# Brush Covers



## NeighborMike (Jul 17, 2016)

How do you all keep your brushes between uses? Im new to painting and becoming frustrated with the flimsy ones the brush comes with


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## AngieM (Apr 13, 2016)

NeighborMike said:


> How do you all keep your brushes between uses? Im new to painting and becoming frustrated with the flimsy ones the brush comes with


What brand of brushes are you using? Be sure to let your brushes completely dry before putting them back in the keeper. They'll last as long as the brush.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Don’t usually do this, and of course anyone is perfectly free to respond, but we did just have a pretty active thread on this very subject back in the middle of February. May want to check it out: (http://www.painttalk.com/f2/brush-keepers-86737/)


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## NeighborMike (Jul 17, 2016)

AngieM said:


> NeighborMike said:
> 
> 
> > How do you all keep your brushes between uses? Im new to painting and becoming frustrated with the flimsy ones the brush comes with
> ...





RH said:


> Don?t usually do this, and of course anyone is perfectly free to respond, but we did just have a pretty active thread on this very subject back in the middle of February. May want to check it out: (http://www.painttalk.com/f2/brush-keepers-86737/)


Thank you both


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## Krittterkare (Jul 12, 2013)

I always mean to take a picture or video but I just use masking paper off the masking machine. I shake out most of the water and mold the bristles between my palm and chest pulling through to keep the tip flat and wrap in the 9" masking paper and fold the top over.

I like this better then the original brush covers as I have a sharper tip or taper then the rest of the guys on the crew and they dry quicker and I have had a wrapped brush floating bouncing around on the back of the truck for over a year and and it held it's shape.


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## PPD (Mar 19, 2018)

NeighborMike said:


> How do you all keep your brushes between uses? Im new to painting and becoming frustrated with the flimsy ones the brush comes with


I keep my most expensive & beloved brushes on an industrial magnetic strip thats nailed to the supply rack in my garage. You can get them at IKEA or Harbor Freight, just clean them well, spin, and hang them doward by the metal ferrell. 

When im on a job I have a roll bag with slots for my “possibly needed” brushes & the cut-in and detail brush stay in my belt for easy access. Hope that helps....


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## PaPainter724 (Apr 22, 2016)

I like to try and keep my brush covers but honestly they're usually gone or ruined inside of a week. And I usually replace my brushes every month anyways so I don't get to bent out of shape about it. I just clean them good and hang them to dry.


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## AngieM (Apr 13, 2016)

PPD said:


> I keep my most expensive & beloved brushes on an industrial magnetic strip thats nailed to the supply rack in my garage. You can get them at IKEA or Harbor Freight, just clean them well, spin, and hang them doward by the metal ferrell.
> 
> When im on a job I have a roll bag with slots for my “possibly needed” brushes & the cut-in and detail brush stay in my belt for easy access. Hope that helps....


Post a pic if you get a chance. I want to see this system.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

https://shieldproductsusa.com/products/3-brush-shield-straight-angled

I JUST got these in the mail a couple days ago. They are good. Ridesarise recommended them. Yes. Totally worth it.


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## PPPP53227 (Apr 4, 2018)

I got a couple on the Shark Tank plastic brush covers from HD for like $3.50 and liking them so far.


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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

PPPP53227 said:


> I got a couple on the Shark Tank plastic brush covers from HD for like $3.50 and liking them so far.


I also have a couple and use them all the time. I find them much easier to use than plastic, a magnet, or just about anything else. If I have the time to put my brush down, I just place it in one of these. Airtight, and the brush can be used all day and cleaned later at home. 

One drawback: A couple of my Corona oval shaped brushes won't completely fit in them, as the plastic is not high enough to allow for the lid to completely close tightly. 

I also use them when doing exteriors, and as long as you keep them out of the direct sunlight (if possible), they do great at preventing the paint from drying up on the brush. 

I don't give a rat's posterior if they look like a DIY contraption, they simply work, and work well.


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## PPD (Mar 19, 2018)

AngieM said:


> Post a pic if you get a chance. I want to see this system.


Do you mean of the garage storage?

Don’t have a pic of my setup but this is the 18” magnetic strip from HF ($4) & a shot of what I’m talkif about. I have 2 of them: one for brush storage & another I use to store all my drill bits. Works great!


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## Pintados (Sep 3, 2018)

I just coat the cardboard covers in duct tape on both sides. It also helps to spin and kick out your brushes after use so the cardboard won’t get waterlogged.


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## SwampCat (Aug 31, 2018)

The only thing that will mess up my brush cover is the kid that goes around cleaning up the job site because he needs to keep busy so he doesn't get fired.He throws away my brush covers and puts away all my tools before i'm done... I am in the habit of keeping them in my truck now.I take any brush cover I can find and squirrel them away.II also make my own by tracing a factory brush cover onto some card board paper then cutting it out and then i have a brand new cover.My brushes last for years.always put them back in the cover.repair them with painters tape as they deteriorate.spray paint them too.People that don't take care of their brushes and keepers are terrible painters almost 100% of the time.If you work for some one like that you probably fix all their mistakes all day and they go through life thinking they are a great painter.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

SwampCat said:


> The only thing that will mess up my brush cover is the kid that goes around cleaning up the job site because he needs to keep busy so he doesn't get fired.He throws away my brush covers and puts away all my tools before i'm done... I am in the habit of keeping them in my truck now.I take any brush cover I can find and squirrel them away.II also make my own by tracing a factory brush cover onto some card board paper then cutting it out and then i have a brand new cover.My brushes last for years.always put them back in the cover.repair them with painters tape as they deteriorate.spray paint them too.People that don't take care of their brushes and keepers are terrible painters almost 100% of the time.If you work for some one like that you probably fix all their mistakes all day and they go through life thinking they are a great painter.


This is a quite profound observation my friend. They never hear any complaints because the people won't call them back! And they never it out.


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## deadend (Aug 1, 2013)

https://www.google.com/search?q=bru...iw=412&bih=766&dpr=2.63#imgrc=qdMfXY1YNIEOVM: ...the word "gimmick" is going to come up but I've made great work of these...


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

deadend said:


> https://www.google.com/search?q=bru...iw=412&bih=766&dpr=2.63#imgrc=qdMfXY1YNIEOVM: ...the word "gimmick" is going to come up but I've made great work of these...


I use the brush covers all the time.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk


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## Delta Painting (Apr 27, 2010)

Brushes are cheep compared to my time or paying someone to clean them. I bid my job's so sundries are never a concern if they get trashed.


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## deadend (Aug 1, 2013)

...its less about longevity than a way to keep them moist during the day...they work great for longevity too though as the hard plastic really protect bristles and makes them easy to stack...I also keep clean/new tools to do clean work but doesn't hurt if something last me a few jobs with little effort... combine the durability/cleanability of modern Chinex with a well maintained trained brush and that's a profitable tool...


Delta Painting said:


> Brushes are cheep compared to my time or paying someone to clean them. I bid my job's so sundries are never a concern if they get trashed.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

deadend said:


> a well maintained trained brush and that's a profitable tool...



Yup, I've got one 3" exterior brush that made me over $14k this summer. Poor thing just got demoted to a duster recently. That's thanks for all the good work? lol


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## SwampCat (Aug 31, 2018)

deadend said:


> ...its less about longevity than a way to keep them moist during the day...they work great for longevity too though as the hard plastic really protect bristles and makes them easy to stack...I also keep clean/new tools to do clean work but doesn't hurt if something last me a few jobs with little effort... combine the durability/cleanability of modern Chinex with a well maintained trained brush and that's a profitable tool...


clip with magnet?


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## SwampCat (Aug 31, 2018)

Yeah I'm a little OCD with my brushes.I started out very very poor so I got in the habit of making my brushes last forever.I was making stupid money doing some bosun chair work not long ago and i went through all kinds of good brushes using xylene based industrial enamel.Hanging 15 stories in the air all day I wasn't in the mood to clean any brushes when I was done.But when the job was done I cleaned out what I could and walked away with twenty woosters!Old habits die hard.


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## deadend (Aug 1, 2013)

https://www.amazon.com/TIMESETL-Magnetic-Multi-Purpose-Painters-Decorating/dp/B07F42JG45
...some of the best couple bucks I've ever spent...can opened on one end is worth its weight in gold...


SwampCat said:


> deadend said:
> 
> 
> > ...its less about longevity than a way to keep them moist during the day...they work great for longevity too though as the hard plastic really protect bristles and makes them easy to stack...I also keep clean/new tools to do clean work but doesn't hurt if something last me a few jobs with little effort... combine the durability/cleanability of modern Chinex with a well maintained trained brush and that's a profitable tool...
> ...


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## SwampCat (Aug 31, 2018)

got two coming in the mail!


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## SwampCat (Aug 31, 2018)

thats especially sweet for the wizz brush combo.I use two cans.Some folks screw in a hook or drive a nail in.I hate the crappy red bucket thing with handle and the magnet in the pot.or if I do use the combo with a 2 gallon bucket i always put my brush in the ladder rung.Then forget it there...


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## SwampCat (Aug 31, 2018)

:vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad:woops


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

PPD said:


> Do you mean of the garage storage?
> 
> Don’t have a pic of my setup but this is the 18” magnetic strip from HF ($4) & a shot of what I’m talkif about. I have 2 of them: one for brush storage & another I use to store all my drill bits. Works great!



VERY COOL!! It makes me look like a slob. I just have a plank with hooks screwed into it and hang the brushes 1-2 on the hooks. My system is not nearly as pretty as yours. My bits and pieces are in a plastic case with drawers.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

I see stacks of various brush keepers on clearance at the local Ollie's store all the time. So either they aren't selling worth a crap or they way, way over estimated their potential market size. But judging from the way previous "super duper brush keepers" have sold, i believe the first option is the reality. These things have been around for years. people generally just don't have any use for them. In fact i have a box of one of the previous generations from around 1995 or so sitting in my basement. I thought about trying to sell them but.....not worth the effort.

In another ten years or so some other genius will try again. Trust me.


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## SwampCat (Aug 31, 2018)

someone should just sell regular cardboard covers for a dollar.When I realized people were wrapping there brushes in plastic anyway _then_ putting them in the "brush cover" I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry.


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

*My system works even fort cheaper brushes*

Craft paper wrapped fresh out of the washer and this is just a low-end brush. 



View attachment 102873


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## The Montana Painter (Dec 2, 2018)

I bought the paint brush covers after a shark tank episode. Here in Montana the air is pretty DRY. The plastic covers let the paint dry fairly fast so i gave them away. Plastic fold-able sandwich bags work great. I have gone to using paper towels(the half sheet kind) and wrap my pro forms in them when clean. Don't ask me what i do with the used paper towels!!!


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