Whether you’re painting the walls of your house, your window frames and doors, or other woodwork, tackling decorative paint finishes, or painting a picture to hang on your wall, it’s important to know what to look for when buying paint brushes.
Paint brushes come in all sizes and shapes, with various types of bristles, both natural and synthetic. Most brushes are manufactured for specific purposes. For example, some brushes are tapered, while others are cut square. Some are large, and others are small. The variety can be overwhelming if you have no prior painting experience.
In general, synthetic brushes (usually cheaper) last longer than those with natural bristles. However, natural bristles are often preferred for oil-based paints and varnishes, while synthetic brushes are favored for water-based and acrylic paints because their bristles don’t expand the same way that natural bristles tend to.
Types of Paint Brushes for Different Uses
Paint Brushes for Domestic Household Use
These are the brushes typically intended for DIY use around the home. You’ll find that some have longer bristles than others, and some are bulkier (in terms of bristle quantity) than others. Handles also vary in terms of the material they’re made from—plastic and wood being the most common—as well as shape and length.
Check the packaging to see what the brush is designed for. While many are suitable for all types of paint (including latex, acrylics, and water-based stains), a short handle might be specifically designed for maneuvering in tight spaces. Some brushes have softer tips that will produce a smoother, more even surface, while others are better suited for epoxy paints, fiberglass resin, marine primers, and sealers.
Paint brushes with “china bristles” (which are actually made from hog hair) aren’t as soft as natural bristles but work well for oil-based enamel paints, varnishes, and stains.
Brushes with synthetic bristles—such as those made from nylon, polyester, or various synthetic blends—are generally the least expensive. However, price alone shouldn’t guide your decision. If you choose the cheapest option, you might find that the brush sheds its bristles onto your paint surface. It can be frustrating, if not soul-destroying, to have carefully applied paint and achieved a smooth finish, only to discover bristles trapped just beneath the surface.
Brushes for Decorative Paint Work
Specialist brushes for various faux finishes range from delicate swordliners, which you can use to create the illusion of marble veins, to luxuriously soft badger brushes used to finish and create a high sheen on marbling and other related paint effects. Dragging brushes, with coarser hair and long bristles, can be dragged through a glaze (a topcoat) to create a delicate, lined effect.
Other brushes for decorative painting include fat stippling brushes and a wide range of brushes designed specifically for stenciling.
Artist’s Brushes
Artist brushes are generally smaller and finer than those used for painting walls and other home surfaces, but they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Brush tips, for example, may be:
- Pointed
- Flat
- Short and stiff
- Domed
- Fanned
- Angled
- Soft and mop-like
- Rounded
- Elongated
- Shaped like a dagger
- Shaped like a sword (swordliner)
A particularly popular brush for watercolor work is the hake brush, which is often made with soft goat’s hair bristles. The hake brush is named after its fish-like (hake) shape, and its broad wooden handle makes it ideal for covering large areas of canvas or art paper. It’s also a popular choice for potters applying glazes to their work. Often considered the “poor man’s badger brush,” the hake does the job nearly as well.
Artists who use watercolors frequently prefer sable brushes (made from the hair of a small weasel-like animal), although synthetic sable and nylon brushes are other suitable options. More expensive options include brushes made from squirrel or badger hair. Stiff brushes may be made from hog or china bristle, while the cheapest hair used for artist brushes is often called “camel hair” (though it doesn’t actually come from camels!).
Generally, artists use sable or synthetic sable bristle brushes for oil painting and nylon or other synthetic brushes for acrylics.
Companies that Manufacture Paint Brushes
Several companies specialize in manufacturing high-quality paint brushes. Here are some notable names:
Wooster Brush Company (www.woosterbrush.com) produces professional, DIY, and artist brushes, along with rollers and other painting equipment. They offer over 2,300 different products available throughout North America. Some top Wooster products include:
Advantage Professional Brushes: A blend of china bristle and nylon, ideal for alkyds, enamels, and high-grade acrylic paints.
Golden Glo Brushes: Made with nylon and synthetic sable, designed for latex, acrylic, and oil-based paints.
Ohio Brushes: A classic brand, trademarked in 1906, made for professional precision with the Wooster name stamped into the wooden handles.
Production Painter Brushes: Suitable for latex, acrylics, oils, and stains, made with either maple wood or elastomeric handles.
Shasta Brushes: Registered in 1922, offering high-quality varnish brushes.
Purdy (www.purdycorp.com) is known for creating high-quality painting tools. Founded in 1925 by S. Desmond Purdy in Portland, Oregon, the company focuses on producing the finest tools for both professionals and DIY painters. They manufacture brushes made with nylon, china bristle, polyester, mixed, and even ox hair bristles. The company’s faux finish products fall under the
Symphony brand and include:
- Softening and blending tools like badger brushes
- Veining brushes, including sable “daggers”
- Sponging and ragging tools
- Dragging, flogging, and color washing brushes
- Wood graining tools
- Stippling and stenciling brushes
- Combing tools for wood grain and other effects.
Benjamin Moore (www.benjaminmoore.com) has been producing high-quality paints since 1883, and they also manufacture paint brushes and rollers designed for use with their paints. The range includes nylon/polyester blend bristles and china bristles.
Ultimately, when buying paint brushes, first decide what you’re going to paint, then determine what paint you’re using. You can explore the range of available products that seem suitable for your needs. And remember, don’t hesitate to ask for advice if you’re uncertain.
