How to Choose the Right Brush or Roller

Last October, I shared some of my favorite pro painting tips while we were working on the guest room, and received lots of positive feedback. I&#;m happy that was such a helpful post and I thought it might be beneficial to elaborate on determining which paint brush or roller works best for specific projects. I wanted to break it down in an easy, permanent resource for you here on the blog. Whether you&#;re tackling a small paint project- like painting a piece of furniture&#;. or a large painting project- like the exterior of your home, I&#;m deciphering which paint tools work best for each project based on the surface you&#;re painting. Click through or pin this one for future paint and home improvement projects! Oh- and there is a little giveaway at the end of the post, too- if you&#;re in need of new brushes. Be sure to scroll to the bottom and enter! Ready for a super educational and informative post? Let&#;s do it!

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Choosing the right brush or roller can really make or break your project outcome. I hate seeing brush streaks, uneven coverage, and have learned that projects go more quickly when I&#;m using the correct applicator. It took my stubborn self a couple years into our home improvement journey before I started investing in quality paint tools. They really do make a big difference, and knowing when to use what is half the battle! Let&#;s talk about brushes first, then we&#;ll discuss rollers.

BRUSHES

There are three main things I consider before choosing a brush for a project: the stiffness, the size & shape, as well as the type of filaments. Did you know smaller trim brushes have stiff bristles and more control? They&#;re designed for short strokes that create crisp lines, while wall brushes are larger, hold more paint, and are made for long strokes that cover a bigger surface area, saving you time. When choosing a brush, you&#;ll want to consider the size, shape, stiffness, handle style, and type of bristles or filaments.

Brush Stiffness

Stiff brushes are designed for cutting in a clean, crisp line and trimming out around windows, door casings, and millwork. Generally, the more stiff the brush, the more control you have to achieve a hard edge. Anytime I trim out millwork, the ceiling or corners of a room, or windows & doors, I most always have a ClearCut brush in my hand.

Brush Size & Style

Smaller sized brushes are better for working in tight areas or on detailed projects- like furniture or window mullions. In addition to size, you also have to consider the shape of the brush. Angular brushes are best for getting into tight corners or difficult to reach areas. Large brushes are optimal for covering a lot of surface area when a roller won&#;t work- like painting fences or curved surfaces (furniture projects). When choosing a brush, I also base my selection on the handle and how it feels in my hand. I&#;m partial to a short brush because it fits in my small hands and palm nicely, and doesn&#;t get in the way like longer handles&#; it&#;s great for tight areas and details. That part is really a personal preference and depends on how you paint and hold the brush. Experiment to find out which style you like best!

Brush Filaments

Not all brushes are created equal, and filaments (or bristles) are a big part of that. Purdy offers tipped and flagged filaments for their specific brushes, which helps with brush marks and cutting in crisp lines. Stiff brushes made for cutting in, have tipped filaments, so they won&#;t fray or split over time&#; meaning you can continue painting crisp edges with each project. Tipped and flagged filaments are actually intentionally split, then tipped&#; meaning they&#;re much softer, have smaller end bristles, and allow us to paint without brush marks. Isn&#;t that interesting?!

The question I&#;m most often asked about painting&#; how do you paint without seeing brush strokes? I have two remedies for that: good self leveling paint and the right brush. My favorite brush for this is a Nylox brush, pictured above. These brushes are awesome for smooth interior projects (doors, trim, and cabinetry). Paired with a self leveling paint, they provide an ultra smooth finish without any brush marks. As the paint dries, you&#;ll notice them disappearing. These brushes have very soft flagged and tipped filaments that provide an even finish. I made a little diagram for you&#;

My personal favorite brushes&#;

• For trim, corners, and ceilings: ClearCut
• For furniture & cabinetry: Nylox
• For exterior projects: Pro-Extra
• For stain projects: Syntox
• For oil based paint & enamel projects: Black Bristle

ROLLERS

When selecting a roller cover, you have to determine what look you&#;re going for&#; completely smooth, stippling, a little texture, or a lot of texture. You should consider the nap, roller width, and knit to determine what roller fabric works best for your project.

Roller Cover Fabric

When choosing a roller cover, there are two main fabric options: woven or knit. Knitted roller covers hold more paint, cover more surface area, and leave more texture. Woven roller covers, on the other hand, prevent lint while providing a smooth finish. The amount of stippling or texture you get also depends on the roller&#;s fabric density.

Roller Nap

The less nap on a roller, the smoother the finish will be. 1/4&#; nap is great for ultra smooth surfaces- like doors, 3/8&#; nap is ideal for walls & ceilings, 1/2&#; nap is optimal for textured walls and concrete, 3/4&#; nap is best for stucco and masonry, and 1-1/4&#; nap is what you&#;ll need for brick or highly textured masonry. For the majority of our interior walls here at home, we use White Dove roller covers. They have a 3/8&#; nap, work with all paints & stains, are lint-free, have a high-density woven cover, and they give us a nice smooth finish. I&#;ve got another diagram for you&#; I was on a roll in Illustrator and it was kind of fun getting back to my graphic design roots. Ha!

My personal favorite rollers&#;

• For interior walls: WhiteDove
• For smooth surfaces: Parrot
• For exterior projects (like our shed, pictured below): Marathon

Did you know that Purdy also has a convenient tool selector? I played around with it a lot last year and it&#;s very accurate. You answer questions like the type of surface you&#;re painting and the type of paint you&#;re using, then the tool selector will provide you with the right tool for the job. That really helped me learn what to use.

As for the GIVEAWAY&#; the winner will receive a Purdy brush pack filled with a few of my favorites. If you&#;d like to test them out- all you have to do is comment on this blog post, and you&#;re entered to win! Easy peasy. The winner will be announced in one week via . *The winner must have a US mailing address to win&#; sorry Canadian friends! 

Was that WAY more than you wanted to know about paint brushes and rollers? Since partnering with Purdy these past 8-9 months, I&#;ve actually really loved learning about all of this stuff. I find it so interesting and my new knowledge has definitely come in handy during our projects. The more you know makes for a better outcome!

Bad craftspeople blame their tools. If you don&#;t have the right paint brush, however, you&#;re not giving yourself a chance.

The right paint brush is crucial for artwork, interior painting, and even exterior painting.

With so many options available, it can be tough to choose the perfect paint brush for your project. We want to help. Today, we&#;re highlighting some of the things experts consider when choosing the perfect paint brush.

Choose the Right Bristle Type

You can buy synthetic bristles or natural bristles. Each has its own pros and cons.

By matching bristle type to paint type, you can get a smoother finish and an easier application.

Want more information on drywall paint brush? Feel free to contact us.

Synthetic bristles are ideal for paint or varnish that can be cleaned up with water.

Natural bristles are ideal for oil-based varnishes or paint.

If you use a natural bristle for water-based finishes, for example, then the bristles absorb too much moisture, softening them. Synthetic bristles can work with oil-based varnishes and paint, although they won&#;t provide a smooth finish.

Types of Synthetic Brushes: Nylon, nylon and polyester blends, and Chinex bristles.

Types of Natural Brushes: Black China, Ox-hair Blend, and White China.  

Pick the Right Brush Size

A small brush gives you better control over the area, while a large brush makes your life easier.

Brush size varies from project to project. However, here are some basic rules about brush sizes, according to Family Handyman:

&#; A 1 ½ inch brush is ideal for most woodwork jobs

&#; If you&#;re painting trim wider than 3 inches, then consider a wider brush (say, 2 ½ inches)

&#; When painting walls, you&#;ll mostly use a roller, with a smaller brush used for cutting in; consider buying a 3 or 4-inch wide brush, although most DIYers can make a 2 ½ inch brush work

Overall, most projects do not require brushes larger than 3 inches. Unless you&#;re painting wide siding, fencing, paneling, or other side and flat surfaces, you should not need a large and wide brush.  

Choose the Right Brush Shape

You&#;ve decided on the bristle and size of your brush. Now, it&#;s time to consider the shape of the brush.

When comparing paint brushes, you&#;ll notice some are cut at an angle while others have square ends. There are advantages to both types of brushes:

&#; An angled tip is easier to control, and it tends to be more accurate; angled tips are ideal for painting trim or cutting in before applying a paint roller to your walls

&#; Square-tipped brushes are ideal for any flat, wide surfaces &#; like fencing or paneling

&#; Chisel trim brushes have slanted bristles and produce a good, straight line, making them ideal for trimming in corners and edges

If you are starting your paint brush collection, then get two or more types. They&#;re useful in different situations.

Consider Brush Style

There&#;s a whole world of brush styles you may have never heard about.

As Sherwin Williams explains, each brush style has its own unique advantages:

Thin Angle Sash: Thin angled sashes have slanted bristles and a thin design, making them ideal for creating straight lines while trimming in corners and edges.

Angle Sash: These brushes have slanted bristles and hold more paint than a thin angle sash brush. They&#;re better for cutting in at the ceiling or painting trim.

Flat Sash: Flat sash bristles are straight, making them perfect for applying paint over flat areas.

Trim: Trim brushes are flat and designed for painting large, flat surfaces, including exterior siding.

Wall: Wall brushes hold a large amount of paint and are ideal for larger surface areas.

Clean Brushes After Use

Spending a few minutes cleaning your brushes after each use can make them last. As Apartment Therapy explains, you clean water-based paint and oil-based paint in different ways:

For water-based paints, clean your brush with warm water and dish soap. Work the combination through the bristles with your hand until the water runs clear. Shake the brush after washing to align the bristles, then hang the brush to dry.

For oil-based paints, swirl the brush in a cup of paint or lacquer thinner for 30 seconds, then wipe the brush over the side of the cup. Repeat the step several times until no more paint comes from the brush. Do a final rinse with soap and water, then shake the brush and let it dry. Store the brush in the sleeve it came in.

Invest in a Higher-Quality Brush

Higher-quality brushes quickly pay for themselves. You might buy a cheap brush today, only to need to buy a second brush halfway through your project.

Yes, it&#;s tempting to buy a cheap brush and throw it out when you&#;re done. But spending $10 to $20 on a single good brush today makes more sense.

Good brushes last. If you&#;re a homeowner, then you&#;ll need to paint something at some point in the future. Buying a good brush today helps you start your brush collection.

Consider investing in a better brush today. Your future self will thank you.

Order a Painting Kit from Paint and Sip LIVE!

Each Paint and Sip LIVE class comes with an optional all-in-one painting kit shipped to any address in the United States.

Try our brush to see if you like it, then test different brushes to pick the perfect option for your home painting project.

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