Brush Up On Brushes

One of the reasons we produce quality results is that we understand and use quality tools. Paint brushes, for example, are much more job-specific than you may be aware. It’s why there are so many sizes and styles. According to Sherwin-Williams, you’ll want to consider the following attributes when choosing a paint brush:

Bristle Type

  • Nylon and polyester bristle: These synthetic materials are designed to hold their shape with today’s popular latex paints. A good quality nylon and polyester blended brush is the best choice for all latex paints and coatings. Many painters prefer a synthetic brush for oil coatings as well.
  • Natural China bristle: High-quality natural China bristle brushes have qualities that control oil-based coatings for better flow and leveling for the smoothest finish. A natural China bristle brush is the best choice for oil-based paints, stains and varnishes.

Brush Styles

  • Angle sash: Bristles are precisely trimmed at an angle that allows painters to hold the brush more comfortably while painting trim and corners. Brush ends are rounded for a smooth, gradual paint stroke.
  • Trim: Trim brushes have a straight cut-line and are also used for painting trim and corners. They can also be used for larger areas. Some painters prefer a straight edge versus an angled cut. Trim brushes also have rounded ends.
  • Wall: A wall brush is a larger brush with a straight cut-line. It is better used for larger areas like walls or side paneling. A wall brush has square ends.

Brush Size

Personal preference is always a factor in choosing a brush width, but a good rule of thumb is:

Brush Quality

Better brushes bring better results. Sherwin-Williams has continually been at the forefront of brush technology. Contractor Series offers several different product lines:

  • High Production Brushes: These brushes are recommended for painters looking for superior paint pick-up and release. High Production brushes deliver great results in less time. They pick-up and release more than 25 percent more paint than any other brush on the market. High Production brushes are available in a nylon/polyester blend for latex coatings and in a white China/polyester blend for oil-based coatings.
  • Nylon/Polyester and 100% Nylon Brushes: A specific blend of nylon and polyester filaments make this brush a fine finishing tool that is very durable and easy to clean. The white nylon tips are precisely flagged and tapered for a sharp cut-line. These characteristics have made this line the most popular choice for latex paints for the past 15 years. Sherwin-Williams sells 20 different sizes of these Contractor Series brushes.
  • Although nylon is a soft material, it is also the strongest and most expensive material in a paint brush. 100 percent nylon brushes offer extreme durability, even when used on rough or abrasive surfaces. 100 percent nylon brushes are finished using several hand-trimming steps to create a superior cut-in tool.
  • Black and White China Bristle Brushes: By nature, Black China bristle is stronger and thicker coarse hair, which makes it the perfect bristle to use with oil-based paints and epoxies. The highest quality Black China bristles available are used in the Contractor Series line.
  • White China bristle, by contrast, is soft and thin. A white China bristle brush is the perfect tool for stain, varnishes, polyurethanes and all clear coatings. It lays these topcoats on with a glass-smooth finish. White China bristle brushes are also suitable for oil-based paints if a softer flex tool is desired.
  • Black China/Ox Hair Blend Brushes: Ox hair is extremely fine and soft, creating an exceptional tool for fine finish work. Black China/ox hair blend brushes offer a perfect tool for special jobs or to provide a very soft brush feel.
Purdy’s Clearcut Elite Brushes provide the ultimate performance and excellent cut-in ability.
Who knew paint brush handles were so technical? We did!

FlexTemp

Here at Paint Doctor’s Painting we are thinking about the change of season and how it impacts our painting projects. We are very careful to make sure the atmospheric conditions are ideal when applying paint products to our clients’ buildings. Temperature plays a key role when deciding when to apply paint on exteriors and fortunately Sherwin-Williams has developed a new product to broaden the range of acceptable temperatures.

FlexTemp Exterior gives us more flexibility in our exterior painting schedules. With their new ExtremeTemp Technology™, Sherwin-Williams has made painting in extreme temperatures, from 35° F to 120° F, possible. FlexTemp provides excellent adhesion and long-term resistance to flaking, peeling and weathering and can be tinted in VinylSafe® paint colors.

Pottery Barn Collection

Make a statement in any room with Pottery Barn’s Fall/Winter 2021 palette. This curated palette features everyday neutrals and seasonal hues coordinating with their latest collection of furniture and decor.

Wall colors shown from left to right are Likeable Sand SW 6058, Pure White SW 7005, and Repose Gray SW 7015

Ocean View Made New

This coastal house takes its views very seriously with a western wall of glass. However, there was plenty of exterior space that needed protection from the weather with a quality paint job. Frequent storms, prevailing winds, salt air, rain and ultra violet exposure with hardly a protective overhang in sight means careful planning and meticulous execution in prep and product application.

Our crew followed an excellent job by the siding crew at Stutzman & Kropf Contractors Inc.

SuperPaint Germ Killing Tech

This project was done with Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint® with Sanitizing Technology. According to Sherwin-Williams, “The exceptionally durable and trusted interior latex paint has the performance of SuperPaint® and offers your customers an additional tool to help combat certain harmful bacteria on painted surfaces. This paint goes on fast and provides ongoing antibacterial action day and night. Available in 540 beautiful hues from the Living Well™collection.*EPA registered paint that kills 99.9% of Staph (Staphylococcus aureus), E. coli (Escherichia coli), MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis) and Enterobacter aerogenes on painted surfaces within two hours of exposure, and continues to kill 90% of bacteria for up to four years when the integrity of the surface is maintained.”

Bungalow Bath

Using the trim paint color for both the door and the wainscot give this bathroom a bold two tone look that transformed this space.

Whites are never really white, are they? In this case the Alabaster white provides a toned down version for those sleepy morning eyes.

Down on the Farm

When you consider what makes a rural property stand out, it’s often the color coordination of the outbuildings and fences that make you think, “Wow, that’s a nice place.”

In previous blog entries we’ve talked about protecting your investments. This is true with outbuildings as well. You may not give some of your barns and sheds the same priority as the house, but when you consider replacement costs (especially with today’s material costs), the protection you get from quality paint throughout the property is well worth the investment.

Cutting corners on paint products and application processes will likely cost your more in the long run. Consider rundown looking properties with faded and peeling paint. It will take even more work to get these back up to speed.

If you are ready to get your rural property up to the level you’ve always dreamed, give us a call.