How Do I Clean and Care for My Paint Brushes?

ptradmin · #1 01-19-2009, 05:36 AM

If you don't want to have to buy a paint brush every time you paint, then it's important to take care of the brushes you purchase. Doing so, will ensure a long life and repeated use for years to come. One thing most people don't realize is that the package your brush came in can be used to help the brush retain its shape. Consider this before throwing away that resealable plastic or paper wrapper (ever wonder why it was resealable?).

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birdbrain · #2 01-22-2009, 07:29 AM

A good paint brush is worth it's weight in gold. For years I have been buying Purdy brushes - usually $10 or more each, but if I clean them after each use then hang them on my pegboard, they last for years. Try painting with a $10 brush then use a $1 brush. It is night and day. Buy quality paint brushes and take care of them - you will save time and money!!

Greg · #3 01-22-2009, 08:00 AM

Agreed 100%. I had a friend that was a painter and he recommended Purdy. I've been using them ever since and haven't looked back. As long as you clean them, they last forever. I think in the last 10 years I've seen 3 bristles shed. I also keep around a handful of "touch up" brushes that I get in bulk on the cheap. These are great when you have a small job that you don't want to spend all the time cleaning afterward. I just use them and toss them. Of course, they shed like crazy so you have to be careful.

hardly_working · #4 01-26-2009, 09:03 PM

Purdy is the way to go for sure, but I found a sub brand of Purdy, that is about 20% cheaper on average. They appear to be made by Purdy since the handles look the same. I think they must have cheapened the fibers or something in the brush. I have used them and they work just as good as their more expensive brothers.

sevenCall7 · #5 02-02-2009, 02:12 PM

I just have to watch because sometimes that brand of brush is a bit thick for detail and edging. Also, the handle length is important to me. I tend to like shorter handle brushes for cutting in.

Fumanchew · #6 02-03-2009, 12:47 PM

I always have my wife do the painting at home. She is so good at it. Remember thoes commercials of the guy that was trying to paint the walls in his house with his paint ball gun? That is my idea of painting!

Greg · #7 02-10-2009, 09:01 AM

I love to paint myself and have done every room in this house (some of them more than once). I just got a new set of paint brushes on the Cart Exchange Program (where sometimes you leave something in your cart and don't realize it until you get home and someone else takes it, while other times you find stuff in a cart) which I'll be comparing to Purdy on my next job. I'm gonna repaint the foyer (red - grr... worst color to paint) from a gloss to a flat. I let my wife talk me into gloss the first time and I've regretted it ever since. Shows EVERYTHING. The kids like to write on the walls with their fingernails.

Of course, if it were flat, I could just touch it up now and again. With gloss - no luck. I'll just be repainting the foyer the same color but flat for sanity's sake.