But there are instances where painting the entire wall surface with a brush is the better strategy.
Walls with lots of obstacles can be tricky to paint with a roller.
Be aware that brush marks will show up more readily in higher gloss paints.
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All paint brushes are not created equal.
Selecting a good quality paint brush can affect the outcome of your finish.
Latex paints are best applied with nylon, polyester, or nylon/polyester blend brushes.
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Some professionals swear that applying a coat ofprimerto new drywall is essential before painting.
But many paints are considered to be self-priming, and DIYers often choose to omit the primer coat entirely.
Priming is usually not necessary when you are painting over an existing coat of paint.
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Theuse of painter’s tapeto mask off wood moldings or other areas is a debatable practice.
Other people, though, swear by painter’s tape and would never paint without it.
Even relatively clean walls should be wiped down with clean cloths to remove any dust before painting.
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Dip the brush directly into the paint up to 1/3 of the length of the bristles.
This stops the brush from being overloaded with paint and prevents dripping.
Tap both sides of the brush lightly against the side of the can or pail.
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This loads the paint more on the interior of the brush.
Do not scrape the paint off the brush by dragging it across the edge of the bucket.
That just removes the paint, compresses the bristles, and makes the brush ineffective.
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If you are right-handed, cut in the wall at the ceiling corners from left to right.
If you are left-handed, paint from right to left.
This will give you visual control over how well the paint is flowing.
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When cutting in along vertical window or door casings, work from top to bottom.
The best cutting-in motion is a series of overlapping strokes, gradually moving along the edge you’re painting.
Then you will cut the darker color over the top of the lighter color.
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This method ensures that you don’t have to worry about the darker color showing through the lighter.
Again, press the brush against the wall just enough to flex the bristles.
It’s okay if the paint goes on a little heavy here.
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This part is all finesse.
Doing so will leave you with visible lap marks.
At the end of each stroke, lift the paintbrush from the surface.
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This action serves to slightly “feather” the paint stroke.
Simply take plastic wrap and tightly wrap the brush bristles.
Be careful not to misshape the bristles when wrapping.
A quality paintbrush is a precision tool that can last for years with proper cleaning and care.
The exception is if the previous coat of paint was quite close in color to the new paint.
