how to clean oil paint brushes
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. One of the most popular DIY projects is painting, and for good reason. A fresh coat of paint is one of the most cost-effective ways to give a room an entirely new look, and the process is well within the abilities of most DIYers. But if you want the most professional-looking results possible, you need to start not only with high-quality paint, but also with high-quality paint brushes. A good brush can make the difference between a smooth, even coat of paint and a bristle-marked, blotchy finish. There are a few things to consider when choosing a paint brush. First off, check whether your paint is water-based or oil-based, as that determines the types of bristles that will work best for your project. You'll also want to consider brush shape: flat brushes are perfect for the wall, while angled brushes are the best choice for trim and detail work. Finally, you'll want a brush that's the right size for your job. For most people tackling a painting project, the ideal solution is to have several brushes in various sizes and shapes. We've done the research for you, and whittled down the many available options to the best paint brushes in several categories likeliest to be of interest to the DIY painter. Here are our top choices. Our Top Picks This do-it-all paint brush excels at producing smooth, even results with any type of paint, and it holds up job after job. Read Review Easy to hold and maneuver, this is the ideal brush for painting corners, working in tight spots, or touching up trim. Read Review Angle the handle of this ingenious paint brush just how you need it to tackle awkward spots way up high. Read Review These foam brushes are durable enough to get the job done and inexpensive enough to toss when you are finished. Read Review This natural-bristle brush lays down the smoothest coat possible of all oil-based products, including paint, varnish, and shellac. Read Review You won't need to worry about brushmarks when using this super-smooth brush to paint trim, even when using glossy paint. Read Review The price might be rock bottom, but the quality is high in this 4-piece set of all-purpose paint brushes. Read Review When staining or painting a large stretch of wood, you'll appreciate this brush's oversized head. Read Review If you're painting an exterior wall or trim, you need a rugged brush that can stand up to rough surfaces. This is it. Read Review Whether you're staining a fence, furniture, cabinet, or trim, here's the brush that will get the job done right. Read Review Bristles: nylon/polyester | Available Sizes: 2, 2.5, 3, 4 inches | Available Shapes: flat, angle | Best Use: all types of water-based and oil-based products What We Like Smooth, even coverage Available in many sizes and shapes What We Don't Like Handful of complaints that brush doesn't pick up enough paint Even professional painters love Purdy paint brushes; these high-quality brushes really perform. The Purdy XL Sprig—sprig refers to the handle's shape, which is a traditional "beaver tail" design—is available in several sizes, including 2-inch, 2.5-inch, and 4-inch, but for painting walls or other large, flat surfaces, the 3-inch brush is big enough to get the job done quickly, but not so large that it's difficult to control. The brush has nylon/polyester bristles tapered just right to pick up a good amount of paint, and then deposit it smoothly and evenly. The brush's ferrule is copper, and the handle is made from alder wood. Use the brush with any water-based, latex, or oil-based paint, primer, shellac, lacquer, varnish, or sealant. Bristles: nylon/polyester | Available Sizes: 2 inches | Available Shapes: angle | Best Use: all types of water-based and oil-based products What We Like Short handle is easy to hold Maneuvers well in tight spaces What We Don't Like Not available in other sizes and shapes Most paint brushes have fairly long handles, which makes it easy to paint in long, smooth strokes. But there are times when you need a more focused approach, such as when tackling a corner, painting between two closely spaced windows, painting narrow trim or other details, or painting a tightly confined area. For those situations, you can't beat the easy-to-hold and easy-to-maneuver Wooster Shortcut. This 2-inch sash brush has nylon/polyester bristles that handle any type of paint, stain, or finish, producing a smooth coat of paint over even rough surfaces. But what really sets the Shortcut apart from other paint brushes is its short, stubby handle. At only around 2 inches in length, and with a rubbery easy-to-grip coating, the handle fits securely within your grip, making it very easy to precisely control the brush movements. Bristles: nylon/polyester | Available Sizes: 2.5 inches | Available Shapes: angle | Best Use: all types of water-based and oil-based products What We Like Perfect for painting up high Threaded for extension pole What We Don't Like Few complaints that bristles are too soft Not available in other sizes or shapes The rigid handles of most paint brushes are perfectly adequate when painting an easily reached spot. But when working up high, especially when painting the top of a wall, the ceiling, or an awkward spot above a window or other obstacle, you'll appreciate the ingenious design of the Richard Goose Neck Paint Brush. This 2.5-inch angled brush has nylon/polyester bristles that pick up and deposit both oil-based and water-based paints evenly and smoothly. But where this brush differs from the rest is in its handle, which is a flexible, soft-grip material that bends as much or as little as you'd like, making it easy to adjust the angle of the brush to the surface you are painting. Not only that, but the handle is threaded so you can attach any standard extension pole for painting way up high. Bristles: foam | Available Sizes: 2 inches | Available Shapes: flat | Best Use: all types of water-based and oil-based products What We Like Low price Fairly durable foam What We Don't Like Can become floppy after several uses You aren't likely to paint a wall with a foam paint brush, but these inexpensive tools are ideal for touching up chipped paint, smoothing paint along trim, painting furniture, or painting difficult-to-reach small spots like railings on staircases. And with the 16-pack from Bates, you'll always have a brush on hand when you need it. The foam brush is 2 inches wide and has a slightly chiseled edge for smooth application of any type of paint, varnish, stain, or similar product. The foam holds up well, without shredding or tearing as many lesser foam brushes do, and is securely glued to the wooden handle. Bristles: white China | Available Sizes: 2, 2.5, 3 inches | Available Shapes: flat, angle | Best Use: oil-based products What We Like Ultra-smooth finish Suited to all types of oil-based products What We Don't Like Few complaints of shedding bristles If you are working with an oil-based product, you'll find that natural bristles, with their slightly split ends and springy texture, do the best job. And among the many natural-bristled brushes available, it's hard to beat Purdy's white bristle brush. This highest-quality paint brush has exceptionally soft bristles, providing the smoothest finish possible. The 2.5-inch flat brush is perfect for applying oil-based products to walls, trim, furniture, or floors, but this brush is also available in 2-inch and 3-inch sizes, as well as angled. Use it for oil-based paints, shellacs, varnishes, lacquers, stains, and sealers. Bristles: polyester | Available Sizes: 1, 2, 2.5, 3 inches | Available Shapes: flat, angle | Best Use: all types of water-based and oil-based products What We Like Ultra-smooth finish Available in many sizes and shapes What We Don't Like Handful of complaints about shedding bristles Painting trim calls for an angled brush, which smooths along edges and angles easily and precisely. The Wooster Silver Tip Sash Brush is one of the best you'll find for the task, and is a favorite of professionals and DIYers alike. Unlike most polyester bristles, these Wooster-exclusive bristles are extra-fine and soft, making it easy to achieve perfectly smooth results even when painting with difficult semi-gloss or gloss finishes, and the thin, angled edge lays down clean lines, even when working in small or tight areas. While the 2.5-inch angle brush is ideal for most trim jobs, you'll also find the same brush in 1-inch, 1.5-inch, and 2-inch sizes as well. It can be used with any type of paint. Bristles: synthetic | Available Sizes: 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 inches | Available Shapes: flat, angle | Best Use: all types of water-based and oil-based products What We Like Very reasonable price Set of four common sizes What We Don't Like Few complaints about shedding bristles If you just want a set of brushes to tackle a quick paint job, look no further than the Bates Professional Brush Set. For one low price, you get four synthetic-bristled paint brushes: one 1.5-inch sash brush, and three flat brushes in sizes 2-inch, 2.5-inch, and 3-inch. Armed with these brushes and a can of paint, you'll be ready to tackle most common DIY projects. The brushes are suited to any type of paint, whether water-based or oil-based. And at such a low price, if you aren't in the mood to clean them, they can be considered disposable. They do clean up well, however, and can be used over and over again if cared for properly. Bristles: polyester | Available Sizes: 7 inches | Available Shapes: flat | Best Use: water-based and oil-based paint, sealer, and stain What We Like Excellent performance Threaded for extension pole What We Don't Like Expensive When painting interior walls, trim, cabinets, or other common projects, you'll typically use a paint brush that's two to three inches across. Some larger projects call for a brush as wide as 5 inches. But for the biggest, most tedious jobs, such as staining, sealing, or painting a wooden deck, concrete floor, or wooden fence, you can get the task done as quickly as possible while still retaining professional-looking results with the Perdura Deck Boss, which boasts a whopping 7-inch wide by 2-inch thick head of polyester bristles. You can use the brush with water-based or oil-based stain, sealer, or paint, and it's threaded to fit just about any universal extension pole to save wear-and-tear on your back. The Deck Boss lays down a thick, even coat of stain or paint on both wood and concrete, even over rough or irregular surfaces. Bristles: nylon/Chinex/polyester | Available Sizes: 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 inches | Available Shapes: angle/flat | Best Use: all types of water-based and oil-based products What We Like Sturdy, stiff bristles Many sizes and shapes available What We Don't Like Somewhat expensive Exterior painting often means rough surfaces, such as wood, stucco, concrete, brick, or siding. That calls for a brush with stiff, durable bristles that are capable of picking up and holding a great deal of paint, and then laying it down smoothly and evenly without fraying or splitting. And that's the kind of performance you can expect from a Purdy Pro Extra Monarch Paint Brush. While the 3-inch brush is ideal for large, flat surfaces such as walls, you'll also find the brush in sizes 1-inch, 1.5-inch, and 2-inch. All have nylon/Chinex/polyester bristles that are suited to any oil-based or water-based product. The alder wood handle is a traditional beaver tail shape, but Purdy makes the same brush with other styles of handle as well. Bristles: white China/polyester | Available Sizes: 2.75, 4, 4.75, 5.5 inches | Available Shapes: flat | Best Use: water-based and oil-based stain, sealer, wood toner What We Like Holds a lot of stain Threaded for extension pole What We Don't Like Few complaints about handle If your project involves stain, sealer, or wood toner, whether oil-based or water-based, you need a brush specifically designed to lay down a smooth, even coat of these thin products. And that's just what the Wooster Bravo Stainer is designed to do. With a blend of both white China and polyester bristles, you can paint even rough surfaces without fear of the brush becoming ragged or frayed. The handle unscrews to allow you to substitute an extension pole if desired, making this a good choice for staining decks, siding, or other large surfaces. And while the 4-inch brush is perfect for most DIY projects, you'll also find the brush in sizes 2.75-inch, 4.75-inch, and 5.5-inch. Final Verdict If you want an all-purpose, excellent quality paint brush that can handle both water-based and oil-based products, you can't go wrong with the Purdy XL Sprig (view at Amazon). Its nylon/polyester bristles lay down a smooth, even coat of paint on walls, furniture, trim, and just about any other surface you might want to paint. But if you need a brush specifically for painting trim and other detailed work, the Wooster Silver Tip Sash Brush (view at Amazon) is the best choice. There are several types of bristles to choose from, plus foam paint brushes. The right choice mostly depends on the type of paint you are using. Natural bristles, usually made from hog's hair, are often labeled as either white China bristles or black China bristles. Both are used for applying oil-based paints, varnishes, and stains. The white-China bristles are slightly softer than the black-China bristles, so use the white brush for the smoothest finish, or if applying oil-based shellac, polyurethane, or lacquer. Choose the black-bristled brush for applying oil-based paints over slightly irregular surfaces. Avoid natural bristles when painting very rough surfaces, such as brick, however, because the bristles tend to break in these situations. Chinex bristles are a synthetic version of natural bristles. Chinex brushes are suited to either oil-based or water-based paints, and like natural bristles, lay down a smooth, thick coat of paint. They are more durable and easier to clean than natural bristles, but are expensive. Polyester bristles are somewhat stiff, and best suited to painting exterior walls and other outdoor surfaces. These brushes are best with latex paint, but can be used with oil-based paints, stains, lacquers, and shellacs, as well. Nylon bristles are an excellent choice for water-based paints on interior paint jobs. Many can also be used with oil-based paints, but not shellac or lacquer. They apply a smooth, even coat of paint. However, nylon doesn't tolerate heat or humidity well, and can become overly soft. Nylon/polyester blends are the most popular choice for the average DIYer, and these are the brushes often labeled as all-purpose. They combine the smoothness of nylon with the slight stiffness of polyester for a sturdy brush that lays down a smooth, even finish. These blended brushes are ideal for water-based paints, but most can also be used with oil-based products. Foam paint brushes don't have bristles, but rather, a solid piece of soft foam with a slightly chiseled edge. These brushes are generally use-and-toss, as they are inexpensive and difficult to clean. You can use a foam brush with all types of paint, varnish, stain, and polyurethane, but not with shellac or lacquer. Paint brushes come in a range of sizes, as measured across the edge of the bristles. You'll find detailed brushes that are less than an inch across, and extra-large, 8-inch brushes, but for most DIY projects, 1-inch to 4-inch brushes are best. There are two common shapes for paint brushes: flat and angled. If painting a room, or tackling any project with corners, you'll likely need both. Round brushes are specialty brushes mostly used for stenciling. Flat brushes, often called wall brushes, have a flat, even edge. Use a flat brush for painting any large, flat surface, such as a wall, door, stretch of fence, or large flat piece of furniture. Angled brushes, often called sash brushes and sometimes called cutting brushes, have bristles that are gently angled across the edge of the brush. This is the brush you want for painting trim, cutting-in along edges and corners, touching up detail work, painting grooves and other oddly-shaped surfaces, or painting in a tight spot, such as between closely spaced windows. Round brushes are not nearly as commonly used by the average DIYer, but these are the brushes of choice for painting stencils or faux finishes such as stippling. FAQ How do you clean paint brushes? If you want your paint brushes to last, you need to clean them thoroughly after each paint job. Don't wait until the paint dries: It's easy to clean away wet paint, but difficult once it's dry. Should you wet a paint brush before starting to paint? For the smoothest performance, it helps to wet your paint brush before the first dip into the paint. This helps the bristles glide smoothly, reducing bristle marks or uneven deposit of paint. If using any type of water-based paint, wet the bristles with water. If using an oil-based product, dampen the bristles with mineral spirits. In either case, then gently blot the bristles on a clean rag to leave them damp, not dripping. Now go ahead and paint as usual. How do you leave a paint brush overnight without it drying out? If you run out of time and can't finish your project in one day, you don't necessarily have to go to the trouble of completely washing your paint brushes clean. If it will be several hours before you return to your project, you can keep your paint brush from hardening by wrapping the entire head of the brush, including all bristles, in plastic wrap. The wrap should be as snug as possible without distorting the natural shape of the bristles. Use a bit of tape to secure the wrap in place, and leave the brush laying flat until you return. If it will be a day or two before you can get back to painting, stick the wrapped paint brush into the freezer. You'll need to let it return to room temperature before using it, however. This article is edited and updated by Michelle Ullman, the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs. She's no stranger to a paint brush, having successfully tackled numerous DIY projects, including painting the entire interior of her home twice, painting a brick fireplace, painting cabinets, painting furniture, and stenciling and faux finishes. For this roundup, she considered dozens of paint brushes, evaluating each for basic features, extras, and customer feedback. :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/3113YSlqgCS._AC_-64b690d2a3824e018f9afbf0b93cdd6a.jpg)
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how to clean oil paint brushes
Source: https://www.thespruce.com/best-paint-brushes-4150762
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