How to Choose a Paint Brush or Tool
Interiors to Inspire carries a wide array of brushes, tools, paints, stains and topcoats to help you with your painting projects and for creating a variety of finishes – shabby chic, modern, wash, textured, crackle, and many more. Sometimes, it can be tricky to choose the right brush for your project. The following list provides a brief description of all our brushes for your consideration. If you have any questions about these tools and brushes, please leave us a comment! We would love to help you with your paint project!We also recommend you read Cleaning Wax & Paint Brushes to help you get the best performance and longevity out of your brushes!Annie Sloan Oval Paint Brushes
“Made of pure bristle, this is a great brush for painting, particularly to achieve texture. It is oval, with a metal ferule and wooden handle. These type of brushes have always been my favourite as they allow you paint expressively as the bristle is strong and firm but pliable. They can also be used for applying wax.” - Annie Sloan.These oval-shaped natural bristle brushes come in 3 sizes; small, medium and large. The large brush holds plenty of paint and will help you get your piece painted efficiently. It is especially useful for large projects such as dressers and cabinets. The small brush is great for easily painting those smaller, tricky to reach areas of your project, while the medium brush is an all-around functional brush for any paint project.These brushes can be used for creating texture on the surface of a piece, or may be used in a linear fashion to achieve a smooth finish. They hold a lot of paint, which means less dipping and more efficient painting! They can also be used for applying Annie Sloan Soft Wax. These versatile brushes should be a staple in your tool kit! Our Chalk Paint™ Starter Kits come with the Medium brush, as it is the most resourceful of all our brushes.The wooden handle allows for an easy-grip, reducing hand fatigue and the natural bristle brush should last a lifetime with gentle care. Remember these are made from hair, so treat them like your own hair. Excessive pressure and friction will cause the hair to break off. Also, excessive washing with harsh soaps will dry out the hair. Simply rinse in between uses and use only mild soap, such as Lye soap to clean. Hang to dry. Annie Sloan Flat Brushes
The Flat Brushes come in two sizes; small and large, and feature synthetic fibres for a silky finish. They are designed to work specifically with Chalk Paint™ to achieve a smooth, modern finish. These brushes are shaped to hold a lot of paint and apply the paint evenly, eliminating brush marks. They also work great for applying Annie Sloan Lacquer.The comfortable handles are pre-drilled so the paint brushes can be hung to dry. Both are light weight; the small brush weighing under 2 ounces and the large brush weighing just over 3 ounces helping to avoid hand fatigue while you paint. Artisan Enhancements Small Round Brush
This great little brush works well for painting and/or waxing in tight spaces or on small projects. It features natural bristles a round shape, and an extra long handle, making it easy for getting into those corners and hard-to-reach spots. Clean up is simple with a mild soap and water. Artisan Enhancements Topcoat/Varnish Brush
Handmade in Sweden, this high-quality brush is very lightweight and made with a blend of natural and synthetic bristles to lessen the opportunities for visible brush strokes. It also assists in ensuring an even application of the Artisan Enhancements topcoats or Annie Sloan Lacquer as well as with other oil or water-based products or stains. It is easy to clean up with soap and water. Artisan Enhancements European Wax BrushThe Artisan Enhancements European Wax Brush is handmade in Sweden and is a very high quality natural bristle brush. What makes this brush different from other wax brushes? This brush has a hole in the middle to help fan out the bristles for better coverage and quicker waxing (think street sweeper). The weight of this tool is lighter than most brushes because it has a cork in the middle. If you have arthritis or wrist problems you will love this brush because it doesn’t require a lot of pressure to work well. You can hold it by the handle or by the base. Clean up is easy with a little cooking oil to remove wax and then soap and water to clean the bristles. (Do not soak in water for a lengthy period as the cork can expand and loosen the bristles).
Coda Artisans Waxine™ Wax BrushesThese wax brush's bristles easily push soft wax into Chalk Paint™ and allow you to apply the wax in an even, consistent fashion. Inspired by an old-fashioned shaving brush, these USA-made brushes come in two sizes, both with a shorter handle for fitting into tight areas. The handle is comfortably and ergonomically designed, tapered and lacquered for long-term comfort.The ferules are hand nailed and rust resistant. The two-inch long natural bristles are firm, resilient and designed specifically for wax. We recommend cleaning with natural soap (Big Fat Lye or Little White Lye) and occasionally deep cleaning with low-odor mineral spirits, if needed. With proper care, this brush will take you through countless projects and many years of uses. Artisan Enhancements Stencil Brush Set
This set conveniently contains three different sized brushes for all of your stencilling needs. Use them to gently pounce paint through a stencil to achieve decorative details. You can also use them to paint trim or small areas requiring detail work. They're easy to clean with soap and water. Foam Brushes
These inexpensive, disposable brushes leave a smooth, brush-stroke-free finish and are perfect for applying glaze, decoupage, crackle medium, gel stain and varnish topcoats. They are not recommended for painting large pieces as they are not resilient enough to take intense brushing and are also not recommended for apply shellac. Chip Brush
These inexpensive brushes are great for small projects that don’t require a heavy paint finish. They come in 3", 2" and 1". They are great to use for the dry brushing technique or glaze washes. Use soap and water for clean up. Natural Wool Sea Sponge
Use the natural wool sea sponge to create soft textures with paint, glaze or pearl plaster. They are ideal for manipulating, blending, and softening glazes. They can be used for adding texture to glazed finishes by either sponging "on" additional colors or sponging "off" by dabbing the wet glaze with a clean, damp sponge. Always wet the sponge and wring it out well before using! Rinse often. Use soap and water for clean up. Colour/Texture Shaper Tool
This unique tool is used when you want to achieve a raised look with products like VP Antico, Fine Stone, Pearl Plaster or Wood Icing Textura Paste. The shaper works better than a trowel as it is made of flexible silicone. It won’t thin your product or force too much under your stencil. Clean up with soap and water.We hope you enjoyed this post and learned something valuable! If you have any questions about these tools and brushes, please leave us a comment! We would love to help you with your paint project!We also recommend you read Cleaning Wax & Paint Brushes to help you get the best performance and longevity out of your tools!