What are the different types of paintbrushes?

While paint rollers and paint sprayers are increasingly popular, paintbrushes remain the cheapest, simplest, and most widely used paint applicator. For as little as two or three dollars, you can purchase a paintbrush at any hardware store or general retailer. Of course, given the wide selection, picking one paintbrush in particular might be more difficult than you think. To simplify things, however, consider the two types of paintbrushes: synthetic and natural.

 

Synthetic paintbrushes are made of nylon, polyester, or a mixture of the two. Synthetic brushes are always the preferred choice when using a latex (water-based) paint, but you can also use them with alkyd (oil-based) paints. Synthetics are commonly used to paint walls and trim, and they perform better than natural brushes on rough surfaces.

 

Natural, or bristle, paintbrushes, on the other hand, are made from animal hair (hog hair is among the best material). Because the bristles lose their firmness when they absorb water, you should only use natural brushes with oil-based paints. Natural brushes are less durable than nylon/polyester brushes, but they are excellent for painting trim as well as for applying varnish, shellac, and lacquers.

 

In addition to choosing between a natural and synthetic brush, you will need to choose between paintbrushes of different sizes. Brushes are measured by their width and generally range from one inch to four inches wide. The bigger the brush, the more paint it holds (and the quicker you finish the paint job), but wide brushes are also more difficult to control than are narrow brushes. Consequently, use a small one-inch brush for detail work, corners, and edging, and a four-inch brush for large jobs such as ceilings, walls and floors. For anything in between, such as framework, molding, fences, doors, or cabinets, work with a two or three-inch brush.