It doesn’t matter whether you are painting inside or out, you’ll still need a variety of brushes to help you get the job done.  Even if you use a power sprayer to paint the exterior, there will normally be a number of spots that require hand painting.

But as with most things, painting brushes and rollers come is a variety of types, sizes and materials.  How do you know which one is the best for the job?  Of course, it depends entirely on what the job is.

Brushes

There are two basic types of brushes: natural bristle and synthetic.

Natural Bristle Brushes – Natural bristle brushes are generally more expensive but worth the extra cost.  Although they say “a bad workman blames his tools,” this is not entirely true.  If you want a good job, you need to get quality tools.

If you are using oil-based or alkyd type paints then natural bristle brushes are perfect.  However for latex paints they’re best to be avoided because they absorb too much water.  This results in drier paint which doesn’t spread as evenly.  They may not last as long as synthetic. Though some will last longer, compared to cheap synthetics. But they’ll provide a smooth, even look that is easy to achieve.

Synthetic Brushes – Synthetic brushes are best for water based paints such as latex and acrylic. Some can be used with alkyds as well.

In either case, ensure that you get a quality brush of the right size.  A brush with split ends may look ragged and used. But it’s the perfect tool for evenly spreading paint. A much finer surface can be more easily created using a split end. Paint tends to lodge between the split, where it’s dragged over the surface much more smoothly and evenly.

Most painting jobs will require a brush which is 50% longer than it is wide.  So if you go for a 2 inch wide brush, make sure that it’s at least 3 inches long.  This will help prevent your hand from getting tired and helps create a smooth finish.  If you really need to cover a lot of area quickly, use a roller instead.

Rollers

Rollers, just like brushes, come in natural and synthetic materials.  So the same considerations apply to rollers but with a few additions.

If you are concerned about the texture of the paint then have a look at the “nap” when buying your roller.  A long rough nap will give you a textured finish whilst a fine, low nap will give you a smooth finish.  Smooth plaster requires a nap of 1/8-1/4 inch at most. For a rougher texture, 3/8-1/2 inch is ok.

Make sure you get a roller that ‘bounces back’ to its original shape when squeezed. That happens inevitably when the roller is moved over the surface.

In terms of price, it pays to purchase a roller which is a few dollars more.  Buying a roller is only a small percentage of the overall cost to decorate.  There’s no point in buying inferior quality goods to then re-do all your hard work because you don’t link the quality.