Paint Brushes and Applicators

Using the proper paint brush will help make your next painting project fast and easy.

As with any job, you want to make sure that you always have the right tools that you need. Check out the list below to help you pick the right paint brush for the job.

Paint brushes are usually made with natural or synthetic fibers. Synthetic paint brushes are best for acrylics, water-based and latex paints. Natural bristle paint brushes are made with animal hair. They’re best for oil-based paints, as well as polyurethanes and varnishes. Keep these differences in mind when you’re picking out paint, primers, stains, and paint brushes.

Chip Bristle Brushes

Chip bristle paint brushes can be used for applying glues, contact cements, resin, paint remover, cleaners, and oils. This kind of brush can also be used with any kind of paint, stain, or varnish.

Foam Paint Brushes

Foam paint brushes are used for more intricate work such as painting molding and window casings. They’re also a great tool to have if you plan on doing any stenciling as foam brushes help reduce brush stroke lines.

Wall Paint Brushes

Wall paint brushes are used for spreading paint over a wide surface area. These brushes are thick, allowing them to hold a large amount of paint. Using a wall paint brush will save you from having to constantly dip into the paint bucket while painting a large surface.

Trim Paint Brushes

Trim paint brushes are great for woodwork, molding, baseboards, and other more tricky surfaces. These flat brushes can also be used for exterior siding.

Sash Paint Brush

A sash paint brush has an angled bristle end, which make it easier to work in small spaces around window frames and sashes. Sash brushes come in a variety of sizes, depending on the size of the work area.

Other Paint Applicators

Paint Rollers

Paint rollers cover a larger surface area than paint brushes. Roller covers come in lamb, synthetic fabric, and foam. Rollers are also a great option because they can come with extension poles, allowing you to paint high surfaces without using a ladder. If you plan on using a roller, we suggest investing in a bucket paint grid to easily roll out excess paint.

Paint Sprayers

Paint sprayers are used to cover large areas in a short amount of time. You will find different varieties of paint sprayers such as air sprayers, airless sprays, and high-volume, low pressure sprayers. Cup sprayers are plugged into an outlet. The cup is filled with paint, and applied evenly to the desired surface. You will want to use a cup sprayer for smaller projects. Air sprayers use air to dispense the paint, creating a spray pattern. They’re used for automotive work and can be used for small to medium exterior and interior surfaces. Airless sprayers use pressure to create a spray pattern, pumping out large amounts of paint. They’re great for a large exterior or interior project.

Once you have the brushes you need, you can move on to painting supplies. You will need painter’s tape, canvas or plastic drop cloth, and paint respirators. Check out our painting & staining blog for tips on paint preparation and interior painting.