Best for Walls
Purdy XL Swan Flat Paint Brush
Best Bang for the Buck
Purdy XL Elite Dale Sash Paint Brush
Best for Edges
Wooster 2 in. Shortcut Polyester Angle Sash Brush
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Choosing colors for your next paint project can really occupy your time as you centre over a spectrum of tad swatches . Yet to accomplish smooth , complete , precise reportage , you ’ll require to put a bit of thought into your brush as well .
While many DIYers choose for rollers on large surface like paries , a brush provide neat precision while using less blusher . It also provides more versatility , as brushes are able-bodied to create both fluent and textured cultivation , look on your technique . And you’llrely on brushesfor trimming and other item work , as well as for painting furniture .
interpret on to learn about light touch material , size , condition , and quality — and how they factored into compose this leaning of our top favorites among the best paint brushes uncommitted . We test the best paint brush options in several categories to help you find the perfect brush for your projection .
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Paint Brush
brush are made of different stuff and come in various shapes and size to suit specific products and tasks . Here ’s how to define what ’s correct for your line .
Material
Brush bristle come in two major categories : instinctive , which are recommend for rock oil - base paints , and synthetic , which are best for water system - base pigment .
Size
Paint brush for house painting typically come in sizes range from 1 to 6 inches . Generally speaking , the tighter the area you ’re painting , the small the brush should be . A 1- to 2½-inch encounter is best for window areas , tailored , and corners . A 3 - in brush work well for doors , cabinets , and prorogue , and a 4- to 6 - inch brush is design for large , flat area , like walls and cap .
Style
There are three main styles of blusher brush , each plan for a different role and surface region :
Quality
A top - timber brush offers smoother , full coverage and a pure ending , and while pricey — depending on brush size of it and bristle material — it can last up to 20 years . “ Flagged ” bristle — somewhat split at the ends — nurse more paint and leave the best coverage . Flex bristle peak to ensure they leap back into configuration . Bristles should also be shorter on the outside and longer toward the heart and soul , creating preciseness and control . eventually , bristles should be 50 percent longer than the breadth of the brush itself to clean up the ideal amount of pigment while put up maximal reportage and ascendancy .
Our Top Picks
Picking the veracious paint brush is pivotal for a smooth finish . However , if you want an excellent close , you ask the proper technique in addition to the right light touch . Thankfully , we can avail you pick out the best paint brush for your project . We tested all our top pick in each category and commend these brushes to get your key labor done correctly .
With a blend of nylon and polyester bristles , this brush can palm both indoor and outdoor project . Purdy ’s XL is project for latex and oil - based paints , stain , and primers . The company states that “ Purdy ’s proprietary tipping and sag methodology ensures exceptional paint statistical distribution . ” In other words , the in high spirits bristle quality will produce smooth , full reportage . Tip : Store the brush in its wax - covered publicity after function to return bristle to their original state and fight mold growth .
The clash is a generous 3 inch wide and will provide slew of reportage on walls . The woodwind grip is comfortable to hold . We examine the comfort and coverage of the Purdy XL , and it did not let down . It ’s a solid rampart brush that works for paint walls , applying stain on fences , and much more . It ’s not designed to get into cockeyed place or nook , but it ’s a bully paint brush to keep on hired hand for large paint Job .
Get the Purdy XL pigment brush atAmazonor atAce Hardware .
When it comes to trim , molding , windows , and loaded spaces , this narrow - angle sash brushing , feature Purdy ’s proprietary nylon / polyester - blend bristles , is hard to beat . It ’s designed especially for low - VOC paints , which can be thicker than traditional rubber-base paint blusher and hard to apply .
The bristle in the Purdy XL Elite are firm and nifty for detailed work on trimming or somewhat rough surfaces . In our test , the bristles held rouge well and evenly distributed the blusher across surface . The thicket is lightweight and feels comfortable in hired man . We found that the brush ’s long handgrip made it harder to get into soused areas , but overall , it ’s a durable and reliable brush as part of our blusher armoury .
Get the Purdy XL Elite paint brushing onAmazon .
This short - handled angle sash clash facilitate create a perfect edge between ceiling and wall and — even trickier!—where two unlike paint color meet . The synthetic polyester bristles put to work with all rouge types , especially latex acrylics and water supply - establish smear .
We especially loved the well-fixed , proprietary handgrip innovation of the brush — it feels like an annex of the user ’s hand . We were able-bodied to easy see to it the brush strokes , set aside us to get really close to edges .
Photo: Debbie Wolfe
Get the Wooster Shortcut blusher encounter atAmazonor atThe Home Depot .
Best for Hard-to-Reach
Richard 80833 Goose Neck Angular Paint Brush
The Richard Goose Neck Angular Paint Brush allow you to turn over the edge and corners of high wall without the use of extension ladders or scaffolding . This pliant extender brush can shaft onto a painting pole , allowing users to paint high walls above a staircase or to abbreviate in roof corner with relaxation . It ’s also slap-up for painting around the mopboard without necessitate to crouch , bend , or sit on the flooring .
We happen that the pliable handle on the brush is what nominate this tool good than most extender brushes . Once it ’s attached to an extender perch , you bend the handle to whatever slant you require and it will hold that slant until you move it again . The brushing ’s polyester / nylon blend bristle are flexible but still make clean trim back - in phone line . Its 2½-inch sizing make it safe for filling in turning point .
Get the Richard paint brush onAmazon .
Photo: Debbie Wolfe
Best Ergonomic
Proform Pro-Ergo 70/30 Blend Angle Sash Paint Brush
Proform break from the straight - handled paint brushing mold with its Pro - Ergo Angle sash brush . Unlike most paint brushes , the Pro - Ergo brush sport a curving handle designed to fit well in the palm of the exploiter ’s hand . Its generous 2½-inch breadth and PBT fibril brushes make fast oeuvre of getting paint on all types of trim .
We did find that it took fourth dimension getting used to the handle because it was dissimilar from all the others we ’ve used . But once we did , the ergonomic grip made it much easier to hold the key copse at a instinctive angle for cutting in paint . It also reduced hand tiredness , making it hone for projects requiring many paint cut - ins .
Get the Proform paint coppice onAmazon .
Photo: acehardware.com
Best for Large Areas
Purdy Nylox Swan
Nylox is one of Purdy ’s top - tier paint - thicket lines , and the Swan features the same 100 percent black nylon bristle that professional verify by . For those after a super - smooth finish and who have a heavy quad to insure , this brushing can save clock time and effort .
The soft bristles are design to practice blusher smoothly while minimize the visibleness of any leftover brushstrokes . The clash pickup arm is n’t amazing , but that ’s because if using less key , it ’s less probable to create brushstrokes , which is what this clash is made to avoid . Another great feature of the Purdy Nylox Swan is the politic hardwood handle , which has a nice taper in the eye that lay down it easy and well-fixed to transfix .
Get the Purdy Nylox Swan paint brush onAmazon .
Photo: amazon.com
Best for Trim
PRO 2 in. Trylon Thin Angled Sash Paint Brush
The Trylon Thin Angled Sash Paint Brush is a professional - level brush featuring durable Trylon filament , a synthetical cloth designed for maximal blusher absorption and release . The angled brushwood boast a slender , sharpen handle and is useable with any paint eccentric .
We found the brush to be light and comparatively comfortable to restrain . The filum unloosen the key well and overcompensate a few feet of edge painting before we postulate to recharge . However , we would argue that the sporty edges are the solution of a practiced picture proficiency versus the actual clash . The brush clean up easily , and the bristles wait swell after several uses . It ’s more expensive than most 2 - inch sash brushes , but it ’s a honest investment for those who paint often .
Get the PRO paint brushing atThe Home Depot .
Photo: homedepot.com
Best for Oil-Based Paints
Purdy White China Bristle Sprig 2" Flat Paint Brush
raw bristle brushes are pure for crude - found paint and stains . They are soft and springier , permit them to take in heavier paints and soil and distribute them onto surface . Purdy ’s 2 - in savorless Paint Brush feature 100 pct natural white bristles and is constructed with a stainless steel collet and a wood handle for comfort and lastingness .
We establish the Purdy Sprig 2 - inch flat brush was perfect for applying oil - free-base products to cut down and other wood furniture . This brush is not recommended for contract in paint around trimming because the soft bristle make it harder to paint a straight line . This brush is best used for applying rock oil - based paint , shellac varnish , varnishes , lacquer , stains , and sealer to woods . Because its bristle are made from raw fiber , it stands up well to the solvents need to clean them .
Get the Purdy Sprig paint brush atAmazonandMenards .
Photo: amazon.com
Our Verdict
We advocate thePurdy XL Swan flat rouge brushand theWooster 2 in . Shortcut sash brushto take attention of most house house painting chore . Both brushes are usable with oil - establish and latex paints , are easy to handle , and permit the exploiter to apply paint to surfaces with ease .
How We Tested the Best Paint Brushes
We tested the rouge brushes base on size , style , bristle type , comfort , and comfort of use . We used the paint recommended for the bristle and applied the paint to walls and snip for each brush . After blusher program , each brush was cleaned to determine how tight it was to remove paint from the bristles .
Once clean , we examined the brush again to determine if any damage was evident to the bristle and manage . When the copse were completely ironical , they were stored in their original packaging and study a few days later to determine if they retain their shape .
FAQs
There are many types of rouge brushes on the market . Although all paint brush will deposit paint onto a surface , there are brush designed for specific program . Using the right brush and paint for its mean purpose will make your painting task more successful . Here are some interrogation commonly asked about paint brush .
Q: What type of paint brush gives the smoothest finish?
A softer - bristle brush will give you a smooth close . However , it ’s important to use the correct brush designed for your paint type .
Q: How can I avoid paint brush streaks when painting?
verify the brushing bristle are designed to work with the type of paint you are using , habituate proper painting techniques , and paint in the same direction as the Sir Henry Joseph Wood metric grain ( if applicable ) .
Q: What is the best paint brush for interior walls?
A astray matte or straightforward style coppice is best for wall picture .
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