Paint brush recommendations?

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Lomax

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11 Jun 2021
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Kent
Hi all,

Getting frustrated looking at paint brushes; prices vary wildly, from Purdy to Diall by a factor of ten or more, catalogue descriptions never seem to mention solvent compatibility, reviews for the same brush can say "doesn't shed a single hair" and "lots of hairs being shed even after multiple uses". I need a handful of decent 1 1/2" and 2" brushes for solvent based gloss, good enough to take care of but not Purdy priced. Prefer beavertail handles, which must be vapour box compatible. Can buy from Toolstation, Screwfix, Brewers or the big orange box. Happy to spend up to £5-6-ish per brush. Any recommendations?
 
Many thanks - I had those on my list but wasn't sure if they were solvent compatible - I guess the fact that the description says they are vapour box compatible is a clue, but it also says "excellent finish with water based paints", which confused me. I'll give them a go then!
 
Someone explain the use of a vapour box please?
Nothing to do with 'vaping'?

Sorry. It's a box with vapour inside, which keeps solvent based paints from drying. You hang your brushes in there and never have to clean them (as long as they're used for the same paint of course). The "Brushmate" is one example, but there are other brands. Brilliant bit of kit!
 
Sorry. It's a box with vapour inside, which keeps solvent based paints from drying. You hang your brushes in there and never have to clean them (as long as they're used for the same paint of course). The "Brushmate" is one example, but there are other brands. Brilliant bit of kit!
Tks - not heard of that before. Presumably clean the brush to some extent first?
https://is.gd/5VDVhI
 
Presumably clean the brush to some extent first?
Nope, just pop it in when done painting. The brushes hang on clips so any drips won't cross contaminate other brushes as long as you keep the box upright.
 
Those brushes are good for water based paints, but of course water based stuff doesn't go in a vapour box

Those two prices by the way show why you should hunt for prices. When I bought mine a local pro paint supplier was asking £18.50 and a small independent down the road £13.75.

Dave - no, you do nothing to the brush, just clip it in the box.
 
Hamilton are great for fences and sheds, for decent work use Wooster and Picasso both are very good brushes. Any reason for using not using waterbased paint.
 
Someone explain the use of a vapour box please?

They really are good things, I have the big one that holds 20 brushes. You need to use unpainted wooden handled brushes, if the handles are painted the paint peels off, if you put a plastic handled brush in next time you open the box the brush will just be a pile of melted plastic in the bottom of the box. Like I say good things but I hate to think what is in the little bottle of fluid that you keep in the box with the brushes, it certainly is powerful stuff 😬
 
Not everyone gets on with them but I find Purdy brushes fantastic for laying off after rollering paint on door panels and so on They just work. Buy them on sale after a bit of a hunt. Some (no one here!!!) seem to regard brushes as disposable these days. £15 -20 pound for a brush that will last you a good half a lifetime as an a seasoned amateur is a bargain. Not to say there are not alternatives as good. I've just never found one but after buying the right three sizes purdeys I never saw the need either to be honest.
Swings and roundabouts. I look after my sh*t.
 
You shouldn't need a vapour box for water based paints and varnishes, I just wash them out. Great tip for solvent based though - I never knew and because I hate using white spirit I usually wrap the brush in cling film in between coats then bin it once the job is done. I like these from Screwfix for paint and varnish
Harris Trade Fine-Tip Brushes 2" 4 Pack | Brush Sets | Screwfix.com
Harris Trade Fine-Tip Brush Set 5 Pieces | Brush Sets | Screwfix.com
Wrapping them works for water based paints, as does putting them in a jar of water for most things oil based. Use a decent cling film, though - the very cheap stuff is not impermeable and the brush will go hard quite quickly. I use food bags to wrap brushes in when in use if I go for a cup of tea or something.
 
Packs of brushes from Lidl and Aldi have always proved surprisingly decent for regular painting says the painting dept here (Mrs G).
 
for spirit based paints u need pure bristle brushes, Hamiltons were good enough when I did it for part time work with a dec crew.....
Synthetic brushes are best for water based paints etc....
As for the vap box I just use any high spirit thinners, but thinners are dif here.....white spirit isn't good enough....something on the way to cellulose qual is ideal....
and another tip if u use those 4" fluffy rollers put them in a net bag, the wife will have one and send the rollers thru a wash cycle or two....
then no fluff will be left in the paint......
When younger and painting every day I could paint both sides of a solid door (in gloss regardless of style) in 3 mins....
no runs or drips and even the top of the got painted.....
any slower I'd be sacked ...honest and we did mostley £3million plus houses......
 
I don't do any painting work anymore, but I had a sneaking suspicion that leaving synthetic brushes (Purdy in my case) too long in a brush keep caused the bristles to loose a bit of their spring.
 
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