Choosing the Right Paint Brush

Choosing the proper brush and roller cover is determined by several things. The type of paint you will be using and the surface you will be painting.

Brushes are divided into categories based on whether you will be using water based paint or oil based paint. We have a large selection of both at Gleco Paint and Wallcovering and will be glad to help you choose the proper one for your project. As a rule, for water based paints, choose a synthetic (nylon/polyester) brush, it will maintain its stiffness in a latex, acrylic water-borne or water based paint.

However, for oil-based paints a natural bristle brush is the best choice. A natural bristle brush comes in many different lengths and thicknesses to produce a brush that holds a lot of paint and maintains its shape.

So, if natural bristle brushes are better, why not use them for all paints? Natural bristle brushes absorb water just like our hair does. Therefore, a natural bristle brush will absorb the water and become floppy. Also, on a rough surface, a natural bristle brush will wear out quickly, while a synthetic bristle will hold up well.

In our next post we will talk about the differences in roller covers.

In the panel above, the bottom portion was painted with a budget paintbrush. In the top portion a good quality Allpro Titanium brush was used. In both samples the same paint and technique was used.