How to Paint With Perforated Roller Covers

Perforated covers look just like non-perforated rollers on the outside.

Perforated roller covers look identical to regular paint rollers on the outside. You can identify a perforated roller by looking through the large hole in the center of the roller cover. A perforated roller will feature small holes inside the roller, hidden beneath the roller nap. These holes allow for internal paint feeding. When you paint with perforated covers, the paint is supplied from inside the roller, rather than dipping the roller into an external roller pan. An internally fed roller, or "power roller," speeds up large jobs. If you don't know how to use a perforated cover properly, however, they are more of a hindrance than a help.

Things You'll Need

• Power roller unit
• Latex or oil-based paint

Instructions

1. Attach the perforated roller cover to your power roller just like you would a normal roller. The roller slides onto the long cylindrical frame at the top of the handle with a little force. This frame is called the "roller cage."

2. Load paint into the power roller unit. While some industrial-sized power rollers have a complex loading process, household power rollers actually allow you to set an open paint can directly on the unit. With the paint can in place, attach the power roller's lid. This lid contains a hose that feeds paint to the unit.

3. Plug your power roller into a wall outlet. If your power roller is battery operated, fully charge the battery before using the unit.

4. Depress the button on the side of the power roller handle to feed paint into the roller. You should notice the paint roller saturate with paint.

5. Test the roller on a piece of scrap. Excess paint usually drains back down through the perforated holes and into the paint bucket, but in some cases it can squeeze out of the roller. Practice painting a few strokes to determine how much paint is supplied each time you press the button. Each manufacturer's unit supplies paint in different quantities. Once you've figured out how to supply optimal paint levels as you roll, you can use your power roller on any surface.

6. Roll the paint onto the surface in parallel lines with 50 percent overlap. This reduces visible bead lines as you work.

References

• Lion Industries: Airless Paint Rollers
• "Stanley Complete: Complete Painting"; Larry Johnston; 2007
• "Painting Secrets"; Brian Santos; 2004