# Paint brush recommendations?



## Lomax (26 Jul 2021)

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?


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## Phil Pascoe (26 Jul 2021)

I've found these to be good brushes at a decent price -









Hamilton Prestige Synthetic Paintbrush Set 5 Piece


High quality synthetic filaments for great paint pick up and spreading rate. Excellent finish with water based paints. Rounded beavertail handle. Rust resistant stainless steel ferrule. Vapour box compatible. Sizes 1 x 1", 2 x 1 1/2" and 2 x 2".




www.toolstation.com





Mine are permanently in a vapour box.


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## Lomax (26 Jul 2021)

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!


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## pe2dave (26 Jul 2021)

Someone explain the use of a vapour box please?
Nothing to do with 'vaping'?


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## Lomax (26 Jul 2021)

pe2dave said:


> Someone explain the use of a vapour box please?
> Nothing to do with 'vaping'?



It's a box with vapour inside


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## Lomax (26 Jul 2021)

pe2dave said:


> 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!


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## pe2dave (26 Jul 2021)

Lomax said:


> 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?








Brush Mate Brushmate Trade 4+


Decorating Warehouse has been supplying the decorating trade and DIYers alike with quality trade paints, Wood treatments and general decorating supplies for over 30 years




is.gd


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## Lomax (26 Jul 2021)

pe2dave said:


> 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.


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## Phil Pascoe (26 Jul 2021)

pe2dave said:


> Someone explain the use of a vapour box please?
> Nothing to do with 'vaping'?











Brushmate 4


Contains impregnated vapour pad, no fluid. Holds up to 4 brushes. Replacement vapour pads available . Hazard safety codes: R10, R36, R43, R65.




www.toolstation.com





Brilliant things, save hours and £s worth of white spirit. (Sorry, Dave, didn't see your post first.)


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## Phil Pascoe (26 Jul 2021)

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.


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## Lomax (26 Jul 2021)

Phil Pascoe said:


> Those brushes are good for water based paints



Now I'm confused again - are you saying they're _not_ good for solvent based paints? I don't use anything water based; it's always solvent or two pack.


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## Phil Pascoe (26 Jul 2021)

Perfectly good for either.


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## Spectric (26 Jul 2021)

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.


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## Doug71 (26 Jul 2021)

pe2dave said:


> 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


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## mikej460 (26 Jul 2021)

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


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## Bm101 (26 Jul 2021)

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.


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## Phil Pascoe (26 Jul 2021)

mikej460 said:


> 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.


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## glenfield2 (27 Jul 2021)

Packs of brushes from Lidl and Aldi have always proved surprisingly decent for regular painting says the painting dept here (Mrs G).


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## clogs (27 Jul 2021)

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......


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## ecokestove (27 Jul 2021)

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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## Phil Pascoe (27 Jul 2021)

clogs said:


> 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.....



Bristle Hamiltons were/are excellent, but new synthetics are equally as good if not better for oil based paints..


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## johnny (27 Jul 2021)

All this talk of painting and brushes reminds me of the shortest employment I ever had .........about 5x hours .
Back in the early 70's I was stuck for work and in desperation took a temporary painting job on new builds with a local painting contractor, a huge 6'6" bear of a man.

First day on the job he handed me a large kettle of emulsion and a huge 6" brush and told me to go paint a sitting room in emulsion.  By lunchtime my arm felt like it had been run over by a train.

My next job was to paint the stair treads and of course being a complete noob I started to paint right across the first few treads and risers ....When he saw what I had done he flew into an almighty rage and that was the end of my shortest job. last I saw was him trying to remove all the paint with turps before it dried 

I've always used pure bristle Hamiltons myself and some of my brushes are older than some of you lot but brushes ain't what they used to be ..nothing is anymore


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## johnnyb (27 Jul 2021)

using proper oil based paint I reckon broken in bristle brushes are awesome. the paint just seems to flow offa them. owatrol is also a great call but does require some control and skill.
I like fat hog pure bristle. kana are a cheaper brand. bin brush cleaner removes all the remnants of dry paint up by the ferrule.
I brought a load of load of old brushes all said they were vulcanised but every brush was superb and some only had a bit of bristle left.all made in England to. cost me £3 for about 15


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