Thanks for taking your time to read our reviews on the best paint brushes that are currently available on the UK market. If you like or need to do some home decorating, then at some point you are going to need a good quality paint brush.
We have listed the many types below with an explanation of what they are used for. That should ensure that you end up getting the right one for each job.
Best Paint Brushes for Decorating
There are a few different types of brushes used for home decorating. As a general guide you use emulsion paint on the walls and ceilings, and some type of gloss paint on wood such as doors, door jambs, skirting boards etc.
Many home owners also like to buy an angle cut brush for cutting in.
For painting walls and ceilings you really should use a paint roller to do the bulk of the painting. That just makes the job faster and leaves a much better finish than trying to use a paint brush to do the whole job.
There are however certain areas, such as around light switches, where it is hard to use a roller. For those areas you will need a couple of smaller brushes.
We have written a full article that explains what to use and you can read that by clicking on the link just below.
There are a few different types of gloss paint on the market, and many home owners choose that for painting doors, wooden window frames and skirting boards.
Gloss paint is much harder to work with than emulsion paints and the brushes are slightly different. They also need to be cleaned differently.
We have written a full article that explains what to use and you can read that by clicking on the link just below.
Cutting in is simply the process of painting where different edges meet. For example where a ceiling meets a wall. The colours of the paint are likely to be a different colour, and you want the line to be clean and neat.
.One way of ensuring that happens is to use a cutting in brush.
We have written a full article that explains what to use and you can read that by clicking on the link just below.
Best Chalk Paint Brushes
Many DIY people are now using chalk paint to get a Shabby Chic look to their furniture. Chalk paint is water soluble and non-toxic so safe to use with kids or pets in the home.
Home owners use this paint for upcycling furniture, renovating, walls, woodwork, home décor or accessories.
We have written a full article that explains what to use and you can read that by clicking on the link just below.
Best Brush for Painting Furniture
We have already explained the chalk paint above, but there are other ways of painting furniture.
Best Brush for Varnish
Varnish is a resin that is dissolved in a liquid. It is used for applying on wood, metal, or other materials to form a hard, clear, shiny surface when dry. Varnish isn't a paint or a stain and does not contain any colour.
Varnish does two things:
- Gives a smooth and glossy finish
- Offers a level of protection
There are however many types of varnish, oil, acrylic, polyurethane etc so picking the right one is important. When the varnish is applied with a brush, you have to make the layer is made as thin as possible. A flat brush is required. The best technique is to remove excess varnish. In addition to avoid the brush drying out you can dip it in alcohol.
Best Paint Pads
Paint pads can be used for painting ceilings, trim, and in and around tight areas. There are no bristles on paint pads. It is a flat pad that you hold in your hand and is usually made from polyester, fleece, or foam.
They are very good for painting straight lines and corners, making it a wise choice for painting the edges or trim of a room. A little understanding and practice will help you use this tool to lay paint faster, better, and more evenly on any surface.
Best Paint Brush Cleaner
Most paint brushes used for emulsion type paints can simply be washed with soap and water and then allowed to dry. With other paint types you need something a great deal stronger.
For years people have used white spirit which in our opinion works OK. We prefer to use methylated spirits as we find it works faster and more effectively.
There are however some great options which manufacturers have developed and are designed specifically for cleaning paint brushes. You will need this when you are using gloss paint on skirting boards and door frames for instance.
We have written a full article that explains what to use and you can read that by clicking on the link just below.
Thanks for reading our Best Paint Brush UK article and we hope it has given you a better insight into the world of painting.