Paint Brush (Anne Swoboda, ShareAlike Generic)
Paintbrushes are like motorcars, strawberry jam, and a great deal more besides. Buy cheap and the quality is missing. Buy at the top end of price and you are probably overpaying. We recommend buying in the third quartile – that is in the 50% to 75% bracket. That way, your paintbrushes last longer, provided you look after them.
Understanding Brush Design Makes Paintbrushes Last Longer
Paint bristles have two sides to them so they can flex as you work back and forth. If you take too much paint onto the brush the space between them clogs up. You ideally just want paint on the lightly-coloured tip.
Every time you flex, the paint squeezes out, runs towards the handle and drips on the floor. This is difficult to remove afterwards, dries inside and ruins the brush. Brush maintenance starts with painting correctly, and here is how you do it.
- Get yourself a paint container with a clip or magnet that lets the bristle tips rest in the paint (but not slide into it). Paintbrushes last longer when the bristles do not dry out. They also last longer when you do not flood them with paint.
- Pour just enough paint into the container to moisten 25% of the bristles when the brush is hanging on the magnet. After you dip the brush, tap it on the side of the pail to remove the excess (if you try to drag it off, it just moves up towards the handle).
- Work steadily, taking care to never ‘force the brush’. Painting should be a pleasure, so take your time. If you do not have an abundance of that and a weekend to spare, then hire a top local painter.
If you need to take a break, leave the brush tip in the paint but cover the pail with a cloth moistened in a little water. If you want your paintbrushes to last longer, let them dry naturally once clean.
Cleaning Paintbrushes Properly Afterwards is the Second Secret
- Empty any unused paint back into the tin. Use the paint container as the cleaning vessel so you clean both at the same time.
- To make paintbrushes last longer always clean them with the right solvent. Use thinners, turpentine or water as advised on the tin.
- Moisten the bristles. Take a wire brush and gently scrape it away from the handle to work the paint out the brush.
- When fully satisfied gently move the bristles up and down in the cleaning liquid a few times. Squeeze the liquid out with your fingers.
- Replace the cleaning liquid with fresh material and complete the job. Finally, wash the brush in dish washing solution no matter the solvent you used.
Final Tips to Make Paintbrushes Last Longer
Gently reshape the brush to its original design after cleaning it, and allow it to dry completely in the empty container hanging on the magnet. When 100% dry, return the brush to the packaging you bought it in. If you threw the wrapping away, a sheet of rolled-up newspaper will do. Paintbrushes also last longer when we keep them under wraps.
We hope you found this post interesting. Good paintbrushes are expensive and deserve proper care so they last longer. Here’s a video about paintbrush techniques that could make your paint go further too.
