Natural-bristle brushes work best with stains and varnishes, as well as oil-based and alkyd paints. However, being natural (boar-hair bristles are used in high-quality brushes), they get wet in water just as your hair does when you shower. And, just as hair hangs down and becomes limp, the natural bristles in such brushes also get wet and become less efficient when applying the paint. <\/p>\n\n
They are best used on smooth surfaces, so avoid rough surfaces such as roughly-textured masonry or plaster as these surfaces can damage the bristles’ flagged ends.<\/p>\n\n
When used on smooth surfaces, however, and with the right technique, these brushes can provide a superior end-result, with fewer brush marks on the surface than their synthetic-fibre cousins. <\/p>\n\n
Synthetic<\/strong><\/p>\n Synthetic fibre brushes have nylon or polyester fibres, and some have a mix of both. Those with polyester fibres are a popular choice with the casual do-it-yourselfer and occasional painting homeowner because they a generally not as expensive as the natural-bristle types, handle rough surfaces well, and can be used to apply any paint or finish. <\/p>\n\n Polyester bristles retain their stiffness better than any other kind of brush, but this comes with a bit of a drawback as this stiffness means they flex less and tend to leave more brush marks on the surface being painted. Brushes with nylon fibres are easier to clean. You can get the best of both worlds by using a brush that blends the two as they combine the best qualities of both for enhanced performance.<\/p>\n\n Foam brush<\/strong><\/p>\n A variation on the bristle or fibre paint brush, the foam brush, available in a range of widths and sizes, consists a shaped foam pad in place of the bristles or fibres and are good for fine detail work around wall fixtures. They can be used for oil, solvent or water-base finishes.<\/p>\n Rollers cover large surfaces like no other non-mechanical applicator, so they are great for painting walls and ceilings. They have the added advantage that the need to go up a ladder to reach higher areas is reduced or even eliminated altogether when a broomstick inserted into the roller\u2019s handle. They also when properly used tend to give a more even finish than brushes. <\/p>\n\n Paint rollers can range in sizes, starting with what Americans call \u2018hot-dog\u2019 rollers – small (usually sponge or foam) rollers ranging from 50mm to 150mm, up to 450mm. However, rollers generally range in sizes from 190mm to 240mm. Smaller rollers are used for more delicate works, such as painting around light fittings and switches, while larger rollers are great for covering larger surfaces quickly and easily.<\/p>\n\n The rougher the surface, the thicker the nap\u2026 that is, the thicker the fibre coating on the roller. Generally, it is advisable to choose a shorter nap of 5-10mm when painting smooth surfaces, such as wood, plaster or metal. Longer naps of 20-30mm are the best choice for rougher surfaces such as unplastered masonry, textured walls and stucco where you want to get the paint right into the nooks and crannies of the textured surface, and the cracks and crevices of an un-plastered masonry surface.<\/p>\n\n Natural or Synthetic?<\/strong><\/p>\n Just as with paint brushes, rollers that have natural fibres, such as lambs\u2019 wool or mohair, work most effectively with oil-based paints because they won\u2019t get wet and become limp. Likewise, synthetic roller fibres, such as polyester or nylon, are the best choice for latex paints and any other water-based finish because they won\u2019t get wet and will retain their characteristics.<\/p>\n\n Sponge<\/strong><\/p>\n Sponge rollers are another option and will work well with water-based paints as they will absorb the finish and release it when rolled along the surface.<\/p>\n\n Corrugated<\/strong><\/p>\n This type of roller has a profile designed to make painting corrugated roofs much easier. They have a profile to match the corrugations, but to apply the paint, you will probably need to use a deeper reservoir than the usual paint tray. Contractors often use a 20\u2113 paint container with mesh sitting in it, which they use to remove excess paint from the roller.<\/p>\n\n Patterns<\/strong><\/p>\n Finally, there are also rollers available with rippled surfaces or actual raised patterns on them to apply a regular pattern in a contrasting colour of the base coat. <\/p>\n Pad applicators comprise a foam pad that is glued to a base and handle usually plastic. They are available in a range of shapes and sizes. Pad rollers provide a very sharp edge and can be used for fine edging work around wall fixtures and so on.<\/p>\n Spraypainting is good for covering large areas very quickly, but it takes a little while to get the hang of it too little and you will get insufficient coverage in an area, too much as you can get run-off, so practise first.<\/p>\n\n Spraypainting is not the option for small jobs because you can end up with a bit of overkill. Rather use a sprayer for covering large areas.<\/p>\n\n Some tips for spraypainting <\/p>\n\n Getting started<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Whatever your choice of finish, and of course of applicator(s), the final result is very dependent on the preparation.<\/p>\n\n Prepare the surface(s) properly<\/p>\n\n Clean up<\/strong><\/p>\n\n After you have completed the job, your next task is to clean up. <\/p>\n\n For water-based finishes, the job is simple a good wash in warm soapy water with a good rinse off afterwards.<\/p>\n\n After using oil or solvent-based finishes, there is a range of good brush-cleaning solutions available (like all the other requisites in this feature) from your local Mica.<\/p>\n\n Hints:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Painting is a frequent task for homeowners and getting the best results comes down to using the correct tools and the right techniques.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":13928,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","category-paint-tips"],"yoast_head":"\nRollers<\/h3>\n
Pad Applicators<\/h3>\n
Spraypaint<\/h3>\n
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