# Brushes



## Islandbound53 (Sep 16, 2007)

Alright im sure that most everyone here uses purdy brushes, i dont think there is anything else to use but who knows. My question is as follows, one of the guys that i work for is a natzi about his brushes. He swears that his brushes will only touch one kind of paint ever and this will preserve his brushes in perfect shape. So like he has a brush strictly for matte wall paint, eggshell, trim, aura paints, flat ceiling paints ect, ect. The guy must have thirty brushes with him at all times and he is very intense about care for the brushes, cleaning must be done in certain ways like never let water run down to the stock of the brush always just pat the brush downward so the bristles mash the paint out. I must say his brushes are in great shape and form but is he going to far. I realize you should keep trim brushes for trim paint but will a brush be ruined as its introduced into new kinds of paint. Also simple question but whats the best way to clean brushes and care for them.


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

We cycle ours... start them on interior trim and move to coarser surfaces, then send 'em outside to work. Daily cleaning w water, couple times a week w warm soapy water, every couple weeks w lacquer thinner to bust any scum. But we don't take best care of them and periodically buy new when starting a better job, or something that must be nice.
I'd say your brush nazi is milking the clock, but if his work matches the meticulous care he gives his brushes, I wouldn't argue.
r


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

Islandbound53 said:


> I realize you should keep trim brushes for trim paint but will a brush be ruined as its introduced into new kinds of paint. Also simple question but whats the best way to clean brushes and care for them.


Switching from oil based to latex or the reverse is much worse for brushes than different types of latex. I've never heard of using certain brushes for different sheens, but I guess I haven't heard it all. 

I take my brushes home and wash them in my sink with warm water, every night. I use a comb and brush. I have had many of my brushes for years using this method. I always keep them in a sleeve. Perfect every time. 

Man, and I thought I was anal....not anymore, lol.


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

We clean ours on the job site with comb and brush. Eventually, they become dusters.


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## sage (Apr 29, 2007)

We clean brushes on job site with warm water, Dawn detergent & brush, all latex brushes receive a treatment of Flood "Brush Stuff" which has been discontinued so I bought every tube I could find. We do keep our oil brushes seperate for poly, primer and paint.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

I clean most of mine on the job brush, comb. 
I have been a purdy brush user primarily. Yet recently i am using wooster jaguar firm, and a corona brush i bought quite a bit. Both in a 3-1/2. I like the wooster best.
I still use my purdys too though.


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

As each brush is actually used less per month, as it's only used for one type/kind of paint, I could see him thinking that his brushes "last longer" time-wise that way
Of course he needs more brushes in his quiver....

I doubt they last longer linear/square foot paint spreading-wise, but hey why not do it
Even if they last the same amount of "paintage", it's still the same amount of money/brush per foot of paint spread


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Islandbound53 said:


> Alright im sure that most everyone here uses purdy brushes


:no:


Islandbound53 said:


> i dont think there is anything else to use but who knows


:yes: Wooster and Corona are the only ones I use.


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

I was just thinking, I absolutely hate painting stucco... it almost hurts me to do it... and NO brush is going to last very long when doing it.
It's a sure way to create duster brushes!

We had boxes and boxes of purdy blems a while back for $2 a piece.
It was a great deal... sure wish we had more.
r


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

Tmrrptr said:


> I was just thinking, I absolutely hate painting stucco... it almost hurts me to do it...


Dude...I hear you on that one. I just finished my first stucco exterior (not a lot of them up here). Luckily a lot of the surface was worn down some. 2 coats of superpaint was so perfect. I should have sprayed, but I've never been a big spray guy.


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Rich said:


> ... stucco exterior (not a lot of them up here)....I should have sprayed, but I've never been a big spray guy.


Yup me neither...lol on the not many around here...but you really should spray that stucco

...and there really isn't that many around here


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

I guess I use my brushes more than most cause no matter how well I take care of them they are dusters in a few months time.

I do take extra care of my syntox brushes. They are for fine finishes and have one for each application/finish

I once told someone that I would spray everything if I could. There is a lot of stucco around and I spray it and have someone backroll with a 11/2 nap. 

Much rather be painting stucco than smooth siding with duration gloss.:no:


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

straight_lines said:


> Much rather be painting stucco than smooth siding with duration gloss.:no:


I've never done siding in gloss, how's that look? Usually it's satin body, semi trim. 

I definitely agree with what you're saying. You can leave an absolute stopping point wide open and not have to worry about lap marks...I love it.


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

Different lines of brushes will perform better with certain paints. Maybe this is what he is thinking about? The best way to decipher this is - if you have too much paint at the end of the day in your bristles - then look for another type of brush. Purdy has the XL's that are a basic nylon/polyester blend - If I used these brushes with P&L accolade - it was awful. Hard to brush - tons of paint to clean. For some reason Purdy Pro-Extra brushes which are a polyester/nylon/chinex blend - the paint would just come right off the bristles - and very much easier to clean. That being said - I'd dunk my brushes in a Downy fabric softener/water solution after cleaning - and let them drip dry. And I swear you never have to spend that much time cleaning brushes again after doing that.


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## painttofish (Aug 28, 2007)

plainpainter said:


> I'd dunk my brushes in a Downy fabric softener/water solution after cleaning - and let them drip dry. And I swear you never have to spend that much time cleaning brushes again after doing that.


What is the advantage of drip dry?


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

*Semi over T-111*



Rich said:


> I've never done siding in gloss, how's that look? Usually it's satin body, semi trim.


Here's pics from renovation we did at the beginning of this year.
The T-111 siding was real rough, and we ended up replacing about 15 sheets.
Client bought the product...
Since it IS for sale, I thought the lite yellow color good, to draw attention, and make it look briter and cleaner, but I was unhappy she brought us semi-gloss for the body color.
It kinda drew attention to the coarse siding.
r


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

Looks good Rich. What product did you use?


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## Bridgette (Oct 26, 2007)

I separate my brushes usually-
oil brushes
clear urethane brushes
interior latex brushes 
exterior latex brushes (mooreglo requires cleaning with water and thinner)
Eventually they turn into primer brushes, and then dusters. Right now I have about as many dusters as brushes, ha ha, I get attached to them.
I wash them on site. If any brush is going to get used more than a month (especially if in the sun and heat), I bill for a replacement as part of materials.
Also, for doing a very expensive piece or custom work, I use brand new brushes billed as material. 
Artist brushes get washed onsite and then again at home.


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

*??*



Rich said:


> Looks good Rich. What product did you use?


Can't remember...

I was just unhappy client bought semi. Flat would have hidden some of the coarseness of the old, degenerating siding a lot better.

Now that I think more about it, she had bought behr for the interior and I asked her to please go to SW for the exterior product.

Project ended up with bad feelings... She had plans of flipping. 
I went in at a quickie price, according to her budget, then kept finding probs her professional home inspector had missed.

There were 4 other contractors on the site, fixing...
After completion of many added tasks, market had gone from poor to even worse... 

It's a rather nice property now, and in a popular, good neighborhood.
You would never guess I sent 3 drop boxes of debris to the landfill...
r


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## jmda (Nov 14, 2007)

*Chinex Brushes*

Our favorite Paint Supplier handed us a Corona Chinex brush to try last Summer and we have bought two more since to add to the arsenal. They are great brushes for the thicker heavier latex paints. They also clean up really easy. Purdy just came out with their own pure chinex brushes and we have not tried one yet, but I imagine we will at some point. We also have one Pro Extra Purdy brush that we like it cleans up easily as well - I think it is the Chinex bristles that make it easy to clean.

Has anyone tried one of the Purdy Elite series brushes they are nylon and chinex - they are not carried by any of the local paint stores and I have been thinking about ordering one on line to check it out.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Bridgette said:


> I separate my brushes usually-
> oil brushes
> clear urethane brushes
> interior latex brushes
> ...


 
You say,you wash your brushes on site,you mean you use a clients sink? :blink:


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## regal (Oct 23, 2007)

I use a brass bbq brush when I clean my latex brushes. The brass is easy on the bristles, and the large head works evenly. Plus no rust.


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## bikerboy (Sep 16, 2007)

chrisn said:


> You say,you wash your brushes on site,you mean you use a clients sink? :blink:


 You mean you don't? With the customers permission I clean as much as possible on site. Buckets, brushes, rollers anything I can so when I get done for the day, I am really done. Now, that applies to latex products only. (Won't be dumping thinners and such down the sink.)


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## loaded brush (Dec 27, 2007)

*awesome brushes*

For all those Purdy fans out there, no offense but Purdy is not nearly the 
quality of brush it once was. I attirbute this to the fact they are widely available at all home centers (Lowes, Menards, Home Depot) as at one point and time they were only obtainable at paint stores. So the fact that you can buy them everywhere and they cost a lot less than they once did
leads me to believe they have really come down as far as quality is concerned. What I consider the best brush for latex is Sherwin Willams
Contractor series. Stays firm for perfect cut lines unlike Purdys that are too soft to begin with and only soften more after time. As far as cleaning brushes and rollers nothing cleans them faster and more cleaner than bar soap. I know it may sound strange but I tried it years ago and been doing it ever since. Theres something in bar soap (any kind) that just breaks down the paint so fast and cuts washing time in half. Give it a try you wont be sorry. Once again no offense to Purdy lovers. Thanks


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## NuView Painting (Sep 25, 2007)

Im a Wooster Miami brush type of guy!!


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## greensboro84 (Feb 15, 2008)

I usually clean onsite with just water. My Purdys last forever this way. Plus I clean mine out a couple of times, or run that wooster nail brush through it, and the brass bristles work well for cleaning it. I know a guy who doesnt believe in using warm water or wirebrushes to clean, and his brush is caked with paint, i seriously wouldnt want to use it as a dust brush its so darn stiff adn twisted lookin, but he paints perfect with it. Guess it doesnt matter if you paint with your fingers, when your good, your good


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