Selecting paint brushes and rollers

It's common knowledge that you can extend the life of a paint job by using a top quality paint. However, what you may not know is that you can get a more durable and better-looking paint job by using the right type and quality of brushes and rollers.

Here are some helpful tips from the experts at the Paint Quality Institute on choosing the quality painting tools that will help make your next project an unqualified success.

Brushes

Brushes are available in two basic types: those made with natural bristles, and those with synthetic bristles. Natural-bristle brushes should be used only when applying alkyd or oil-based paints. (If you use a natural-bristle brush to apply a latex paint, the bristles will absorb the water from the paint, rendering them limp and difficult to work with.) Synthetic-bristle brushes can be used to apply latex paints, and many can also be used with alkyd products.

Quality brushes share the following characteristics:

• They have split or "flagged" ends and are flexible at their tips, which helps produce a finer finish;
• They are tapered such that the bristles in the center are slightly longer than those at the edge, which helps lay the paint down smoothly and evenly;
• They typically are at least half-again as long as they are wide (for example, the bristles on a 2"-wide brush should be at least 3" in length).

The reason it is important to use quality brushes is that, compared to economy brushes, they apply paint in a thicker, smoother film, which provides maximum hiding and sheen uniformity. Conversely, lower quality brushes often leave ridges in the paint where dirt can collect and mildew can grow; paint with brushmarks in it can even fail earlier in the "thin spots."

Keep in mind that different brushes serve different purposes. A 4" brush with tightly packed bristles in a 3/4" to I" thickness is best for general exterior painting, while a 3" brush serves most general interior painting purposes. A 2" brush can be used to cut-in corners for interior work. An angled sash brush, 1" to 2 1/2" wide, is ideal for painting both interior and exterior trim, window frames and moldings.

Rollers

Many people prefer to use rollers, rather than brushes, because they apply paint much more quickly. When working with rollers, keep in mind that, as with brushes, only synthetic roller covers should be used to apply latex paint.

For the best results, choose high quality roller covers. Better quality roller covers will...

• retain their shape when squeezed;
• have no obvious seams (these can cause noticeable streaks in the finished paint job);
• have few loose fibers.

It is also important to select the right length of nap on the roller cover. The general rule is that the smoother the surface, the shorter the nap; the rougher the surface, the longer the nap.

Experts at the Paint Quality Institute offer these guidelines:

• On wallboard, smooth plaster, wood, or metal, use a short nap of 1/8" to 1/4";
• On light-textured stucco, concrete, or rough wood, use a medium nap of 3/8" to 1/2";
• On heavy-textured stucco, concrete block, or brick, use a long nap of 3/4" to 1".

Roller cage frames come in a variety of styles. U-shaped frames are generally more sturdy. When choosing frames, be sure to select those that are sealed on the ends to help keep the paint on the roller, where it belongs.

Paint pads

Paint pads are helpful in applying paint in hard-to-reach places - in corners and behind radiators, for example. Most paint pads are made of plastic foam or other synthetic materials; these are suitable for both latex and alkyd paints.