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Brush Techniques

Created 1/14/2019

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Thank you to our Partners

This shared instructional resource made possible by the support of our partners

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Funding provided by the Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation

Technical Guidance Provided by PCA

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Choosing the Right Brush for the Job

Different painting tasks require you to consider different brush characteristics:

*For the best finish *For the most control *For the quickest application

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Oil Based or Water Based Paint?

  • For oil based paint use natural or Nylon bristle brushes
  • For water based paints use Nylon or Polyester bristle brushes

WATER

OIL

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Brush Width: Large or Small Surfaces?

  • Brush width and thickness affect the speed at which you can cover a surface effectively

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  • Choose the widest brush that can get the job done quickly without sacrificing finish quality

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  • A 3” brush width is considered the professional general standard brush width for most applications

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3”

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Brush Thickness: Large or Small Surfaces?

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  • A thicker brush applies more paint and works well if you are not constrained by many edges or details like walls

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  • A thinner brush will hold less paint but offer control of flow to smaller flat surfaces like trim boards

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Working Near Lines and Edges?

  • Choose a tapered brush head if you have borders or edges to deal with

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  • PRO: Tapered brushes allow better control anywhere a paint line needs to end

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  • CON: Tapered brushes can’t deliver the volume of paint a non-tapered brush can

Tapered brush head

Non-tapered brush head

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Intricate Details or Complex Shapes?

  • Angled brush heads offer a “point” at one end of the brush head that allows good control for edges corners and shapes like windows or fireplaces

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  • Narrow width + brush taper + angled brush head = precision brush

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Holding the Brush

Using any tool for a long period of time requires good form:

*For good quality finish results *to minimize user fatigue

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Proper Grip

At the ferrule…

(like a pencil)

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Loading the Brush

Adding the proper amount of paint to a brush is a crucial first step

There is a simple method to paint loading before applying it to a wall:

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Use the Last 1/2 of the Bristles

  • Dip the brush directly into the paint up to ½ of the length of the bristles
  • Stops the brush from being overloaded with paint
  • Prevents dripping

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Tap Each Side of the Brush

  • Tap both sides of the brush lightly against the side of the can or pail
  • Loads the paint more on the interior of the brush

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  • Helps limit dripping

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  • Brush is now ready for unloading

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Leave the Paint on the Brush

  • Don’t scrape the paint off the brush by dragging across the edge of the bucket

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  • Scraping removes the paint, compresses the bristles, and makes the brush ineffective

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Applying and Distributing Paint

Once loaded, the brush is ready to transfer the paint to the surface.

This part gets technical and requires much practice to get the feel of it.

There are some basic things to consider from here going forward:

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Unload the Brush

  • The first goal of unloading a brush is to get the paint from the brush on to the surface

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  • A perfect finish is not critical at this moment – that is the next step

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  • An example would be like using a knife to move a pad of butter to a piece of toast first and then spreading it out evenly afterwards

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Smooth Out the Paint

  • Now that the paint is in the general area where you need it the goal is to move it around evenly
  • A good coat is crucial – attention should be paid to:
    • Even coverage with no thin spots
    • Proper overlap of previous paint edges
    • Identifying and eliminating drips or other defects
    • No visible brush strokes
    • An eye for detail and raking light is the key to good paint distribution

Raking light on a garden wall shows all the defects in the stucco finish

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Work into a Wet Edge

  • Never allow the paint to dry completely as you stroke over it with a freshly loaded brush

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  • Goal is no visible lap or brush marks

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  • Have a progressive strategy to spread paint and avoid areas and edges that have already “leveled out”

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Use Light Even Strokes

  • Draw the brush lightly and across in long smooth strokes to even out the

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  • Light touch helps eliminate brush strokes

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Feather the Paint Stroke

  • At the beginning and ends of each stroke, slightly lift the paintbrush from the surface to thin or taper out the paint at the wet edge

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  • Avoid a “mopping motion” that leaves heavy coverage at overlaps

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Review: Brush Painting Basics

  • Load the brush from the paint cup using the last 50% of the brush head
  • Tap the brush on the sides of the cup lightly
  • Unload the paint from the brush on the target surface
  • Smooth the paint to a fine finish minding a wet edge with light strokes
  • Feather edges with a lift at the ends of the stroke
  • Work with a progressive consistent strategy away from drying areas
  • Avoid overworking paint that is already smooth and leveled out

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Special Considerations

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Brush Handling

  • Press the brush against the wall just enough to flex the bristles
  • Use the narrow edge of the paintbrush when following a line
  • The best painting motion is a series of overlapping strokes, gradually moving along the edge you're painting

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Right Handed: Paint Left to Right

  • If you are right-handed, cut in the wall at the ceiling corners from left to right

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  • If you are left-handed, paint right to left.

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  • This will give you visual control over how well the paint is flowing.

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Brushing Large Flat Areas

  • Hold the brush at an angle to the surface

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  • Unload the paint on the area using several diagonal strokes

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  • Press the brush against the wall just enough to flex the bristles (paint should be applied a little heavy at this point)

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  • Next distribute the paint on the large flat area with feathered strokes of the paintbrush to a smooth finish

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Cut a Clean Line

  • An angled trim brush and a steady hand can produce a good clean line where needed in corners, against trim, or other edges

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Avoid Dragging Starts Over Sharp Edges

  • Similar to poor brush loading, this practice tends to scrape paint off the brush aggressively, producing drips, runs and heavy paint build up on edges

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  • Start away from and pull toward the edge and lift the brush to avoid heavy paint transfer

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Brush with Confidence

  • Good brushing technique requires a steady hand and long sure strokes

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  • Hesitant painting with and short stabs or small repetitive movements can’t produce smooth results

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Use Raking Light to Check Your Work

  • Light that casts almost parallel across a surface is very effective at showing defects and issues with the finish

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  • Make sure you have a good position point to take advantage of this condition at all times

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Vocabulary: Brush Techniques

  • Brush head: working part of the brush made of multiple bristles/filaments that carries and distributes the paint
  • Cut: brush technique to achieve a straight continuous clean paint line or edge
  • Feather: brush technique that requires a lift at the end of a stroke to taper the paint on a wet edge
  • Ferrule: metal band used to fasten the bristles to the handle of a paint brush
  • Latex: most common water based paint formula with good coverage and flexibility
  • Level out: flowing correction of paint immediately after application that produces fewer brush marks and imperfections (see overbrushing)
  • Loading: specific process of adding paint to a brush before applying it to a surface
  • Oil based: paint or chemical made with oil, solvents or spirits to achieve viscosity
  • Overbrushing: poor overworked overlapping brush technique that allows paint to begin to dry before leveling out – overworking semi dry areas produces obvious visible brush strokes and paint defects
  • Raking light – light source from an extreme angle that emphasizes defects on a flat surface
  • Unload: process of paint transfer from a properly loaded brush to the target surface
  • Wet edge: workable area where paint has just been applied to a surface and overlap can occur without overbrushing

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Sources

Thespruce.com - https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-properly-use-a-paint-brush-1824840

Cintas - https://www.youtube.com/user/cintas

The Mic - https://mic.com/articles/147510/butter-is-neither-good-nor-bad-so-go-ahead-and-have-some-in-moderation#.ITDUQ7J2z

Reflectionintheword - https://reflectionsintheword.org/2013/07/22/calamitous-confidence/butter-on-toast-1/

Dulux - https://www.dulux.com.au/how-to/general/how-to-use-a-paint-brush

Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raking_light

This Old House - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QpdW-l0FRg (paint spinner demo)

How-to-paint Info - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnT6AgI_E_M

Home RenoVision DIY - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eUxz_or2Qs

Fujimotos.net - https://fujimotos.net/hobbies/photography/project-366-2016/january/

Home Depot - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Premier-Platinum-2-1-2-in-Flat-Sash-Polyester-Paint-Brush-6-Pack-H12832/300333435

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