What kind of paintbrush should I purchase?

The first rule in painting is to have a brush with which you are comfortable. Pick up several brushes in the store and compare the feel and length of the handle. Then, consider your paint job. Will you be using oil-based paint or water-based paint? Will you be doing detail work and painting trim, or are you simply painting a large area where a few minor mistakes are acceptable? Your answers to these questions will determine whether you need a natural or synthetic brush, and whether you should purchase a wide or narrow brush. Any size brush will apply paint, but the right-sized brush minimizes mistakes. For most standard paint jobs, you will need at least one large and one small brush, and perhaps more if you will be using both water-based and oil-based paints.

 

In most cases, you should purchase a high-quality brush. The best brushes can cost more than twenty dollars (nearly ten times the price of a cheap brush), but they are worth the investment if you plan to regularly paint over the years. The best paintbrushes not only last longer than low-quality brushes, they also streak paint less often, hold paint better (which enables you to work more quickly), lose less bristles, leave a better finish, and make it easier to cut in with a second type of paint. 

 

To find a high-quality paintbrush, look for these features:

 

You do not have to purchase a high-quality paintbrush. If you simply need a cheap brush for a one-time job, and/or if you will be satisfied with a quality, though not perfect, paint job, consider buying a cheap or a disposable brush. If you rarely paint, there is no reason to spend the extra paint for the best brush. In addition, you may need to consider non-traditional brushes, such as an angled brush, if you are painting detail areas or other non-traditional spaces.

 

Of course, you do not have to choose a paintbrush at all. For some jobs, you may want to use a paint roller or a paint sprayer. Both of these applicators work more quickly than does a paintbrush, but both devices also require more paint than does a brush, and they are unable to adequately paint in spots that require care and attention to detail.