# Different brushes for different latex paints?



## BrushPro (Nov 15, 2018)

So my Sherwin paint rep was trying to explain to me that all there different purdy brushes match up differently with the types of latex they have i.e. Emerald, superpaint, harmony, duration etc... This meaning that if you used emerald vs harmony you should in theory change brushes to the one suited for that paint.

Do any of you practice this to any degree? Or is it just a bunch of marketing to buy all there purdy line.

My go to brush at the moment is a Wooster Alpha. I like it more than any purdy I have tried but haven't followed any guide lines they recommend.

I no one brush can't do it all, but the alpha feels great on walls in any latex I have used.

Your opinions? Thanks in advance


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

BrushPro said:


> So my Sherwin paint rep was trying to explain to me that all there different purdy brushes match up differently with the types of latex they have i.e. Emerald, superpaint, harmony, duration etc... This meaning that if you used emerald vs harmony you should in theory change brushes to the one suited for that paint.
> 
> Do any of you practice this to any degree? Or is it just a bunch of marketing to buy all there purdy line.
> 
> ...


What a bunch of malarkey. Keep in mind their job is to sell. 

I fired sw for this and many other reasons. My money and time are better used and saved at BM. Not to mention folks who actually do know what they're talking about work there....#$##@#@ sw, smh....

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Different brushes for different paint brands?? No. Just no.

I have preferences for walls, and I like different ones for any hybrids or specialty trim paints. Im not using a 3" for advance, I'll tell you that much. I have several 2 1/2, a couple 3" and a couple 2" And none of them are purdys. Going any further than that is ridiculous.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Maybe its just that time of the year but I am imagining if SW had a radio show with little orphan annie and gave out secret decoder rings to all the painters.


"Remember only members of SW secret circle can decode SW secret message!





....Be sure to buy more paint brushes!"


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## BrushPro (Nov 15, 2018)

Woodco said:


> Different brushes for different paint brands?? No. Just no.
> 
> I have preferences for walls, and I like different ones for any hybrids or specialty trim paints. Im not using a 3" for advance, I'll tell you that much. I have several 2 1/2, a couple 3" and a couple 2" And none of them are purdys. Going any further than that is ridiculous.


Hehe thanks for the reply. It feels like common sense but I only have about 5 years of serious day in day out painting experience to rely on. This means I have not tried every brush or paint option out there, as well as combos. But as far as application goes I've always been the top preformer at the companies I worked for.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

BrushPro said:


> So my Sherwin paint rep was trying to explain to me that all there different purdy brushes match up differently with the types of latex they have i.e. Emerald, superpaint, harmony, duration etc... This meaning that if you used emerald vs harmony you should in theory change brushes to the one suited for that paint.
> 
> Do any of you practice this to any degree? Or is it just a bunch of marketing to buy all there purdy line.
> 
> ...


How would your SW "rep" know anyway?


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

It basically comes down to how the brush "feels" to you, but yes there are certain times certain brushes work better with different paints. Too stiff of a brush can leave brush marks, to soft of a brush can ride on top of the paint and not "push" it effectively. If you really want a good recommendation without relying on trial and error, buy your paint AND brushes from me.


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## BrushPro (Nov 15, 2018)

PACman said:


> How would your SW "rep" know anyway?


Apparently through laboratory testing and "science" 😁


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

BrushPro said:


> Apparently through laboratory testing and "science" 😁


Not anything a "rep" at SW would know than!


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## loaded brush (Dec 27, 2007)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> Maybe its just that time of the year but I am imagining if SW had a radio show with little orphan annie and gave out secret decoder rings to all the painters.
> 
> 
> "Remember only members of SW secret circle can decode SW secret message!
> ...


Absolutely hysterical!


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## jacob33 (Jun 2, 2009)

I don't know about the different brushes but I do know different roller covers make a huge difference with the paint. Our Sherwin Williams has a little chart that tells you which brush/roller to use with each paint and at first I thought it was a joke but I can honestly say after testing it they are on to something with the rollers at least. I have not tested the brushes and really do not see a need too for wall paint.


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

As Sly & The Family Stone would say:


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## ridesarize (Jun 19, 2012)

Tynex/oral for Advance, like an E&J Gen X 2.5" or a Corona Cortez.


Pro Extra 3" Swan, or XL, or 2.5" for any paints on exterior trim and also interior wall cut-ins.


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

That's more to sell to a homeowner not a contractor who already has tools and ones that he/she likes.
I have found using the roller cover they recommend yields pretty crappy results. I used Superpaint velvet with the polyester cover recommended and the finish was horrible.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

Beyond the Sherwin bashing. 



Yes and no. Do you *need* to have a different brush for different paint...no. Does having different brushes *for* different paints help out...yes.


Chinex for exterior/thicker paints.


Soft bristle (syntox) for trim paint or where leveling is necessary.


Stiffer or sharp flagged brushes (clear-cut elite / picasso) for easier cutting tasks. 



Other brushes will load/release better as well....it's all task dependent. The brushes are just tools. Just like they make a variety of hammers for different applications...same with brushes. 



It's a craft, remember that.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

Adding.


I think I know what the paint rep was TRYING to say.


Sherwin actually puts paint in contractor's hands with different brushes/rollers and asks them what brush/roller they found performs better. Then they compile the results, and have a diagram they put (usually hung in the store) that shows what rollers are *contractor *recommended, based on a running average, that give the best results for each different paint. 



Is it necessary to follow this chart? No. It's not specified in data sheets etc., it's basically just a way of them showing what others have found useful, again based on an average. 



*real story*

Does it actually work/help? Meh...to some degree yes. We had some issues with emerald interior when using white doves, which are our go-to roller nap, so visited the store looked at the chart and it didn't recommend a white dove. Instead it recommended a cheap contractor series knitted nap, which we're not fans of. Long story short, said screw it...grabbed some rollers took them back to the jobsite, and they worked really well with the emerald paint. Go figure. The "best" paint works best with the cheapest roller, lol. But true story.


Moral of the story, do you have to buy everything they try to sell you? No. But it does/can come in handy to hear someone out and learn about what they are trying to say. Gaining even a small grain of knowledge is better than dismissing someone before they even have a chance to talk. You never know.


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## BrushPro (Nov 15, 2018)

woodcoyote said:


> Adding.
> 
> 
> I think I know what the paint rep was TRYING to say.
> ...


Interesting, thanks for the real story on something tangible. I will make sure to look out for that when I go to the store. I haven't had good luck with the white doves as a side note. I had been getting Bennett micro fibres from BM because they felt that much better. But the paint I was using definitely might be a factor.


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## stolenhoary (Aug 24, 2018)

I've found that the likelihood of matching up a paint to a perfect brush for it on a given job is low. Usually its a nylon poly blend with flagged bristles. Bristle profiles becomes more important along with ferule shape. Purdys are most available so thats what I use. I wish they stocked Nylonia 3" at SW. 4 inch are a little too heavy. Curved ferule is good for corners. I haven't done a lot of precision cutting in for years; With practice I get good at it. Purdy's, I don't know if its the spacers or that profile, bristle stiffness, I don't have luck cutting in with them like the ICI 3" Liner brushes that seemed to work better. I tend to get a blob at the end, they go dry at the tips quickly, low control. Their other stiffer models I didn't like for cutting, maybe different products and high temps. SW brand better for cutting in. Corona was OK. I go through too many brushes in commercial to worry about special ordering tools that someone will borrow so we can get it done and gets trashed inevitably in a couple weeks.


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## mDUB562 (Jul 31, 2012)

Yes, there are different applicators for different materials. Saying that one brush or roller cover is going to be fine for every job is like saying one spray tip is all you need for your rig. We once relied heavily on the solvents in the materials to level and keep a wet edge. As the solvents are being stripped out of the materials we get a more and more temperamental material that requires more effort to apply.

This does not mean you should go out and buy an individual brush for each of your products. What it means is that you need to start learning more about the tools and why they work differently from one another. Once you know why they are different you can start to practice with them in different settings. If the heat goes up, you can react by using a softer bristle etc.

On that note, when is the last time you checked the Mil thickness a product was supposed to be applied and how thick you were actually applying it?


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## The Montana Painter (Dec 2, 2018)

I might be older( at 64 not old school but there are a few brushes that i prefer. Oddly enough with interior latex paint(all i have used) i can get by with 3...2inch and 2.5inch pro form(used to strictly be a Wooster pro guy and a Wooster 2 inch willow to use as a touch up brush when the frog tape is removed...Tried lots of brushes over the years and its hard not to buy a brush when at the paint store I f the paint is too thick i thin with XIM latex conditioner. The pro form lays on the paint better than any other brush and i wish Corona, Wooster, Purdy would step up their game and compete cause i would rather buy made in the USA.


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