Lisa Rickert, CEO and Creative Director at Jolie Home, says, “There is no substitute for a good-quality paint brush. If you want to create a smoother, more precise finish, then choose a synthetic-bristle paint brush that is dense and has trimmed bristles. The straight edge of the bristles allows for a cleaner, more uniform paint application. If you want to create more texture, then I would recommend a paint brush that uses a combination of natural hair and synthetic bristles." We evaluated paint brushes based on smooth performance, bristle type, and durability. Our top choice, the Purdy XL Sprig, is a great paint brush for most common DIY projects. Here are our top choices of paint brushes. Even professional painters love Purdy paint brushes; these high-quality brushes really perform. The Purdy XL Sprig (“sprig” refers to the handle’s shape, which is a traditional “beaver tail” design) is available in several sizes, including 2-inch, 2.5-inch, and 4-inch, but for painting walls or other large, flat surfaces, the 3-inch brush is big enough to get the job done quickly, but not so large that it’s difficult to control. The brush’s ferrule is copper, and the handle is made from alder wood. The brush has nylon/polyester bristles tapered just right to pick up a good amount of paint, and then deposit it evenly across most surfaces without annoying drag or stroke marks. You’ll appreciate the just-right stiffness of the bristles. They’re firm enough to hold up to a wide range of surfaces, temperatures, and humidity levels, but soft enough to hold a lot of paint and lay it down smoothly. Use the brush with any water-based, latex, or oil-based paint, primer, shellac, lacquer, varnish, or sealant. Once you’re done with your project, the brush cleans up easily for use on further painting tasks. Price at time of publish: $18 Bristles: Nylon/polyester | Available Sizes: 2, 2.5, 3, 4 inches | Available Shapes: Flat, angle | Best Use: All types of water-based and oil-based products The brushes are suited to any type of paint, whether water-based or oil-based. And at such a low price, if you aren’t in the mood to clean them, they can be considered disposable. They do clean up well, however, and can be used over and over again if cared for properly. Price at time of publish: $8 Bristles: Synthetic | Available Sizes: 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 inches | Available Shapes: Flat, angle | Best Use: All types of water-based and oil-based products While the 3-inch brush is ideal for large, flat surfaces such as walls, you’ll also find the brush in sizes 1-inch, 1.5-inch, and 2-inch. All have nylon/Chinex/polyester bristles that are suited to any oil-based or water-based product. The alder wood handle is a traditional beaver tail shape, but Purdy makes the same brush with other styles of handle as well. Price at time of publish: $24 Bristles: Nylon/Chinex/polyester | Available Sizes: 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 inches | Available Shapes: Flat, angle | Best Use: All types of water-based and oil-based products While the 2.5-inch angle brush is ideal for most trim jobs, you’ll also find the same brush in 1-inch, 1.5-inch, and 2-inch sizes. It can be used with any type of paint. Price at time of publish: $9 Bristles: Polyester | Available Sizes: 1, 2, 2.5, 3 inches | Available Shapes: Flat, angle | Best Use: All types of water-based and oil-based products This 2-inch sash brush has nylon/polyester bristles that handle any type of paint, stain, or finish, producing a smooth coat of paint, even over rough surfaces. But what really sets the Shortcut apart from other paint brushes is its short, stubby handle. At only around 2 inches in length, and with a rubbery easy-to-grip coating, the handle fits securely within your grip, making it very easy to control the brush movements precisely. Price at time of publish: $7 Bristles: Nylon/polyester | Available Sizes: 2 inches | Available Shapes: Angle | Best Use: All types of water-based and oil-based products But where this brush differs from the rest is in its handle, which is a flexible, soft-grip material that bends as much or as little as you’d like, making it easy to adjust the angle of the brush to the surface you are painting. Not only that, but the handle is also threaded, so you can attach any standard extension pole for painting way up high. Price at time of publish: $18 Bristles: Nylon/polyester | Available Sizes: 2.5 inches | Available Shapes: Angle | Best Use: All types of water-based and oil-based products This 3-inch brush is the perfect size for painting walls, as the brush is big enough to handle large, flat surfaces quickly and easily, but not so large that it’s hard to control. The DuPont Chinex bristles are extremely durable and wash up very easily, making this a brush you can use over and over again. Price at time of publish: $22 Bristles: Chinex | Available Sizes: 3 inches | Available Shapes: Flat | Best Use: Low-VOC water-based paints and stains The foam brush is 2 inches wide and has a slightly chiseled edge for smooth application of any type of paint, varnish, stain, or similar product. The foam holds up well, without shredding or tearing as many lesser foam brushes do, and it is securely glued to the wooden handle. Price at time of publish: $7 Bristles: Foam | Available Sizes: 2 inches | Available Shapes: Flat | Best Use: All types of water-based and oil-based products The 2.5-inch flat brush is perfect for applying oil-based products to walls, trim, furniture, or floors, but this brush is also available in 2-inch and 3-inch sizes, as well as angled. Use it for oil-based paints, shellacs, varnishes, lacquers, stains, and sealers. Price at time of publish: $17 Bristles: White China | Available Sizes: 2, 2.5, 3 inches | Available Shapes: Flat, angle | Best Use: Oil-based products You can use the brush with water-based or oil-based stain, sealer, or paint, and it’s threaded to fit just about any universal extension pole to save wear and tear on your back. The Deck Boss lays down a thick, even coat of stain or paint on both wood and concrete, even over rough or irregular surfaces. Price at time of publish: $40 Bristles: Polyester | Available Sizes: 7 inches | Available Shapes: Flat | Best Use: Water-based and oil-based paint, sealer, and stain The handle unscrews to allow you to substitute an extension pole if desired, making this a good choice for staining decks, siding, or other large surfaces. And while the 4-inch brush is perfect for most DIY projects, you’ll also find the brush in sizes 2.75-inch, 4.75-inch, and 5.5-inch. Price at time of publish: $16 Bristles: White China/polyester | Available Sizes: 2.75, 4, 4.75, 5.5 inches | Available Shapes: Flat | Best Use: Water-based and oil-based stain, sealer, wood toner Natural bristles, usually made from hog’s hair, are often labeled as either white China bristles or black China bristles. Both are used for applying oil-based paints, varnishes, and stains. The white-China bristles are slightly softer than the black-China bristles, so use a white brush for the smoothest finish, or if you’re applying oil-based shellac, polyurethane, or lacquer. Choose the black-bristled brush for applying oil-based paints over slightly irregular surfaces. Avoid natural bristles when painting very rough surfaces, such as brick, however, because the bristles tend to break in these situations. Chinex bristles are a synthetic version of natural bristles. Chinex brushes are suited to either oil-based or water-based paints, and like natural bristles, they lay down a smooth, thick coat of paint. They are more durable and easier to clean than natural bristles, but they are expensive. Polyester bristles are somewhat stiff, and they’re best suited to painting exterior walls and other outdoor surfaces. These brushes are best with latex paint, but they can be used with oil-based paints, stains, lacquers, and shellacs, as well. Nylon bristles are an excellent choice for water-based paints on interior paint jobs. Many can also be used with oil-based paints but not on shellac or lacquer. They apply a smooth, even coat of paint. However, nylon doesn’t tolerate heat or humidity well, and it can become overly soft. Nylon/polyester blends are the most popular choice for the average DIYer, and these are the brushes often labeled as all-purpose. They combine the smoothness of nylon with the slight stiffness of polyester for a sturdy brush that lays down a smooth, even finish. These blended brushes are ideal for water-based paints, but most can also be used with oil-based products. Foam paint brushes don’t have bristles, but rather, a solid piece of soft foam with a slightly chiseled edge. These brushes are generally use-and-toss, as they are inexpensive and difficult to clean. You can use a foam brush with all types of paint, varnish, stain, and polyurethane, but not with shellac or lacquer.
Size
Paint brushes come in a range of sizes, as measured across the edge of the bristles. You’ll find detailed brushes that are less than an inch across, and extra-large, 8-inch brushes, but for most DIY projects, 1-inch to 4-inch brushes are best.
Brushes that are 1 inch to 1.5 inches are useful for very detailed work, small touch-ups, or very tight spots. Use a 2-inch to 2.5-inch brush for painting trim, baseboards, and details, or for cutting-in around corners and edges. Brushes with 3-inch to 4-inch bristles are your workhorses for painting large, flat surfaces, such as walls, ceilings, floors, fences, or doors. The largest paint brushes—those over 5 inches—are best for very large, flat surfaces, such as decks, garage doors, large exterior or interior walls, or long stretches of fence.
Edge Shape
There are two common shapes for paint brushes: flat and angled. If you’re painting a room or tackling any project with corners, you’ll likely need both. Round brushes are specialty brushes mostly used for stenciling. Flat brushes, often called “wall brushes,” have a flat, even edge. Use a flat brush for painting any large, flat surface, such as a wall, door, stretch of fence, or large flat piece of furniture. Angled brushes, often called “sash brushes” and sometimes called “cutting brushes,” have bristles that are gently angled across their edge. This is the brush you want for painting trim, cutting-in along edges and corners, touching up detail work, painting grooves and other oddly shaped surfaces, or painting in a tight spot, such as between closely spaced windows. Round brushes are not nearly as commonly used by the average DIYer, but these are the brushes of choice for painting stencils or faux finishes such as stippling.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was edited and updated by Michelle Ullman, the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs. She’s no stranger to a paint brush, having successfully tackled numerous DIY projects, including painting the entire interior of her home twice, painting a brick fireplace, painting cabinets, painting furniture, and stenciling and faux finishes.
For this roundup, Michelle considered dozens of paint brushes, evaluating each for basic features, extras, and customer feedback. She also received advice and suggestions from Lisa Rickert, CEO and creative director at Jolie Home.
