House Painting Tools Types and Uses

Wall painting can bring your home to life. However, without the proper house painting tools, this job can be difficult to accomplish.

What kind of material are you painting? How big of an area do you need to cover? How much time do you want to spend painting? This article will introduce you to two different house painting tools: paint brushes and paint rollers, and help you choose the right one. When you know what you are considering, you will quickly find the right painting tool for the job at hand.

1.Paint Brushes

With few exceptions, paint brushes fall into two camps: natural bristle brushes, made of animal hair, and synthetic bristle brushes, usually made of nylon. Choosing a different type of paint brush usually depends on the type of paint you are using. For example, natural bristle brushes should not be used to apply water-based latex paints because water softens the hairs.

Choose a high-quality paint brush when you buy. Although they may be more expensive, it will be worth it in the long run. Quality brushes will make any painting task easier and faster, and they can be cleaned thoroughly and look like new on the next job. With a little care, a good paint brush will last for years of home maintenance.

The goodness of a paint brush can be simply determined by manual inspection. Spread out the bristles and inspect the brush tips. The more flags, or forks, the better the brush will be and the better its ability to apply. Good brushes may lose a few bristles when rapped, but bad brushes will lose a lot. Finally, choose a smooth, well-shaped wood or plastic handle that fits comfortably in your hand.

Paint brushes come in a variety of sizes and types and are necessary for those areas that are out of the reach of a paint roller. The following are some of the main types of paint brushes:

-Wall. This type of brush has square, wide bristles to spread as much paint as possible on large surfaces.

-Trim. Trim brushes are ideal for filling small areas. A finishing brush can be used to "cut in" around windows, doors and corners before painting the wall with a roller.

-Sash. The sash brush has an angled bristle end that makes edge or corner painting jobs easier - especially if you're painting around windows.

2.Paint Rollers

For large, flat surface areas such as walls and ceilings, a paint roller will help you get the job done in about half the time it would take with a paintbrush. They can absorb a large amount of paint at once and cover a larger area with one application. Most painters use brushes for trim work and around windows and doors, then turn to rollers to fill in the big gaps.

Paint rollers used for wall or ceiling painting usually have a handle made of plastic or wood that is attached to the roller cover by a metal or plastic frame. Some handles may have special designs for use with extension rods.

Which type of roller cover you should buy depends largely on the type of paint you will be using. Most rollers are made of lamb's wool, mohair, Dynel, acetate or polyurethane foam and are labeled with the type of paint they are to be used with.

The packaging of the rollers will also indicate the length of the roll cover, which is the length of the fleece, and it can vary from 1/16 inch to 11/2 inches. For rough surfaces, use a long lint; for smooth surfaces, choose a short lint.

Paint trays are made of aluminum or plastic and are used to hold paint-soaked rollers in use. Some trays come with hooks that allow you to attach them directly to a ladder. Most trays are washable and durable. But if you don't want to do the cleanup every time, you can opt for a disposable plastic pallet liner, or line the pallet with aluminum foil.