How To Choose The Right Paint Brush Or Roller For The Job?

So you've worked out what you want to do, color scheme is sorted, furniture ordered, schedule of work organised. You've done all the preparation for the work. So how do you go about choosing the right paint brush or roller to do the job?

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There are so many different types of paint brushes, paint rollers and paint pads for sale.

Each do a different job and give a different finish.

Use this guide to help you in choosing the right equipment to do the job.

Choosing the right paint brush

Always buy the best quality brush that you can afford. Cheap brushes usually have short, uneven and course bristles. They are often poorly set in the handle and so you get a streaky finish with lots of loose hairs being shed. They are also very tiring to use.
Good quality brushes are made with densely packed, finer tapered and longer bristles that return to their original shape when bent and released. These will carry the paint evenly onto the surface and be less tiring to use.
Traditionally pure bristle brushes are seen as superior. They will also clean up and give long life if looked after. Today there are a good number of synthetic bristle brushes such as 'Harris' 'No-Loss' which are more expensive than other synthetics but give a great finish and last a long time if looked after.
As a rule good quality synthetic brushes will give good results with 'water-based' paints. This is becuase bristles tend to absorb water and the hairs then expand and get fatter.
choice of handle is important. Rubber is good for larger painting jobs like cutting in walls and general emulsioning. The rubber gives more cushioning and grip. Look for a well balanced brush that feels comfortable.

On The Job!

Always tap and flick a new brush. This will help to dislodge any loose bristles and any dirt or dust that have accumulated during storage.
Never overload a brush, especially when painting gloss or eggshell. You will end up over-applying paint that will then drip and pool on the surface of what ever you are painting. Over loading leads to paint running down the bristles and clogging the head.
Hold a brush firmly but lightly, as if you were drawing with a pencil.
Choose the right size/ shape brush for the job, see tabel below for guidance). Don't try painting fine work with too large a brush, the bristels will never get into the little corners and spaces without you painting all the surrounding areas too.

The Brush	The Job
4 - 6 inch wall brush	A wide brush for painting over flat surfaces like walls and ceiling
2 inch brush	A good size for painting all styles of flat surfaces such as small section of walls and wood work like doors and skirting boards.
1 inch brush	A smaller headed brush good for painting close to edges of walls and ceilings and also mouldings and door frames.
1/2 inch brush	A narrow headed brush for very tight areas and fine detail on window frames and narrow areas.
Cutting-in (angled) brush	Small headed brush with angled bristles for painting near to edges and into corners. Good for painting window frames.

Other paint applicators

Pads that have a slightly fluffy pile apply paint by being dragged or rubbed over surfaces.

Personally I don't find this a particularly easy way to go about the job however they do have their uses.

If used with a fairly light coating of paint, they are good at getting into corners and working along edges and corner joints.
They can be useful in applying paint behind wall fittings such as radiators, but I would suggest that 'mini rollers (see below) are better at this and more versatile.

Long handled roller and brushes

These are small headed paint applicators that help to reach into difficult to reach areas such as behind radiators, areas between mouldings and where a larger headed roller wont fit.

Mini rollers can also be used for applying gloss paint using a smoth head roller.

Choosing the right paint roller

Rollers are large cylinders covered with a pile that can be either natural eg lambs wool or mohair or can be made of synthetic fibres.

These rollers are slotter onto 'cages' with a handle and revolve over the wall surface to distribute the paint.

Choose a quality roller cage that will take various sizes of 'heads' or 'sleaves'. Choose a roller that feels comfortable in your grip. Too large a handle will make rolling a tiring job. If the roller is heavy before you load paint onto it then it will feel very heavy during use.

Choose a roller with a good grip. Be careful as rough handles will cause blisters. Rubber handles give some cushioning and grip.

Different thicknesses of pile are suited to different jobs. See table below. As a rule the smoother the surface the shorter the pile.

If you rolling a high wall or ceiling make sure that you can attach the handle to an extension pole to make the job easier. I prefer screw attachments for a firmer fit (it stops the twirling roller syndrom).

Cheap foam rollers are not great at giving an even finish. They tend to make the paint bubble, on application, which leaves a marked finish.

Buy a roller tray that will accommodate the length of roller you have. It sounds obvious but some people still get caught out. Metal trays last longer if washed out and looked after.

On The Job!

Don't over fill the roller tray. allow enough room for the excess paint to flow back to the well, or you will end up with over laden rollers and spills over the side.

coat the roller evenly and run the roller over the chevron grids in the paint tray to evenly apply paint.

work methodically over the surface. Don't apply too much pressure or you will get an uneven finish with runs of paint.

better to apply two or three light coats than one heavy coat.

When taking breaks, cover the roller with plastic film or wrap in an old plastic bag. Cover the paint tray. This avoids a skin forming.

If you are using a freashly washed roller, enrure that you have shaken or patted out any excess water or you will spoil the paint work with residue water in the head.

The Head	The Job
Short pile head	Short pile heads are good for applying emulsion to fresh plaster or flat lined walls and ceilings.
Medium pile head	Medium pile heads are best used on slightly uneven surfaces such as raised grains, wood chip and fairly poor uneven surfaces like rough plaster and also ceilings.
Long pile head	Long pile heads are best used for heavily embossed papers such as anaglypta as well as bare brickwork and rouch exterior masonary work. Be careful these make a lot of mess.

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Useful Resources

Good resources for paint applicators.

LG Harris - www.lgharris.co.uk
Stanley - www.stanleyworks.com

Benjamin Moore - This great US website is of interest to anyone who is decorating. There is loads of useful information on how to decorate with paint, how to try out colour schemes and loads of inspirational ideas - www.benjaminmoore.ca/howto/paint

Specialist Paints/ Spray Paints/ Tile Paints

International Paints - www.international-paints.co.uk
Plasikote - www.plasti-kote.com
Zinnser - www.zinsser.com

Paint Forum - is another great information resource for anyone wanting to know more about paint and how to use it - www.painterforum.com

The Paint Qulity Institute - has websites based in all major countries so there is a British site, a US site etc Great for all things paint and paint quality - www.paintquality.co.uk/ www.paintquality.com

The BBC - offers fantastic free advice on all things home decorating. Check out their home DIY section for loads of ideas and advice on how to do it right www.bbc.co.uk/homes/diy/paintcalculator

The Green Guardian - This site takes a look at the greener side of decorating. Find out what products to use to help care for the environment. Find out how to ethically and dispose of unused paint and other decorating products.www.greenguardian.com

This Old House - A US building show has this great website for any enthusiastic DIYer. Take a look for lots of ideas about caring for your property and doing the job right. www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/interiors/article

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Have you got an article about buying or using decorating materials or tools?

Why not send me your article and I'll post it on the website with your name and website link.

There are loads of good ideas on how to 'Use What You've Got' or buy and use second hand furniture and furnishings in The Property Coach 'Home Staging Handbook'.