Anyone who has found themself not buying the right paint brush and, instead, bought the cheapest possible one shares something in common. We all (now) know that quality matters. The right tool can make or break a job. Think about using a consumer gradeย Wagner power painter sprayer vs a Titan Impact 640 Electric Airless Sprayer.ย I can think of few worse feelings than being in a paintย job and noticing streaks and/or bristle deposits all over my nice new project.
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Start By Asking a Few Questions
When it comes time to buying the right paint brush for the job, ask yourself a few basicย questions. Make sure you select the right tool (thatโs right, we said โtoolโ):
What Kind of Paint Will You Beย Using?
You need to know whether you plan to use water-based (acrylic) or oil-based paint. Believe it or not, certain brushes use bristled optimized for one or the other. Universal brushes exist that can do both, but, largely, those donโt perform as well as particular brushes designed for either oil or acrylic paint.
In the charts below, we address some of the reasons why this matters. The bristles affect how well the paint goes on and whether or not you leave โtrailsโ when you paint.
Buying the Right Paint Brush to Deal with Cornersย and/or Edges
Certain brushes feature angles for cutting in. Others come in various bristle lengths for dealing with corners and inside edges. You can even find brushes made specifically for doing an inside corner in one shot. Pros debate about these, but technique matters almost as much as the particular tool you choose.
How Wide is the Surface Youโreย Painting?
While rollers take care of the largest areas, some trim, molding, columns, and other areas require you to buy the right width of paint brush. Grab a brush thatโs too thin and you waste time having to double- or triple-cover an area.
Buying the Right Paint Brush โ Details and Features
Look for severalย particular details and features to let you know the quality of the brush youย are selecting. These details will make or break a brush and you may find thatย some of them are absolutely critical, while others can be sacrificed for a lower price:
Ferrule
The ferrule is the metal band thatย holds the shape of the bristles intact and secures them to the brush handle.ย This metal should be non-corrosive and better brushes will have this bandย attach via screws or rivets. Bristles should be spaced (typically in horizontalย rows) to keep them separated and in place and to create larger reservoirs forย the paint. In general, bristles should be packed together in a nice denseย arrangement.
Tapered Bristles
The bestย brushes have bristles that are tapered or chiseled to the ends. Thisย creates a smoother finish to the stroke and reduces the amount ofย streaking.
Flagged or Splitย Bristles
Synthetic bristles that are โflaggedโ or โsplitโ willย hold more paint and deliver a nicer, more consistent edge.
Overall Shape
Square trim brushes are justย that โ flat on the end. Chisel trim brushes are made with varying bristleย lengths that taper. Cup trim brushes are the most expensive and basically handcrafted versions of the Chisel trim brush. We typically preferย Chisel or Cup trim brushes to Square trim or Cup trim since Square trimย brushes are very cheaply made for the most part.
Bristle and Brush Type
You can get both naturalย and synthetic bristles on a brush. Natural bristles are made from some kind of animalย hair โ typically ox, camel, sable, hog, and even pony or goat. Typically, theyย are softer than their synthetic counterparts. Natural bristles excel for oil-based paints and stains but they absorb water. As a result, donโt pair them with water-based paints.
Brushes with synthetic bristles work for almost any type of paint or stainโincluding water- or oil-based paints. The following chartย outlines some of the characteristics and recommended uses of the more commonย paint brushes on the market:
| Brush Type | Bristles | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Black China | Natural | Use for oil-basedย paint, stain, and varnish |
| Nylon | Synthetic | Typically used forย water-based paint. Can use forย oil-based paints,ย but avoid shellac or lacquer since bristles tend to streak |
| Nylon/Polyester Blend | Synthetic | Use for both water-ย and oil-based paint. Comes in a variety of stiffness selections. Softer brushesย will typically yield fewer brush strokes |
| Ox Hair Blend | Natural | Use especially forย oil-based paint and varnish. Typically more expensive, but yield a veryย smooth finish |
| Polyester | Synthetic | Universal adequateย for water- or oil-based paint, as well as stain, varnish, lacquer, and shellac.ย Watch for stiffer brushes that can show brush strokes |
| White China | Natural | Use for anything oil-based,ย including paint, stain, varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, and shellac. Thisย brush produces an even ย smoother finishย than a black China brush |
Buying the Right Paint Brush for the Job โย Size and Shape
When buying the right paint brushesย one size does NOT fit all. Youโll want to have a nice selection of paintbrushes handy in order to ensure you are using the best possible brush forย each aspect of the paint job you are taking on. When we speak of brushย โshapeโ we are typically referring to the angle or shape of the brushย edge. Straight edges are best when you are attempting to cover a surface area,ย while angled edges are best for cutting in corners, edges, and getting intoย hard-to-reach places or areas of finer detail.
When selecting the size of yourย brush, match the brush to the job. If you are attempting to finish an areaย that is 1โณ wide, then donโt tackle it with a 2-inch brush. On the otherย hand, if you need to cover a wide-open area, donโt rely on a tiny brush to getย you throughโit wonโt hold enough paint.
In general, smallerย (1โณ) straight edge brushes are best for corners or window sashes, edging,ย trim and finer detail work. 2โณ angled brushes are our personal favoriteย for cutting in edges, corners, and ceilings, and 3โณ or larger brushes are excellentย for large flat surfaces like cabinets, doors, beams, fences and the like. Weย only recommend 4โณ brushes for ceilings, walls, siding, and other very largeย work areas.
Bristle and Handle Length
Note that paintย brushes with longer bristles hold more paint than shorter brushes. Thisย means you spend less time reloading the brush and more time getting theย coverage you need.ย Higher-qualityย brushes typically come with a nice handle made of finished wood instead. We greatly prefer these over cheap plastic handles. Weโve found the wooden handles to be more comfortableย over the long haul.
Speaking of handles,ย those of you with smaller hands may like shorter brush handles. In truth, theย shorter handles aid in getting cleaner, straighter lines whenย edging. I find myself choosing them simply for ease of use. Longerย handles deliver a longer stroke and help with jobs that donโtย involve careful trim or edging. After a while, youโll likely develop your ownย preferences when choosing the right paint brush.
Hopefully, this simpleย guide makes it a little easier to understand why buying the right paint brush matters. It should also help you choose the right one for your job. Just remember to match the brush to the work and donโt buy a cheap brush that makes you spend more time painting!
See our article onย cleaning paint brushes for more information on taking care of your paintbrushes once you finish the work.
