If your paint doesn’t like your paint brush, a streaky, unsightly surface awaits you. There should be harmony between the surface you’re painting, the paint you’re applying, and the bristles, handle, width, and shape of your brush. So how do you choose the right paint brush for the job? Read on.
Anatomy of a Paint Brush
Let’s quickly get familiar with all the parts of a paint brush so you can better understand the terminology later in the article.
- Brush Handle: The handle is the plastic or wooden part of a paint brush shaped in a manner to fit into a human hand. They are mostly oblong or may have indentations for your fingers.
- Ferrule: Between the handle and the bristles of a brush is a ferrule. This part is made from thin metal that attaches bristles to the handle.
- Heel: Part of the ferrule closest to the bristles is called the heel of the ferrule.
- Bristles: We all know this one. Bristles are the hair or fibers of your brush that hold paint. They can be coarse or soft and come in varying lengths. You can find natural bristles (made from the hair of ox, hogs, camel, horses, etc.) and synthetic bristles (made from man-made plastics such as polyester, nylon, or a combination of both).
- Belly: This is the middle part of the bristles. The belly holds the maximum amount of paint.
- Toe: The end of the bristles. It may be cut straight at the end or cut at an angle.
Identify a Good-Quality Paint Brush
Picking a high-quality brush for your paint job is the key to achieving smooth results with less effort. A quality brush holds more paint, makes less mess, and applies the paint evenly. Look for these markers of quality when getting one:
Bristle Quality
A good paint brush will have:
- Smooth Tip: Grab the brush and feel the tips of the bristles on your other hand. Bristles should be smooth and soft and have varying lengths around the toe to achieve a slim tip. A well-tipped brush gives better coverage, sharper lines when cutting in, and an overall smoother texture.
- Good Bend Recovery: Pull the bristles to one side with your hand and release to check the bend recovery. Solid bristles spring back when you bend at the base, but cheap, hollow bristles crimp. Look for nice bounce and flexibility.
- High Bristle Density: Hold the brush up and look inside the bristles. They should be densely packed from the ferrule and not have a filler strip in the middle. If bristles aren’t tightly packed, your brush will have voids that will fill with paint and drip when you paint.
Bristle Type
There are two types of bristles you can choose from; natural and synthetic.
- Natural Bristles: These are made from animal hair. Natural bristle paint brushes have natural flagging (fuzzy or split ends) that hold more paint and aid in even and smooth paint release and finish. These brushes are best for applying oil-based paints, shellac, polyurethane, varnishes, and other oil-based finishes. They don’t match well with water-based paints because hair absorbs water and swells.
- Synthetic Bristles: These are plastic, typically blended nylon or polyester, hair that works great with all kinds of latex paints. Polyester has excellent shape-retention capabilities and nylon is very durable, a combination of these two in a brush makes a high-quality paint brush. Synthetic brushes can handle numerous projects – nylon/polyester blends hold their shape and stiffness for most paint types and give a smooth finish. They are quite long-lasting with proper care.
Well-Constructed Handle and Ferrule
What makes a handle and ferrule well-constructed?
- Construction and attachment of the handle and ferrule should be secure so the ferrule does not move around or fall apart altogether with use.
- Metal ferrules and wood handles work best. Look for a brush with a metal ferrule that is nailed firmly into a solid wood handle.
- Stay away from poorly constructed brushes where the handle is made of plastic and the ferrule is simply machine stamped onto it. These are usually cheap and might tempt you, but remember that a well-constructed paint brush will give you many years of use and an unmatchable finish.
- The handle shape should be comfortable. Flat handles do not have contouring which means your hand will start hurting after extended use. Kaiser handles are shaped according to your grip and are more comfortable. Beaver-tail handles are your best pick because they are thick and ergonomically well-shaped for extended use.
Pick the Right Brush Size
Paint brushes are available in different sizes and shapes to achieve different finishing effects. The size of your brush is determined by what you’re planning to paint with it.
Paint brushes also come in widths from one to four inches. You need to check the width and thickness of the bristle area. Wide and thick brushes hold more paint and cover more ground before you need a reload whereas thinner brushes are lightweight and offer better control. So you have to match the surface you’re painting with the size of your brush.
The size essentially defines speed and precision and you can select a size based on your preferences too. But here’s a good rule of thumb:
- 1- to 2-inch Brush: For painting windows mullion, tight corners, and other small, narrow trims. These brushes are also known as trim or sash brushes. They can be angled or straight.
- 2.5- to 3-inch Brush: Angled brushes in this width are good for painting window frames, moldings, casings, and cutting-in edges of ceilings and walls too. Straight brushes in this size are good for painting cabinets, stairs, baseboards, furniture, railings, gutters, shutters, etc.
- 4-inch Brush: Use for flat, big surfaces such as walls, decks, exterior siding, masonry, floors, ceilings, doors, fences, and more.
Choose Appropriate Brush Shape
Once you know what brush size you’re getting, it’s time to decide the bristle shape or style most suitable for your painting project. Paint brushes are available in various styles, and the shape of the bristles will have a direct impact on the brush’s ability to collect and distribute paint onto a surface.
Your brush should have the flexibility to change shape when it’s used in difficult spaces but should always return to its original shape afterward.
Traditional Square Brush
As popular as it may be, a square brush is only good for painting wide and flat surfaces. Painting corners with a square-shaped brush will make the job very tedious because reaching those small nooks is hard.
The bristles are cut flat on the end and make a good choice for painting decks, fences, and large exterior surfaces.
Thin Angle Sash
This brush style has a thin profile, long handle, and slanted bristles. It’s best for trimming in corners and edges and cutting in before rolling. The angled bristle tip makes it easier to control the line of paint and give more precise results.
The bristles cut at an angle, making it easier to fill around door and window frames, corners, straight lines, and ceiling corners. Angled brushes also have a lot fewer bristles than a wall brush would because holding more paint is not the primary purpose of these brushes, maneuverability control and precision are.
Angle Sash
An angled brush features slanted bristles and is wider than a thin angle sash to hold more paint. It’s an excellent choice for cutting in at ceilings or painting trims and other detail work.
Round Sash
Round sash brushes have a tapered end making a soft edge. They are generally used for decorative work like painting faux, furniture, etc.
Trim
This is a flat brush that makes a perfect choice for painting flat and large surfaces, especially exterior siding.
Wall
A wall brush is thick and flat. It holds a large amount of paint and is designed for painting larger surface areas. These brushes have a shorter handle than cutting brushes because you don’t have to reach smaller areas. It’s a versatile style and you can use different sizes in this shape for a range of paint jobs.
Match Bristle Type with Your Paint Type
Different types of paint need different applicators. Paint brushes come either with synthetic bristles or natural bristles. You need to be careful when shopping for a paint brush because if the bristles don’t match the type of paint you’re using, the results are messy.
For water-based paints, i.e., paint or varnish that can be cleaned with water, use a synthetic bristle brush. Natural bristles soak moisture from water-based paints and become too soft or weak to spread the paint, hence ruining the outcome, so avoid them.
For oil-based paints, i.e., paint or varnish that cannot be washed away with water, use a natural bristle brush. You can also use a synthetic bristle brush for this paint type but natural bristles give a smoother finish.
Hard Bristles vs. Soft Bristles – What’s Better?
Hard brushes hold their shape and make it easier to paint in a straight line. They provide crisp lines when cutting in or filling around doors, windows, and trims. They also hold thicker coatings better than soft brushes.
On the other hand, soft brushes give a super smooth finish because they do not leave brush strokes behind. They’re perfect for painting furniture, doors, and trim work.
Leaning on either side of the firmness spectrum means you’re expending more effort to either smoothen out visible brush strokes or keep the brush from wandering away from a line. So, your best bet is to get a medium-stiff brush. These brushes offer the control of a hard bristle brush without leaving deep brush marks.
When to Consider Professional Painters
DIY paint jobs are fun if you’re redoing a room, one wall, or a certain part of the house. But if you’re painting the whole house, it’s better to hire a painting professional. These contractors have more experience and make sure your paint lasts longer by prepping the walls better. You can also consult them regarding the type of brush you should use for a certain project.
Main Photo Credit: shironosov / Canva Pro / License
