Choosing Your Painting Method And Tools
It is rare to come across a paint job that cannot be done quickly and efficiently with brushes and rollers, the meat and potatoes of painting tools.
Brushes work well because they have narrow sides for narrow edges, broad sides for broad surfaces, and bristles that are flexible enough to fit in tight spot. A good-quality 3-inch tapered brush can handle almost any painting job.
When used on large flat areas, roller nap mimics brush bristles. brush and roller technique comes naturally. People know almost instinctively which way to turn the brush or roller when a brush needs reloading. If you buy the right brushes and rollers and use them properly, they are all you need to apple the paint to your project.
Choosing Brushes
The following brushes are useful for specific jobs.
Flat Brush. A 3 or 4 inch wide brush with a tapered edge is the most common and most useful type of brush. It can cover large areas and produce sharp cut lines.
Sash Brush. This brush has angled bristles that are idea for making crisp lines on trim, molding, and window mountings.
Stain Brush. The bristle area on this brush is shorter and wider than a paint brush. This stubby design is meant to counteract the tendency stain has to drip into the brush ferrule (the metal band that holds the bristles together)
Foam Brush. This tool consist of a foam pad on a stick. its primary usefulness is that it is cheap and disposable. Some good foam brush jobs are applying stain or painting window trim (perfect size). Do not use foam brushes for applying paint remover because the foam will melt.
Rough-Surface Painter. This is a combination brush-and-pant-pad, and it's useful for painting rough surfaces suck as exterior wood shingles. It looks like a scrub brush.
Selecting Bristles. There are two types of bristles to choose from. Nylon Bristles – Best used for latex paint but also good for oil-based paint. Natural bristles – Best used with oil-based and varnishes, also 40 to 50 % more expensive.
Choosing Rollers
The two parts to a paint roller include the handle and the furry cover, also known as a sleeve. The handle needs to feel good and strong in your hands.
To test a roller cover, roll the cover in your hands, it should feel even, with no bumps or flat spots. Tug gently on the nap, if any fuzz comes off, find a better cover.
Nylon Roller Covers. These covers are suitable for most paint jobs. They are available in short, medium, and long-nap, and they are an appropriate choice for walls and ceilings. Long nap is especially suitable for painting concrete, brick, or other rough surfaces. Short nap can provide a smooth finish for very flat surface. Short nap cover hold relatively little paint, so more effort goes into frequently reloading of the roller and keeping a wet edge. Nylon covers can be stored wet from day-to-day during a paint job by wrapping them snuggly in a heavy garbage bag or in a plastic kitchen bag.
Lamb's/Wool Covers. These covers are expensive, high-quality rollers. If you thoroughly clean and carefully dry a lamb's cover, it can be used for many projects. These covers produce a distinctive, slightly stippled effect. Some people like the finish, but others do not.
Doughnut Rollers. These small one-piece foam rollers are good for moldings and corners. Some painters find them indispensable, while others do every job with only brushes and a standard 9-inch roller. Small foam rollers are inexpensive, so try one out.
Trim Rollers. These are useful for painting trim work, cabinets, and vanities because of their size. They usually have a foam cover and do not leave a stipple like the rollers do.
Roller Pans. For interior work choose a deep, sturdy metal roller pan. Stay away from flimsy metal and plastic pans. (Most shrink wrapped kits consist of a poor-quality brush and roller in a cheap pan, and these do not provide good results). At the store, pick up the pan and twist it, if it pops in and out of shape, do not b uy it because the metal or plastic is too thin. in general, a deeper pan is best as it allows you to get more work done between refills
Rollers Screens. Rather than use a pan, consider a metal roller screen that fits into a large bucket. These are your best option for exterior work. Paint stores sell handy 2 1/2-gallon square buckets that can hold a roller screen and have a lip for pouring paint back into a can. Because of their shape, they do not move or spin when hanging off a hook on the side of a ladder.
Power Rollers. Power rollers are devices that pump paint from a can or reservoir through a specially made roller body. Most units will include paint pads as an accessory. the idea, which is a good one, is to eliminate the 50 percent of rolling time that a painter spends getting ready. There are three types of power rollers used right now. One employs a small dolly, which holds a can of paint and a pump, The dolly rides along behind you as you paint. Another model power roller holds the paint in a reservoir, which you sling over you shoulder. The last power roller sucks paint out of the can and into a long roller handle. You push the handle, like a syringe, to force paint into the roller.
