For The Love Creations
  • HOME
  • SHOP Online
  • Jolie Paint
  • Dixie Belle & SILK
  • Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
  • Fusion Mineral Paint
  • Old World Clay & Chalk Paint
  • Metallic Paint
  • Wax + Sealers
  • Brushes
    • Paint Brushes
    • Wax Brushes
  • Decor Transfers
  • Stencils
  • Knobs + Handles
  • Paint Colour Charts
    • Fusion Mineral Paint
    • Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
  • Blog
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • SHOP Online
  • Jolie Paint
  • Dixie Belle & SILK
  • Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
  • Fusion Mineral Paint
  • Old World Clay & Chalk Paint
  • Metallic Paint
  • Wax + Sealers
  • Brushes
    • Paint Brushes
    • Wax Brushes
  • Decor Transfers
  • Stencils
  • Knobs + Handles
  • Paint Colour Charts
    • Fusion Mineral Paint
    • Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
  • Blog
  • CONTACT
Search

It's all here...for the love...

Helpful How-Tos & DIYs • Tips & Techniques • Info & Inspo  

Projects from our Paint & Design Studio in Australia. Inspirational and instructional how-to tips on chalk, milk and mineral paint as well as refinishing furniture, upcycling and before and after projects!



                                          
Have a Question? Click here!

Furniture Paint Brush Guide — What Brush for Which Paint & Why it Matters

21/6/2016

2 Comments

 
Most tradies and experienced painters agree — quality tools make the difference. Many "paint problems" can be solved with a good brush.

Even better? The RIGHT brush.
​

​Why is this the case? Why aren't all brushes created equal? Why do different paints need different brushes?

A brush is a brush, right?

Not always.

Whether you are a newbie DIY-er or an avid furniture upcycler, this guide will clear things up by providing the information to make the right decision when selecting the correct brush for the job!
miss-mustard-seed-paint-brushes
Many furniture painters treasure their paint brush collections

Natural Bristle Paint Brushes

Let's start with natural paints such as Chalk Paint and Milk Paint. Natural bristle brushes are typically recommended for best results.

Can you use a synthetic polyester or nylon brush with these paints? Absolutely. But what happens is paint slides off the bristles forcing you to repeatedly reload your brush reducing the quality of the finish. In addition, the bristles can be stiff or slick and lead to excessive drag marks, brushstrokes and patchiness.


The soft flexibility of natural bristle brushes smoothly apply a thin, even layer of paint minimising streaks and working to distribute paint evenly. This prevents the "lines" you can get with synthetic brushes.


Picture
Top: Old World Chalk Paint applied with synthetic brush leaving streaks. Bottom: Old World Paint applied with natural bristle paint brush providing solid, even coverage. (Old World Paint colour: South Seas)
Natural bristle brushes are purpose-designed to pick up, hold and distribute natural paints like Old World Chalk Paint and Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint beautifully (as well as other chalk paint and milk paint brands).

Coverage and finish is massively improved when using these brushes with most clay, chalk and milk-based paints.

​*Natural bristle brushes tend to shed with the first couple of uses, however, quality brushes stop shedding after the second or third use.
​
mmsmp-paint-brushes-australian-retailer
MMSMP Small Paint Brush, $16


​
​Miss Mustard Seed Paint Brushes 
are made with natural bristles, purpose-designed for the application of Milk Paint
as well as Chalk Paint and have the
added bonus of being designed
smaller and lighter for womens' hands!

They are high-quality brushes that will last a lifetime when cared for properly.

A very good all purpose MMS Small Paint Brush starts at only $16.  
This is also an excellent brush for
​applying 
MMS Hemp Oil. 



Fusion Paint Brushes

Ok, so I have my natural bristle paint brush and now I want to use Fusion Mineral Paint.

​Surely I can use a natural bristle brush with Fusion, right?!

​Wellllllll, not exactly...

Fusion is a high-quality acrylic paint and you tend to get poor coverage and a streaky finish when using a natural bristle brush. There is something about Fusion's satiny-smooth, built-in wax finish that doesn't work optimally with natural bristle paint brushes.  
comparing-paint-brushes-fusion-paint
Top: Fusion Paint Brush leaves a smooth, even finish. Bottom: Natural bristle brush leaves an uneven coat with excessive brushstrokes. (Colour: Fusion Mineral Paint in Fort York Red).
Fortunately Fusion thinks of everything, so they created very affordable synthetic fibre paint brushes to use with Fusion Mineral Paint and the Metallic Paint range.

These are inexpensive lightweight brushes with tightly-packed bristles that glide along surfaces leaving a smooth, nearly brushstroke-free finish. An absolute staple for Fusion lovers!

As a bonus, they are cleverly sized to fit directly into the sample pot and the full size pot of Fusion Mineral Paint for only $8 and $12 respectively!

*Both brushes fit perfectly into the 250ml Fusion Metallic Paint as well.
choosing-correct-brush-furniture-paint
From left: Small Fusion Paint brush, $8 designed to fit into a sample pot; Medium Fusion Paint Brush at only $12 fits perfectly into a full size Fusion paint pot.

Cling On Paint Brushes

Have I saved the best for last? It's possible!

Cling On Paint Brushes recently entered the Australian market and have exploded onto the upcycling, DIY and furniture painting scene. And it's no wonder!

Handmade in Holland they are the Rolls Royce of paint brushes without the price tag to match. The bonus? They work brilliantly with any water-based paint including Chalk Paint, Milk Paint AND Fusion Mineral Paint!

It's the very best of painting worlds where you do not have to remember which brush is for which paint and there is no need to swap and switch. 

Granted, avid painters will benefit from (and take pride in) a collection of brushes for various finishes, but for those starting out and not wanting to invest in multiple brushes for different projects and paints, Cling Ons are the way to go.

The same is true for those who prefer a less hand-painted look as the Cling On brushes greatly reduce brushstrokes. The coverage is exceptional with these brushes and they are virtually self-cleaning.

Get all the details in our follow up post next week on Cling On Brushes.
cling-on-brushes-australia
Cling On Brushes suit all water-based paints, minimise brushstrokes and are self-cleaning, $20-$29 online
When investing in good brushes, an equally important investment are the tools for the proper cleaning and care of the brushes.

​We recommend a natural soap to gently clean and condition such as Fusion's Linseed Brush Soap or Miss Mustard Seed's Brush Soap. Together with our handy Brush Scrubber, you will have your paint and wax brushes for life!
Watch for another post on brush cleaning and care coming soon!

Its all here...for the love...

Sada
2 Comments
Sharon link
23/6/2016 07:25:36 am

Wow! What a great detailed post Sada!! Awesome.

Reply
Kevin link
2/12/2016 03:50:43 am

Hi Sada,

I'm really enjoy while reading your article.

Now i know what brush for which paint and why it matters.

thanks.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Don't Miss a Thing!
    Get the Latest News by Email>>>>>

    Picture

    Hi!

    Welcome to the For The Love Creations Blog!

    My name is Sada, I'm a painter-girl obsessed with all things old, imperfect, beautiful and useful.
     
    Be sure to send me an email or leave a comment, I love hearing from you!

    LET'S  HAVE SOME FUN...xx

    Sada


    australian-chalk-paint-online-shop
    Old World Clay & Chalk Paint — Exceptional quality, coverage & durabilty
    australia-fusion-mineral-paint-down-under
    We LOVE Fusion Mineral Paint! Have you tried it yet?
    australia-miss-mustard-seeds-milk-paint
    Australian Certified Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Retailer
    patterned-paint-rollers-australia
    Patterned Paint Rollers SHIPPING AUSTRALIA WIDE

    YES Please!
    Get Our Latest Blog Posts by Email:

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    All Natural Paint
    Artists & Artisans
    Before And After
    Chippy Look
    DIY
    Fusion Mineral Paint
    Hand Painted
    Hemp Oil
    Home Decor
    Metallic Paint
    Miss Mustard Seeds Milk Paint
    MMS Milk Paint
    Mod Podge & Decoupage
    Old World Clay & Chalk Paint
    Old World Paint
    Outdoor Painting Projects
    Painted Furniture
    Painting A Kitchen
    Painting Fabric
    Painting Metal
    Paint Techniques
    Paint Tips
    Paint & Wax Brush Info
    Patterned Roller
    Refinishing Furniture
    Renovations
    Staining Wood
    Stencil Projects
    Upcyling


    fusion-mineral-paint-australia-retailer
    GET IT HERE 24/7 Online — Fusion Mineral Paint
    Picture
    hemp-oil-sealer-australia
    Hemp Oil and other sealers for all your projects! Online or in-store!
    metallic-paint-fusion-australia-shop
    Make it SPARKLE with Metallic Paint!
    furniture-knob-handle-australia-online
    HUGE selection of knobs & handles to choose from

    Got a Blog? 
    Tell Your Readers About Us with Our Blog Badge:

     photo imagejpg1_zpsc830c9f5.jpg
Picture
©2021  For The Love Creations. 
All Rights Reserved. 
Coomurra Dr., Salisbury Heights SA 5109
Mobile: 0408 097 807
Email: shop email


Home   Shop   FAQs   Contact Us

  • HOME
  • SHOP Online
  • Jolie Paint
  • Dixie Belle & SILK
  • Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
  • Fusion Mineral Paint
  • Old World Clay & Chalk Paint
  • Metallic Paint
  • Wax + Sealers
  • Brushes
    • Paint Brushes
    • Wax Brushes
  • Decor Transfers
  • Stencils
  • Knobs + Handles
  • Paint Colour Charts
    • Fusion Mineral Paint
    • Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
  • Blog
  • CONTACT