Things to Consider When Choosing a Paint Brush

Painting a house or even a room in your house can be very refreshing. Painting your home can liven it up and make every room in your house come alive. However, choosing the right brush for the right paint job is perhaps the most important choice you will make even more important than the colors you choose. Paintbrush selection is key to success when painting. How to pick a paintbrush is not too difficult once we go over the basics.

Why Is Choosing the Right Brush So Important

No matter what hardware store you walk into these days, you will find an enormous array of paint brushes that could bewilder anyone. Paintbrush selection can seem like you are entering a maze, but knowing how to choose the right brush for any specific paint task can mean the difference between satisfaction and disappointment. When taking on a DIY painting job in your home you want a fresh look, but you also want to impress with your painting skills. Having the right paintbrush will make every paint job you undertake look like it was done by a pro.

What to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Paintbrush

Many factors will come into play when choosing the right paintbrush, here are some important things to consider.

#1: The Type of Bristle

Paint brush bristle types are extremely important, not knowing the right bristle type to choose can turn your paint job into a frustrating process. There are 2 main categories of paintbrushes to consider when painting: natural bristle brushes or synthetic bristle brushes.

In most cases, you will want to use a paintbrush with natural bristles because they will give your painted surface a smoother finish. If you’re using oil-based paints or varnishes then a natural bristle brush is the best option.

Synthetic paint brushes, however, tend to be a better option when it comes to water-based paints and varnishes. There are many types of synthetic paint brushes such as: nylon, polyester, or nylon/polyester blends. It is important to note that nylon/polyester blends are the best types of synthetic brushes because they offer an equal amount of flexible softness and firm stiffness for the ultimate level of control when painting.

#2: The Shape of Bristle

Now that you’ve chosen a natural or synthetic bristle paintbrush, the next step is figuring out the shape of the paintbrush you’ll be using. This decision will rely entirely on what you are intending to paint. There are 2 popular shapes for paintbrushes: the traditional square brush and the angled paintbrush.

The paintbrush you will need when painting ceilings, trims, or narrow spaces will be the angled paintbrush. The square paintbrush, as popular as it may be, is only a good option when painting wide surfaces. The square-shaped paintbrush will make painting corners, for example, a frustrating and tedious task.

#3: The Size of the Brush

The size of your paintbrush will again be influenced by what you are painting. Most DIY projects can be accomplished using a 2-1/2-inch-wide brush, this means that you can tackle smaller surfaces and wider surfaces equally. Ideally, if you are painting a surface that is wider than 4 inches, you should choose a 3-1/2-inch-wide brush. Similarly, if you are painting a surface that is 2 inches wide then a 1-1/2-inch-wide brush would be perfect.

In other words, your paintbrush size should roughly be 1/2 -inch smaller than the surface you intend to paint. Paintbrushes that are 3-inches wide should only be used when you are painting wide and flat surfaces.

#4: The Tip of the Brush

Choosing the right paintbrush tip is nearly as crucial as choosing the right paintbrush. Paintbrush selection is wholly determined by the type of paint job that is needed and the price you are willing to pay. Certain paintbrushes with split ends or flagged tips tend to be more expensive than the pointed or tipped tip paintbrushes. However, these types of angled paintbrushes are better at painting smaller surfaces rather than square trim paint brushes which are better for wider surface paint jobs.

#5: The Type of Paint

The type of paint that you will use will undoubtedly affect the type of paintbrush you will need. Natural bristle paintbrushes are the best choice for oil-based paints, shellac, and varnishes, whilst synthetic bristle paintbrushes are best used for water-based paints and finishes. Combining the wrong bristle brush with the wrong paint can have undesired results and leave your paint job looking streaky and dreary.

Conclusion

Over time, you will have an impressive collection of paintbrushes then you will be able to match any paintbrush and paint. However, until then, perhaps it is best to start with the basics and get a 2-1/2-inch-wide synthetic brush which will be versatile and a great way to start, especially if you are at the beginning stages of your DIY adventure. Next time you are shopping for paintbrushes, keep these tips in mind and you will be pleasantly surprised.

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