About Exterior Paint Brushes

When painting your home's exterior, choosing paint brushes is almost as important as choosing paint. The right brush will help the paint to go on better, and the finished product will be smooth and even. Using a good quality paint brush will even feel better in your hand. Cheap brushes can leave streaks and bristles behind after painting. Spending a bit more for a brush is a worthwhile investment.

• Use a natural bristle brush when applying oil-based paints. A synthetic bristly brush should be used with latex paints. If you use a natural brush with latex, the brush will be difficult to work with.


• The best brush for exterior painting is a four-inch brush with bristles that are tightly packed. This brush is good for general exterior painting on large areas.


• For trim, window frames and molding, a two-and-a-half inch angled sash brush is the best choice. The angle will help get into tight corners and spaces.


• Quality brushes will have tapered bristles with the ones in the center a bit longer than the ones at the ends, this makes the paint to go on evenly. The tips of a good quality brush should be flexible, this helps you to achieve a smoother finish. 


• If you have more painting to do the next day, you can wrap your brushes in plastic to keep them from drying out. This way you do not have to wash them.


• If you used a good quality brush it can last for years with proper cleaning. To clean a brush that has been used for oil-based paint, you will need paint thinner and an empty can. Pour some pain thinner into the can, place the brush inside, using a gloved hand, move bristles around with your fingers until it is clean. For a brush that has used latex paint, you can clean it under running water. Use your fingers to spread the bristles while clean water runs through. This should be done outside, as cleaning paint brushes in your sink can cause clogs in the drain as the paint washed down dries and hardens.