Above I listed my general thought process for choosing a brush. But I thought it also might be helpful if I listed some common products, the brush I usually grab, and why. Enjoy! If applying finishes like polyurethane, polyacrylic, varathane, urethanes, or any other varnish a good quality synthetic bristlebrush is often recommended. The handles of a foam brush are mostly made of wood, although you can find plastic handles as well. Regardless, I typically only opt for foam brushes for low-duty tasks as a result, like applying stain, or finishing smaller projects. With foam brushes, they will not hold as much paint and you may have to apply more coats to get the same effect as a bristle brush. 5- Type of Paint:

One of the big pros of foam brushes is that they’re so cheap as to be disposable. So you want to make sure you’re actually buying cheap brushes, not something that costs a small fortune for you to throw away after use.And the good thing is you can use them for applying nearly all types of paints, stains, and varnishes on furniture, cabinetry, and trim. A good paintbrush is an important part of a tool kit, without which no painter can even think to survive.

Another consideration is that which brush you chose will depend on the type of paint that is being used. Foam brushes I only use when I have a small staining project on hand that requires less time to complete without much finishing. When it comes to choosing a varnish brush, the choice is entirely up to you. While you can use a foam brush to apply varnish, it will not produce the smooth finish that you desire. Instead, you should opt for a natural bristle brush, which provides better control and feel for applying the final coats. This brush is also inexpensive and can be used over again. However, if you aren’t too careful, foam brushes will cause streaks and drips. Using a roller Especially if you do not mind paying for extra brushes, although they are far less expensive compared to a good bristle brush. This is where bristle brushes shine as they can be cleaned repeatedly for years before they need replacement.

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All discounts against RRP are made against the United Kingdom Recommended Retail Price (RRP). Unless specified, offers and vouchers are not valid on products which are already discounted from RRP, gift vouchers, books and from the I LOVE ART range. They’re nice, mid-range brushes, and when you consider that they’re basically free if you time it right, they’re amazing!

I also use them a ton when I’m testing stains and finishes. Since I only need to use a little bit of product, it seems annoying to have to clean a whole paintbrush afterward. By using a foam brush for testing, I can really cut down on the cleanup. Where to Buy Foam Brushes However, choosing the right one as per your painting style is key to success when you are working on your painting project.

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However, do not use the expensive bristle brushes as they can be hard and can leave bristle marks on the wood finishes like Minwax polyacrylics. The most obvious difference is that a bristle brush will show bristle marks when painting over smooth surfaces, especially when using latex paint over drywall. |Some people swear that foam brushes leave fewer brushstrokes than bristle brushes. I disagree. While foam brushes certainly leave a different type of brushstroke than bristle brushes, there is still a visible stroke.

I talk about that a bit more in this post on painting furniture without brushstrokes, but tl;dr, there are other paint brushes that are good too! You will have to replace a foam brush more often compared to a bristle brush, but you are paying less for the product. 4- Even Application: Using a roller to apply varnish is not impossible if you have all the materials required. All you need is a good-quality wooden surface that’s prepped properly for the varnish. Make sure to use a non-foam roller so you get the best possible results. A roller with a soft foam can cause uneven application, so you need to be careful when applying the varnish. Here are some things to keep in mind while using a roller. Before applying varnish, ensure that the chamois is free of dirt and abrasive particles. Avoid applying wax or varnish on chamois-coated surfaces. It can scratch the paint if it’s not properly rinsed. However, real detailing pros wouldn’t leave it to chance. Chamois dragged dirt across the surface of the paint, so the wax should be removed before using the chamois.

Although bristle brushes will become less effective over time, especially if used in hot weather for extended periods. Wood Conditioner– Foam brush. Wood conditioner is super thin and takes 20 seconds to apply. I’m not cleaning a bristle brush with mineral spirits for that. I use bristled paint brushes whenever I’m working with latex paint, or shellac. Oil-based polyurethanes are usually decided based on the project – small projects I’ll use a foam brush, big projects I’ll break out the paint brush and mineral spirits for. While it may sound counterintuitive, a bristle brush will not only hold more paint but distribute it more evenly compared to a foam brush. While a foam brush can be used with all types of paints and stains, you will need to narrow the selection when it comes to bristle-type brushes.