Before painting our kitchen cabinets by hand, I went on a mission to find the very best paint rollers to get the smoothest, most professional finish. Today I’m excited to share the results of my experiment!
I did the research, analyzed the reviews, and polled my audience to narrow down the Top 5 Paint Rollers for a head-to-head showdown. Here are the contenders:
Five different types of rollers, with tons of recommendations and raving reviews.
Table of Contents
The best paint for cabinets
Before we see how they each performed, I must emphasize the importance of choosing the right paint. The paint you choose will ultimately determine the quality and longevity of your finish. I used Benjamin Moore Advance, specifically designed for cabinets and used by professionals (you can see more in my guide to painting cabinets like a pro).
The Advance paint is self-leveling, so it evens out as it dries, resulting in a smoother finish. I knew from experience that the paint roller also makes a difference though, and was eager to find a winner!
Painting cabinet doors by hand
While a high quality sprayer will give you the smoothest finish in the shortest amount of time, not everyone can or wants to go that route. It is still possible to get great results painting by hand! Here are the steps to follow:
How to paint cabinet doors by hand:
- Clean doors
Use compressed air and/or a tack cloth to thoroughly remove all dust.
- Pre-wet your roller
This step is optional, but pre-wetting can ‘prime’ your roller, allowing it to soak up and apply the paint more evenly. Make sure it is only slightly damp (not wet!)
- Apply first coat
Apply an even coat of paint, covering the surface entirely and making sure to smooth out any brush or roller marks.
- Lightly sand
After the paint has sufficiently dried, use a fine sanding block to gently smooth down any debris/imperfections
- Clean
Remove sanding debris with compressed air and/or a tack cloth.
- Apply a final coat
Brush/roll on your final coat, making sure to cover the surface completely
Contender #1: Whizz Velour
This roller had great coverage, and was easy to maneuver.
There was a light stippling (orange peel) texture, as you’d expect from a woven material. There was some light shedding (a few stray fibers) but the end result was very even, with no visible roller marks.
Contender #2: Sherwin Williams Mohair
The mohair roller felt nearly identical to the velour—great coverage, similar light stippled texture.
After the second coat dried, I noticed there were quite a few stray fibers, but the overall finish was even and streak-free.
Contender #3: Purdy White Dove
This roller was thicker and larger, and soaked up a lot more paint.
That’s useful for painting larger surfaces, but it left noticeable roller marks after drying.
Contender #4: Whizz Concave Foam
The foam rolled on a thin layer of paint and didn’t cover completely. The concave tip was nice to get into detailed areas.
With such a thin layer, there was minimal stippling and a very smooth finish with no roller marks. I did have to apply a third layer of paint, and would skip pre-wetting this roller next time.
Contender #5: Wooster MicroPlush
Similar to the White Dove, this roller soaked up a lot of paint and provided great coverage.
The shedding was minimal, but the sheen had a speckled effect once it dried.
The Verdict
And the best paint roller is…
It’s a tie!
Overall, the foam roller provided the smoothest finish, but having to apply three coats is a bummer. The velour roller finish is *almost* as good, with minimal shedding, and covers in two coats.
Here are the rankings:
Winner: Whizz Velour
Pros: Great coverage, even finish with no roller marks / Cons: Slight shedding
Winner: Whizz Concave Foam
Pros: Smoothest finish, no shedding, no roller marks / Cons: Poor coverage
#3: Sherwin Williams Mohair
Pros: Great coverage, even finish with no roller marks / Cons: Shed the most
#4: Wooster Microplush
Pros: Great coverage / Cons: Sheen had a stippled effect
#5: Purdy White Dove
Pros: Great coverage / Cons: Left roller marks
I will say—I don’t think any of these are bad options, and you really have to study them in the right light to notice the differences. Here’s how the “worst” roller turned out, which is still pretty dang good:
I credit these results to using a quality cabinet paint, and am curious to try this experiment again with a different type of paint. I’ve had very different results with wall paint (poor results with foam rollers and great results with White Dove) so it’s interesting to see the difference in this experiment. I also encourage you to do your own experiments at home, as everyone seems to have a different preference.
Cabinet Painting Tips & Tricks
- Paint quality matters: Make sure to use a quality paint specifically designed for cabinets (I love BM Advance and SW Urethane Enamel).
- De-fuzz your roller: To help prevent shedding, use painters tape to remove any loose fibers before painting.
- Try pre-wetting your roller: A slightly damp roller may help prime the roller, allowing it to soak up and apply the paint more evenly.
- Paint in an enclosed area: Make sure your painting zone is protected from a breeze that can blow in dust/dirt as the paint is drying.
- Sand between coats: Use a fine (220 grit) sanding block to gently smooth down any raised texture or imperfections before applying the next coat.
- Pay attention to re-coat and cure time: Paint takes a long time to cure and harden—don’t rush the process! BM Advance instructs to wait 16 hours in between coats, and minimum 5-7 days before installation.
I hope this review is helpful and you learned something new! Do you have a go-to paint roller that isn’t on this list? I’m always up for testing out more and improving my technique/process!
Follow along on my Instagram stories to see how these cabinets turn out 🙂
Deb says
I’ve been following your blog for a number of years now. Love your work and your blog!! Thank you for this post!! I was just starting a cabinet painting project, invested in a good paint (SW Emerald alkyd enamel) and was having a hard time getting a smooth finish. I’d been experimenting for about a week (working with SW on a resolve) when you posted this info, so grateful! And the winner is the Whizz velour roller! It has solved the problem.
Jenna Sue says
Amazing, I’m so glad this post was timely and helpful! Curious to know which roller you were using that was giving you trouble?
Robyn says
I painted new doors as we moved into a newly built home 2 1/2 years ago after painting my floor boards with a semi gloss. Used a foam roller and the doors streaked. Why???
Jenna Sue says
Those white high density foam rollers tend to do that! This concave foam is very different. I’ll never use the white foam again.
Jes says
Interesting post! I love the sherwin Williams 3/16” velour roller (contractor series)! Would be interested to see how they compare with the whiz!
Eleanor Pella says
Thank you for doing the research &!testing!
Jenna Sue says
It was my pleasure!
Stephanie Eisenstein says
This was so helpful! I’m going to be painting my bathroom cabinets soon and I’m definitely going to use one of your winners. Thanks for such great info!
Michele M. says
Thank you, Jenna! This was so informative. Excellent job.
Also – what is that gorgeous color you used? I am in love with that color choice!!!!!
Christine says
Thank you so much for conducting this experiment! I’m just about to paint cabinets and I’ve had a hard time finding a roller that I liked when I was painting my interior doors so now I’m going try out your top two recommendations! Love that color you chose as well.
Carly says
That was a great blog post! So glad to learn your personal advise as I am getting ready to do some wood furniture. I had read awhile ago an article by a professional painter of cabinets (teaches classes to DIY’ers ), remodels kitchens etc. Her recommendation on the rollers was Whizz Velour as the only roller cover they use. So you just confirmed that as well. Love the paint color you used!
Jenna Sue says
The velour has been recommended so many times, and for a good reason! I’m glad this post was helpful Carly!
Kristin says
Thank you for always doing the legwork for us!
Jenna Sue says
My pleasure — this was a lot of fun!
SH says
One of the most useful and practical posts out there. Full of good tips and techniques. Saving this post as a primary resource. Thanks.
Jenna Sue says
I’m so glad you found it helpful! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Lilah says
Thank you so much!! Do you recommend a primer?
Jenna Sue says
Yes, always on cabinets/furniture! These cabinet doors came pre-primed so that saved a lot of time.
Lilah says
Thank you so much!! Great post, and soooo helpful!!
Taylor says
This is fantastic! Getting ready to paint kitchen cabinets, so this couldn’t have come at a better time:D
Jenna Sue says
Perfect! I hope you found this post helpful 🙂
Claudia says
Thank you for all the good information. I am going to be painting my kitchen cabinets very soon and your experiment helps out a lot! Do you mind sharing the color you are using for your cabinets? I really love that color! You have inspire me to take that leap and try to do it on my own, wish me luck! 🙂
Jenna Sue says
So glad to hear that, Claudia! The color is BM October Mist.
Loan says
Hi Jenna! I’m starting my first painting of furniture piece and am excited I saw this before I begin. I’m hoping it’ll translate to furniture too. Thanks so much for sharing!
Jenna Sue says
Perfect! Yes it should, though with furniture I’d also look into sealing it for added protection.
Gina says
Thank you for sharing!! I’m getting ready to paint my bathroom vanity and this will help tremendously!! 😁
Jenna Sue says
Awesome, I hope this helps Gina!