Quality
As professionals, we always recommend buying the best quality you can afford, but with the advances in manufacturing, it’s now possible to buy a high-quality mid-range brush that will do a great job for the DIYer. As a general rule, go for a less absorbent synthetic brush for water-based paints and a natural bristle brush for solvent-based products because it will hold the paint or varnish better and prevent tramlines.
If you’re on a budget you can buy some great all-rounders with a mixture of both bristles.
Shape
In much the same way that the correct bristles make the job easier, choosing the shape that fits the task will help you to produce an excellent finish and limit the frustration that’s sure to occur if you choose the wrong type! Let’s have a quick look at the choices:
- Masonry brush – big and tough for dashing in large, rough areas
- Angled sash brush – perfect for cutting in corners and getting a good finish around trim areas
- Radiator brush – instead of removing the radiator, or pretending the back doesn’t need painting, you can use one of these long-handled brushes designed for the job
- Fence and shed brush – designed for large sweeping strokes, this hefty brush can be loaded with loads of paint for quick coverage
- Square cut brush – the perfect all-rounder! Buy them in various sizes to cover a multitude of jobs
- Round brush – this is the pro’s favourite because, much like an artist’s paint brush, it gives control over the size of the stroke. It does require a higher level of skill to use correctly though
Size
With most brushes falling into the 1-5 inch range it’s best to choose one that is slightly narrower than the width of the stroke you wish to make – especially important for any strip of wood that has an overhang because a brush that’s too wide will overlap the edge and cause runs and drips to form.
We hope that this simple guide on how to choose the right paint brush goes a long way to helping your decorating projects go as smoothly as possible. If you’re in any doubt, call the experts in to do the job – that’s us!