A paint roller is a paint application tool used for painting large flatsurfaces rapidly and efficiently. The paint roller typically consists of two parts: a "roller frame," and a "roller cover." The roller cover absorbs the paint and transfers it to the painted surface, the roller frame attaches to the roller cover. A painter holds the roller by the handle section. The roller frame is reusable. It is possible to clean and reuse a roller cover, but it is also typically disposed of after use. The roller cover is a cylindrical core with a pile fabric covering secured to the cylindrical core. Foam rubber rollers are also produced. There are both foam and fabric rollers that are individually available, made to replace worn out rollers, once an old roller is removed the new roller can be fitted onto the handle section for use. An innovation of the cylindrical core has allowed it to contain paint inside, with the cover absorbing paint from the inside and filtering it through to be applied externally, when the roller is rolled.
History
American Roller Stippler Company
In 1938 Morris Welt was a painting contractor in New York City. His son, David Welt went to a print shop to have business cards made so he could promote his father's work. David saw the printer rolling ink on to metal type. This gave him the idea that paint could be rolled. In the basement of their apartment, David Welt created the first paint roller using bent steel for the frame and he glued some carpet on to a wooden dowel to make the roller cover. The initial handmade rollers weren't very good at applying paint but did a great job of "stippling". Morris and David named their company ARSCO which stood for American Roller Stippler Company. As they found better fabrics for the roller cores, the business grew and they began supplying Sherwin-Williams, Glidden Paints and many others around the world. In 1956 the small ARSCO Paint Roller factory moved from a small New York warehouse to a block long factory in Hialeah, Florida. honored the father and son team as Morris and David Welt celebrated their 25th Anniversary by publishing a full page editorial detailing the history of this invention in 1938. In 1974 David Welt's son joined Arsco. Glenn Welt purchased the paint roller business from his father, renamed the company to Arsco International and continued manufacturing paint rollers and accessories until 2017.
