Choosing Paint Brushes

Jan 11th, 2011 by Boston Decorator in Painting

An important part of having a good paint application is to use the correct tools to do the job. As such, some effort can be put into choosing a suitable paint brush as it can save a lot of time and effort while painting.


Some properties which are important to look into when selecting paint brushes are:-




  • Is it the correct type of brush?


Synthetic, nylon brushes are better suited for water based emulsion paints, while natural bristle brushes are better suited for solvent based paints. Nylon may melt or harden when exposed to solvents, while natural bristle brushes will absorb water. This behavior will make the paint harder to apply, as the brush may be either too stiff, or too soggy.




  • Are the bristles firmly attached to the ferrule?


When you first buy the brush, check it by holding the bristles firmly in your hand and pulling on it. If the bristles are not firmly attached, you will find that some of them will come loose when you pull on it. This would cause problems during paint application as the poorly attached bristles will get stuck onto your freshly painted surface.




  • Is the brush head uniform in appearance?


Check the brush head to see if the bristles tapers to a point, and have a uniformly straight edge. The bristles should not flare outwards to form an opening (which resembles a fish mouth), as this means that the bristles are not properly positioned. This would cause uneven spreading of paint during application.




  • Are the brushes wide enough for your surface?


It is a good practice to work with a 1″ and a 2″ brush when painting. The thinner brush is used when painting near corners or narrow areas, while the wider brush is used for quickly applying paint onto the larger areas. Having at least two brushes would greatly speed up the work, as you don’t have to brush multiple times (for an undersized brush) or have to maneuver a large brush in a narrow space.


By keeping these 4 questions in mind when buying your brushes, it would help you choose the most suitable tool for the job at hand.

No Comments