Handyman Guide > Types of Brushes

There is a paint brush for almost every kind of job, but it is not necessary to have a full collection to get good results from your work. A good brush, neither too large nor too small, can be used for many jobs.



A painter uses many different brushes to save himself time and work. He uses a wide brush on large surfaces rather than a small brush which would require many more strokes to cover the same area. Have at least one small brush for getting into corners and avoid using a wide brush for this kind of work. Forcing the edge of the brush into cracks and corners bends the bristles and tends to make them lose their shape.

A paint brush should never be used for varnish, although a brush that has been used for varnish can be used for paint. The reason is that it is almost impossible to remove every trace of paint from a brush. If a brush containing a small amount of paint is dipped into varnish, the paint will discolor the clear varnish enough to spoil the effect. It is a good plan to keep one brush for varnish only. There are special brushes for varnishing which have a tapered end, permitting the varnish to flow easily.

For house painting or for other large surfaces, a flat wall brush is the best. These come in several sizes, but a brush 4 inches wide with bristles 4 or more inches long is excellent for most jobs.

Small woodwork, such as interior trim and exterior work, requires a flat trim or sash brush. These vary from 1 to 3 inches in width and are similar in shape to the flat wall brush.

An oval sash brush with a chisel end is excellent for working around windows and other difficult places.

For varnishing floors and trim, a 3- or 4-inch varnish brush should be used.

A small, good quality brush is very important for painting furniture. These brushes range in width from 1/2 inch.

Calcimine is applied with either a flat calcimine brush or a Dutch calcimine brush. These come in widths up to 8 inches. Whitewash should be applied with a special whitewash brush. Do not use a good calcimine brush for white-wash, as it will be ruined by the lime in this finish.

A dust brush is extremely useful in removing dirt from the surface before painting.

Do not throwaway old brushes that can no longer be used for painting. They are useful in many ways, such as brushing on a bleaching solution or putting a coat of oil rust-preventive over metal. Keep a serviceable brush for painting metal.

Care of Brushes. Once you have purchased a good brush, take proper care of it. Never place a brush in water under any circumstances. Some experienced painters do this, but water is deleterious to the wood portion of the brush and to the bristles.

Always make sure that the bristles of the brush are straight and never bent except when painting. A brush should always be laid flat or suspended by the handle so that the tips of the bristles are clear of any object.

Continue to Storing Brushes



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