About Wall Decor's Decorating Tips & Tricks

     You have selected your color and prepared the walls for painting, now you need to know which type of brush or roller you require.  There are a large number of brushes and rollers available and we explain each of them to you below if you wish to know more, or you can simply scroll to the bottom of the page and use our Quick Select Charts to determine what you need:

Paint Brushes

     Many people simply select the most inexpensive brush to paint and then wonder why the paint does not apply correctly, or why the job looks so bad when completed.  More expensive brushes hold more paint, the bristles are manufactured of higher quality materials and provide smoother finishes.  There are many considerations for selecting a brush, however lets first review the types of brushes available:

Paint Brush Bristle Types

• Natural - Manufactured using animal hair, these brushes are ideally used for oil-based paints, varnishes and stains.  There are three main brushes of this type:
• Black China:  The most inexpensive and considered to be okay when the finish is not a factor.  Can be used for oil-based paint, varnishes and stain.
• White China:  Produces a smoother finish than a Black China brush.  Can be used for oil-based paint , varnishes, stains, polyurethane, lacquer and shellac.
• Ox Hair Blend:  The most expensive, but provides the smoothest finish of all.  Can be used for oil-based paint and varnish.

• Synthetic - Manufactured of man-made materials and ideal for all latex based paints.  They are very easy to clean and three types are available:
• Polyester: Normally the most inexpensive of the synthetic brushes, however tends to leave brush strokes.
• Nylon/Polyester Blend: A hybrid brush made of both materials.  When using this type of brush look at the stiffness.  The stiffer the bristles the more polyester, again tending to leave brush marks.  The softer the brush the more nylon and thereby leaves a smoother finish.
• Nylon:  The most expensive, but considered the best.  Will leave a smooth finish on painted surface.

     As well as the type of bristles listed above you must also consider the size and brush end types.  Lets review the options for each:

Paint Brush Sizes

• 1" up to 2.5": The bristle width of these brushes make them ideal for painting narrow trim and small surfaces.
• 3" up to 6":  These brushes hold a large amount of paint and are perfect for painting large areas.  Never use a wide brush by turning it sideways to paint small areas or trim - it will damage the brush.

      As you can see there is more to it than just picking up a brush at the local store.  To maintain a great finish, and to make the job much easier and faster, take the time to select the correct brush and do not be afraid to pay for a good brush such as Purdy, Shur-Line or Wooster.  Also, by taking care of a good, expensive brush, you will be able to use it over and over again while obtaining the same high quality results.  Read our article on Proper Care of a Good Paint Brush.

Paint Roller Frames & Covers

     This is another area where most consumers simply purchase the most inexpensive roller frames and covers, then again, wonder why the finish of the painted walls only looks marginal.  Just as with paint brushes selecting the correct frame and roller cover is extremely important.  Lets take some time to review both products to determine which is right for your job:

 Roller Frames

     Paint roller frames are available in several different materials to include cardboard, plastic or metal.  It is safe to state here, and we highly recommend, you stay away from the cardboard frames and invest in the plastic or metal frames.  Not only are they stronger, but will last much longer and are easier to clean.  These rollers are also available in several different sizes:

• 12"-18":  These size frames are normally used by professional painters and are not very common in your local hardware store.  They require considerable effort and experience to use.
• 9":  This is the most common frame available and is considered the workhorse of the industry.  This size is perfect for interior walls and ceilings plus is suitable for most of your exterior house painting needs.
• 6"-7":  This is considered a specialty size and works great for smaller areas where the standard 9" frames will not fit.
• 3"-4":  This size of frame is intended for painting trim.  This frame works great for baseboard, shelves, doors and any other smaller area.
• Mini:  These frame rollers are much smaller in diameter - normally 1" or less.  They are intended fro areas where standard diameter rollers will not fit such as behind toilets and heat registers.  They can also be used to paint shelving and doors.

     To make the jog even easier you may also want to invest in a frame that employs bearings at the end of the roller.  Not only will this provide a smoother painted surface with less paint lines, but also makes it easier for you to roll and apply the paint with less pressure.  Better frames with bearings are manufactured by Purdy and Wooster.

• Very Smooth (0"-3/16"):  This nap length works very well for painting ultra smooth surfaces such as metal or finely sanded or finished wood.  This nap works well with either gloss or semi-gloss paints in both latex and oil-based.
• Smooth (3/16"-1/4"):  This nap depth is intended for painting drywall or smooth plaster walls and ceilings.  This nap works well with either gloss or semi-gloss paints in both latex and oil-based.
• Semi Smooth (1/4"-3/8"):  This nap works great for slightly textured (orange peel, eggshell, dimpled) drywall or plaster.  This nap works well with either semi-gloss, stain or matte paints in both latex and oil-based.
• Semi Rough (3/8"x1/2"):  This nap is used to paint rougher woods to acoustic tile surfaces.  It works well with either semi-gloss, stain or matte paints in both latex and oil-based.
• Rough (3/4"-1"):  This nap is intended for painting textured ceilings and rougher surfaces like stucco.  This length nap works well with either semi-gloss, stain or matte paints in both latex and oil-based.
• Very Rough (1 1/4"-1 1/2"):  This nap depth works well for concrete block and brick, as well as other masonry and wood and metal fences.  This length nap works well with either semi-gloss, stain or matte paints in both latex and oil-based.

     As with the other products listed above the more expensive the cover the better the coverage and ease of completing the job.

Quick Select Charts

     Use the charts below to quickly determine the paint brushes, roller frames and covers you require:

 Paint Brush Quick Select Chart

Key:  N (Nylon) ~ N/P (Nylon/Polyester) ~ P (Polyester) ~ OX (Ox hair) ~ WC (White China) ~ BC (Black China)

Surface Type	Brush Size	End Type	Bristle Type	Paint
Interior Walls Smooth Texture Slight Texture Rough Texture	4" ~ 5" ~ 6" 4" ~ 5" ~ 6" 3" ~ 4" ~ 5"	Square Trim	N ~ N/P ~ P N ~ N/P ~ P N/P ~ P	Latex
Interior Window Trim	1" ~ 1.5" ~ 2"	Angled	N ~ N/P ~ P	Latex
Interior Door Trim	1" ~ 1.5" ~ 2"	Angled	N ~ N/P ~ P	Latex
Interior Baseboard	1" ~ 1.5" ~ 2"	Angled	N ~ N/P ~ P	Latex
Interior Door	2.5" ~ 3" ~ 4"	Square Trim	N ~ N/P ~ P	Latex
Interior Shelving	3" ~ 4" ~ 5"	Square Trim	N ~ N/P ~ P	Latex
Edging between walls, ceilings & trims	2" ~ 2.5" ~ 3"	Chisel Trim	N ~ N/P ~ P	Latex
Exterior Walls Smooth Texture Slight Texture Rough Texture	4" ~ 5" ~ 6" 4" ~ 5" ~ 6" 3" ~ 4" ~ 5"	Square Trim	OX ~ WC ~ BC OX ~ WC ~ BC WC ~ BC	Oil
Exterior Window Trim	1" ~ 1.5" ~ 2"	Angled	OX ~ WC ~ BC	Oil
Exterior Door Trim	1" ~ 1.5" ~ 2"	Angled	OX ~ WC ~ BC	Oil
Exterior Door	2.5" ~ 3" ~ 4"	Square Trim	OX ~ WC ~ BC	Oil

Roller Frame/Cover Quick Select Chart

Key:  N (Nylon) ~ D (Dacron) ~ P (Polyester) ~ M (Mohair) ~ S (Sheepskin)

Surface Type	Frame Size	Fabric Type	NAP Depth	Paint
Interior Walls Smooth Texture Slight Texture Rough Texture	9" ~ 12" ~ 18" 9" ~ 12" ~ 18" 9" ~ 12"	N ~ D ~ P	0"-1/4" 1/4"-3/8" 3/8"-1 1/2"	Latex
Interior Window Trim	3" ~ 4"	N ~ D ~ P	3/16"-3/8"	Latex
Interior Door Trim	3" ~ 4"	N ~ D ~ P	3/16"-3/8"	Latex
Interior Baseboard	3" ~ 4"	N ~ D ~ P	3/16"-3/8"	Latex
Interior Door	6" ~ 7"	N ~ D ~ P	3/16"-3/8"	Latex
Interior Shelving	3" ~ 4" ~ 6" ~ 7"	N ~ D ~ P	3/16"-3/8"	Latex
Exterior Walls Smooth Texture Slight Texture Rough Texture	9" ~ 12" ~ 18" 9" ~ 12" ~ 18" 9" ~ 12"	M ~ S	0"-1/4" 1/4"-3/8" 3/8"-1 1/2"	Oil
Exterior Window Trim	3" ~ 4"	M ~ S	3/16"-3/8"	Oil
Exterior Door Trim	3" ~ 4"	M ~ S	3/16"-3/8"	Oil
Exterior Door	6" ~ 7"	M ~ S	3/16"-3/8"	Oil