KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – PAINTING 101: BRUSHES AND ROLLERS
BRUSHES
Buy the best brush you can,
it will last for years with proper care and will make your painting projects
easier and more professional looking. One way to judge the quality of a
paintbrush is to examine the bristles
for split ends known as "flags." These enable the brush to retain more
paint and spread it more uniformly. On good brushes, at least half the bristles are flagged. Use
natural bristles for oil- based paints; synthetic brushes for latex paints.
ROLLERS
Pick the correct roller for
the job. The general rule is the
smoother the surface, the thinner the pile. The proper roller will hold the
paint, instead of allowing it to dribble down as you work. Decent disposable
roller covers are available at any paint, hardware or home improvement centers.
Use the best quality available.
CLEANING BRUSHES
Clean brushes as soon as you are done painting. Place
brushes on newspaper and, wearing rubber gloves, squeeze out as much paint as
possible. For latex paint, wash in warm water, adding a bit of dishwashing
detergent. Work the paint out of the bristles with your fingers; rinse until
there's no hint of pigment. Soak oil paint brushes in solvent, change the
solvent and soak again. Wash with warm water and detergent; then rinse well.
DRYING BRUSHES
With the brush pointing down twirl the handle
rapidly between your fingers. Put the brush in its original cover to hold
its shape. Now this is very important, always
hang the brush by the handle to keep the bristles straight and in shape.
If you need to stop painting for anywhere from a few minutes to a few
hours, wrap the brush or roller in
aluminum foil. This will keep the paint moist until you can resume
painting.
Next time- start
painting!
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH
& DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
