Painting a room can be a daunting task. Between choosing the right color and paint type, to selecting the appropriate tools, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. But with the right information, selecting the right paint tools is simple. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Painting a room can be a daunting task. Between choosing the right color and paint type, to selecting the appropriate tools, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. But with the right information, selecting the right paint tools is simple. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Types of Brushes
There are two general categories of paintbrush: those made of natural-hair bristles and those made with synthetic materials, such as nylon or polyester. If you are working with alkyd or oil-based paints and coatings, you can use either natural bristle brushes or synthetic bristle brushes. However, high-quality natural bristle brushes work best when applying enamels or any topcoat.
When applying any type of latex coating, use only brushes with synthetic bristles. No matter how much water they are exposed to, they hold their shape and maintain proper stiffness. Top quality polyester brushes are well worth the initial cost. When properly cleaned and stored, they will continue to apply paint smoothly and uniformly for years to come.
Selecting a Quality Paint Brush
How can you identify a high-quality paintbrush? Pay attention to the bristles. They should:
• have split ends, to create a finer, more even finish;
• have a definite flex at their tips, to enable them to spring back into shape;
• be shorter on the outside and longer in the center, to provide more control over where the paint is applied;
• measure at least half as long as the width of the brush. (For example, the bristles on a 2″ wide (50mm) brush should be 3″ (75mm) or more in length).
In addition, tug on the bristles before you purchase a brush. If more than one or two bristles can be pulled out, the brush is probably poorly constructed. Finally, make sure the brush feels comfortable in your hand. If a brush is well made and well cared for, it will last for long time, so make sure you can use it comfortably.
Selecting Paint Rollers
Rollers are faster and easier to use than paintbrushes, especially when painting walls, ceilings, and other large, flat areas. They are also excellent for use on tough exterior surfaces like stucco and concrete.
However, rollers are difficult to work with in small or narrow spaces, so you’ll probably need to buy several different sizes of rollers, and one or more paintbrushes.
As with brushes, when you are applying latex paints, make sure you use roller covers made with a synthetic “nap,” or fiber surface. When applying alkyd or oil-based paints, you can use either synthetic or natural fiber covers.
An important consideration when selecting a roller cover is the length of the nap. In general, you should paint smooth surfaces with short-nap rollers and rough surfaces with long-nap rollers. When applying gloss or semi-gloss paints, short-nap covers tend to generate less foam during paint application. Recommended nap lengths for some common surfaces are as follows:
• wallboard, smooth plaster, wood, or metal: a short nap of 1/8″ to 1/4″ or 5mm
• light-textured stucco, poured concrete, and rough wood: a medium nap of 3/8″ to 3/4″ (15mm to 20mm)
• heavy-textured stucco, concrete block, and brick: a long nap of 3/4″ to 1″ (25mm to 30mm)
As with brushes, it is wise to purchase better-quality roller covers, even though they may cost more initially. High-quality roller covers apply paint more easily and are less likely to leave nap fibers on the painted surface.
While price is a good indicator of quality, Buy Bulk Hardware offers the lowest prices for bulk and wholesale paint tools.
Standard roller widths are 7 1/2″ and 9″ (190mm and 240mm). The 9″ (240mm) size is suitable for most interior wall and ceiling jobs. Mini-rollers, about 3″ (75mm) wide, are convenient for painting trim and narrow areas.
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