I did 2 coats of primer and 5 coats of paint, sanding between each coat, and I'm very happy with the results.

Thanks AtomSmasher, this relieves a little anxiety.
I have to finish the inside and back (ran out of primer), then I can take it outside and sand it. I built a little paint booth. Actually it is an overgrown plastic bag. I am painting inside then once dry I will take it outside to sand  thus keeping dust off of it while it is drying. With the paint (not primer) I was planning on 1 coat of black on the inside and 2 or 3 on the outside. I figured no one really sees the inside and if they do There will be black to look at, but I do not need the detail or protection of that many coats on the inside.

Did it break up on first use? Some people think that you can wash a roller and re-use it. Not so. You'll get lousy results, "shedding" being one of the problems.

Ray, no I did not re use it. But I also did not know you weren't supposed to re use them. I just looked at it and said "this is oil and will be a b:+ch to get clean in the sink. And tossed it for simplicity sake. Seems I made the right decision.

Also you can thin the paint as you get to the final coats. Something like 1 part thinner for 25 parts paint will make it very thin. 1:100 would make a little smoother but not perfect.

Wow, I bought paint thinner to clean up a little. Didn't know what proper thinning was so thank you. I have never painted with oils (aside from spray) before. So this is a whole new game.