A Simple Guide to Choosing a Paint Brush

A job is only as easy as you make it and it’s important that you have the right tools for the job, so choosing the right paint brush plays a big part in the speed and quality of completing your project, whether it's walls, ceilings, woodwork or metal.

You’ll want to keep your paint brushes in tip-top condition because constantly buying new ones will eat away at your bottom line, so it’s important to remember that good paint brushes, when properly cared for, can be used over and over again. 

As a profession you'll want to leave your customers happy and give you a shining review and recommendation.  As a DIYer you'll want to make sure your brushes make it even easier to apply Crown paints to get the best results.  It may be tempting to go for the budget option, but a good paint brush will hold more paint and apply it more evenly and, in the long run, save you money.  

Before we get to size (which is important), let's cover the basics.  Making sure you have the right bristle type brush for the paint you're using is essential, both for the best finish and for ease of cleaning.  As a rule of thumb, opt for a synthetic bristle brush for water based paints and natural bristle for solvent based paints.  It's also worth noting that some manufacturers are producing brushes suitable for all paint types, so that's a handy tip to save a pound or two. 

Now, back to what size paintbrush do you actually need for different types of paint application? We’ve put together a quick guide to help you fill your decorating tool kit with all the quality brushes you need for a successful job.

Best paintbrush for cutting in and painting edges

Cutting in and painting edges requires a more specialist paint brush. You need to select a high-quality angled paint brush which is better for cutting in, rather than trying to cut in with a flat brush.

A 35 mm (1.5") brush is the perfect size to work into those small tricky areas and will allow you to maneuver the brush a lot better, but generally you won't go wrong with a 2" brush in your kit.  We've popped some suggestions at the foot of this post.

Best paint brush for wide trims and sashes

If you’re painting sashes, any wide trims or piece of furniture, a 3-inch brush will provide a smooth finish.  A strong bristle brush will provide more shape retention and a more precise finish.  Sash brushes are designed to hold less paint that flat brushes, so you have much more control for detailed work.

Best Paint Brush for painting walls and ceilings

For larger areas, such as walls and ceilings, you’ll want to pick up a high-quality 6-inch paint brush. Whilst rollers cover larger areas in a short amount of time on flat surface, a brush a better finish on any textured, or mildly textured, surface.  Having both a roller and a quality 6-inch paint brush in your decorator’s tool kit is the way to be ready for all types of jobs.

How to clean your paint brush

Proper cleaning is essential to ensure that your paint brushes last longer than a couple of jobs. It can be a drain on your wallet if you keep having to fork out your hard earned cash for new paint brushes for every projects. Quality paint brushes improve with use and this is the case for most bristle brushes.  

Here are some quick steps you can take to make your paint brushes last longer:

• Clean your paint brushes thoroughly after use with warm soapy water (for water-based paints). Only use as much water as you need.  If you’re using solvent based paints it will require purpose-made solvent remover like white spirit or turps sub, soaking your brush in a jar, check out the foot of this post to order online.  Set the jar aside to settle, the paint residue will sink allowing you to tip your cleaner back into the original container for reuse.

• Work the correct cleaning liquid through the bristles until the paint has become loose then shake the brush to remove as much liquid as possible.

• Once dry, place the brush back in its original packaging, or wrap in some kitchen roll or similar so that it keeps its shape.