PSA: I used a 2-inch foam brush to paint my kitchen cabinets and the finish is weirdly textured, like orange peel. Was the brush the problem or the paint?

3 comments

3 Comments

That foam brush is absolutely the problem. They hold way too much paint and leave a thick, gummy layer that dries with that weird skin. I redid my bathroom vanity last year and made the same mistake. Switched to a high quality angled brush for the edges and a small foam roller for the flat panels. The finish was totally smooth, like factory. You need to sand that texture down and start over with better tools.

uma_nelson1mo ago

My first apartment had a dresser that looked like it was wrapped in plastic wrap because I used those foam brushes. I spent more time sanding that weird rubbery skin off than I did actually painting. You're totally right about the angled brush and foam roller combo, it's a night and day difference. I learned the hard way that foam brushes are basically for kids' craft projects, not real paint jobs. That factory smooth finish is worth the extra few bucks for the right tools.

taylor.jordan19d ago

Yeah that rubbery skin is a nightmare to deal with. I had the same problem on a nightstand a few years back and ended up just stripping it completely with chemical stripper because sanding was taking forever. What finally worked for me was using a high density foam roller from the hardware store instead of those cheap craft store ones. They cost a little more but they lay the paint down thin and even without that gummy mess. Also learned to thin the paint just a tiny bit with Floetrol, it helps it level out way better so you don't get brush marks or that weird texture.