KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – PAINTING 101: BRUSHES AND ROLLERS
KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – PAINTING 101: BRUSHES AND ROLLERS
Buy the best brush you can it will last for years with proper care and will make your painting projects easier and more professional looking. One way to judge the quality of a paintbrush is to examine the bristles for split ends known as "flags." These enable the brush to retain more paint and spread it more uniformly. On good brushes at least half the bristles are flagged. Use natural bristles for oil- based paints; synthetic brushes for latex paints.
ROLLERS
Pick the correct roller for the job. The general rule is the smoother the surface the thinner the pile. The proper roller will hold the paint instead of allowing it to dribble down as you work. Decent disposable roller covers are available at any paint hardware or home improvement centers. Use the best quality available.
CLEANING BRUSHES
Clean brushes as soon as you are done painting. Place brushes on newspaper and wearing rubber gloves squeeze out as much paint as possible. For latex paint wash in warm water adding a bit of dishwashing detergent. Work the paint out of the bristles with your fingers; rinse until there’s no hint of pigment. Soak oil paint brushes in solvent change the solvent and soak again. Wash with warm water and detergent; then rinse well.
DRYING BRUSHES
With the brush pointing down twirl the handle rapidly between your fingers. Put the brush in its original cover to hold its shape. Now this is very important always hang the brush by the handle to keep the bristles straight and in shape.
If you need to stop painting for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours wrap the brush or roller in aluminum foil. This will keep the paint moist until you can resume painting.
Next time- start painting!
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
