# When you brush, do you leave brush marks?



## canadianpainter (Mar 7, 2009)

After reading another thread I was wondering how many painters here leave brush marks when they brush? How much do you care about brush marks? 

Personally, I loathe brush marks. To me, brush marks look unprofessional and sloppy; so when I'm brushing I thin my paint a little bit so I don't get any brush marks especially on metal door frames or any trim for that matter. Over the years I've found myself putting on a 3rd finish coat to get the correct coverage, however even when I'm doing an extra coat of paint brushing I'm still a helluva lot faster than all our painters because it's easier to work with thinned paint. 

Anyhoo, just wondering what all you guys are doing and what your thoughts are on the matter.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

When you use a brush there will always be evidence of the fact. Thinning your material is a good way to reduce them and so is an additive to slow the drying process so the material can lay down closer to oil.


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)




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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

Workaholic said:


> When you use a brush there will always be evidence of the fact. Thinning your material is a good way to reduce them and so is an additive to slow the drying process so the material can lay down closer to oil.


That's why I voted yes. Let's keep it honest in here :jester:
I'd be referring more to frames and trim, not walls or ceilings.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Different Strokes said:


> That's why I voted yes. Let's keep it honest in here :jester:
> I'd be referring more to frames and trim, not walls or ceilings.


Of course. He mentioned metal doors so I was thinking of trim.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

timhag said:


>


Was this for me Tim?


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

Workaholic said:


> Was this for me Tim?


Never for you bro!


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

timhag said:


> Never for you bro!


lol don't hold back that would not be the Hag I know.


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

Workaholic said:


> lol don't hold back that would not be the Hag I know.


Trust me, not holding back. Wasn't meant for you. Besides, I would keep you busy locking down threads.


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

Sometimes my gums bleed. Then I know to use less pressure.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

timhag said:


> I would keep you busy locking down threads.


Sounds eventful though.


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## canadianpainter (Mar 7, 2009)

Workaholic said:


> When you use a brush there will always be evidence of the fact.


I would've agreed with this 100% before I started using aura regularly. 

One of the guys that works for me is an excellent painter with more experience than me, however I find myself nit-picking his work on a regular basis. I don't want to offend or put him down; he's bigger, more experienced and older than me so he often gives me the _[email protected]#k-off-and-die-you-skrawny-little-know-it-all_ look when I try to bring to his attention that there's a better way to do things. However, about a month ago I noticed some metal door frames he had painted had an excessive amount of brush strokes. When I delicately demonstrated to him that a metal door frame can be painted just as quick and efficiently with a brush, sans brush marks he hemmed an hawed a little; "I painted it with a brush what do they expect?!?!", but lone behold, he's painted at least 30 door frames to perfection since then.


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

i leave brush marks but if i really wanted to i could limit them but most times i dont want to


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## Metro M & L (Jul 21, 2009)

Brush marks cost extra. Poppa needs a brand new bag.


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## A+HomeWork (Dec 10, 2010)

*yes and no*

Can we vote yes and no?

I can brush back in to my wet line on trim and brush marks lay down.

I just back-brushed wainscoting so there would be brush marks. By request, I recently brushed a steel front door so it would look like a hand-painted wood door.


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## jason123 (Jul 2, 2009)

The brush doesnt ascaird me as much as the roller .......argh aahhhh head through the wall?? oh no now I gotta plaster that...

There are many area's that a brush mark can occur. Also many variant on what to call a brush mark. 
Rake effect- just way to much god damn paint fool 
Useless backbrush- pay more attention stop listening to nirvana
crappy cut in- listen to me already when I tell you how to cut

Ya I wish I could go on and on too but its only about painting. But I think that sums it up. So when you ask me do I leave brush mark. I say wtf u talkin bout [email protected]#$ wheres my sandwich. ,,,,,,,,,I would have to say the crappy cut in category for me; crappy cut in refers to a area consisting of usually an inch from the ceiling and or baseboard the area in which is being cut,, it occurs from cutting in the wall when the major focus is on the quarter inch of the actually area being cut.Then after wards the area of 1.5 inch and or more is brushed in. What happens after the "brush in" some of the area is not fully painted... 
. The only reason to have faint areas or this crappy cut in phenomena that I have exposed. is because you are going to do a second and expecting a second.. If you are a one coat kid then you best be covering all dat area wit paint or mommy aint gettin her six pack...

IM RICH BIATCH


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## scott65 (Jul 11, 2011)

jason123 said:


> The brush doesnt ascaird me as much as the roller .......argh aahhhh head through the wall?? oh no now I gotta plaster that...
> 
> There are many area's that a brush mark can occur. Also many variant on what to call a brush mark.
> Rake effect- just way to much god damn paint fool
> ...


 


Maybe open a window?!


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

timhag said:


> /QUOTE]
> 
> 
> Heeeeee's back:thumbup:


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

chrisn said:


> timhag said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


no he's not.

you've been necro threaded


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

The Zombiethread AARRGGGH!


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

I bet Rob don't have problems with brush marks


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## pacificpainters.com (May 5, 2011)

*In perspective*

I voted no, but in honesty if we use a brush can we say no?

We have a standard in Australia called a mirror finish, when meeting that standard we thin and tip off to allow for the mirror finish. No brush marks should be visible.

When using an acrylic latex I don't believe it is possible to be completely brush mark free. You can modify the acrylic with a mono propylene glycol and this will create a wetter edge, slower drying time and better flow rate to greatly reduce brush marks. 

The Australian Standards 2311 state that no brush or roller marks should be visible at a distance of 1.2 to 2 metres.


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## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

Okay so let me get this straight. Someone can brush a metal door that has the raised panels and not have any showing brush marks. So that means whoever has mastered this technique can brush a door like this and not worry about brush marks going in the right direction because well.... there aren't any? 

Show me. Video it no trick photography. Alkyd, acrylic, whatever please I want to learn.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Almost another year has passed.


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

Workaholic said:


> Almost another year has passed.


 
kinda like bein in prison huh ?? ............:blink:


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

We can't tell people to use the search function when they start a thread that already exists and then get mad when they post a comment to threads they find while searching!


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

DeanV said:


> We can't tell people to use the search function when they start a thread that already exists and then get mad when they post a comment to threads they find while searching!


 
cant argue with that logic now can we


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

DeanV said:


> We can't tell people to use the search function when they start a thread that already exists and then get mad when they post a comment to threads they find while searching!


I personally do not mind necro threads, it is always interesting to see if my answers are different.


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

when i search the internet for other stuff im always readin NECRO threads .......i think of it as RESEARCH


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## pacificpainters.com (May 5, 2011)

FatherandSonPainting said:


> Okay so let me get this straight. Someone can brush a metal door that has the raised panels and not have any showing brush marks. So that means whoever has mastered this technique can brush a door like this and not worry about brush marks going in the right direction because well.... there aren't any?
> 
> Show me. Video it no trick photography. Alkyd, acrylic, whatever please I want to learn.


As I said it depends on perspective. At 1.2 metres brush marks should not be visible.


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## pacificpainters.com (May 5, 2011)

That's funny, just saw how old this thread is... man I am always doing that. What a sucker!

:wallbash:


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

ain't nothing wrong with necro posting if you keep it current and relevant.

it is kind of humorous when we get fooled and respond as if it's a current thread. Let's us have a good laugh at ourselves. 

the solution is to look at the date of the OP and respond accordingly. 

Updating relevant topics is good.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

pacificpainters.com said:


> That's funny, just saw how old this thread is... man I am always doing that. What a sucker!
> 
> :wallbash:


I dumpster dive in the trash bin, the other mods enjoy a laugh, I do it for their entertainment :whistling2:


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## A+HomeWork (Dec 10, 2010)

pacificpainters.com said:


> That's funny, just saw how old this thread is... man I am always doing that. What a sucker!
> 
> :wallbash:


I would hardly consider you a sucker. Some (a lot) of the topics can be discussed for the next 20 years and still be the same and relevant. 

Remember the "Which brush do you use?" thread? I just ordered three Corona brushes and the 18 inch roller and pale. Been meaning to do that for 8 months!!

Keep posting, Bro!!


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## 6126 (May 9, 2010)

Its all a matter of opinion when it comes to technique or which looks better. I have seen Hollow metal frames that look like they were painted with a broom. I can make them look good with a brush. Personally, I think they look better rolled if you know what your doing and its quicker.


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

canadianpainter said:


> I would've agreed with this 100% before I started using aura regularly.
> 
> One of the guys that works for me is an excellent painter with more experience than me, however I find myself nit-picking his work on a regular basis. I don't want to offend or put him down; he's bigger, more experienced and older than me so he often gives me the _[email protected]#k-off-and-die-you-skrawny-little-know-it-all_ look when I try to bring to his attention that there's a better way to do things. However, about a month ago I noticed some metal door frames he had painted had an excessive amount of brush strokes. When I delicately demonstrated to him that a metal door frame can be painted just as quick and efficiently with a brush, sans brush marks he hemmed an hawed a little; "I painted it with a brush what do they expect?!?!", but lone behold, he's painted at least 30 door frames to perfection since then.


I don't care what you use, you should see the paint, the colour,
but not signs of the application method.
Unless intentional of course.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

There are brush marks and there are BRUSH MARKS. Even with the old slow drying, good leveling oils of yesteryear, one could tell the direction it was brushed, if anything it "enhanced" the grain. That's why so many prefer back brushing of spray work.

I'm sure we've all painted paneled steel doors or cheap hollow core paneled doors with some crap composite as the skin. If brushing, don't you brush in the direction that the grain would go IF it were real wood? The slight directional indication of the brush gives the appearance of a wood door. 

Again, I'm not talking brush marks looking like it was applied with an old straw whisk broom, just slightly noticeable directional marks.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

daArch said:


> Again, I'm not talking brush marks looking like it was applied with an old straw whisk broom, just slightly noticeable directional marks.


This will probably be fashionable one day, like the suede fad was for 5 seconds...


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## jason123 (Jul 2, 2009)

i never leave brush marks because i get someone else to do it.. bwah ha ha ha bwah ha ha ha ...... god can someone open a window this epoxy paint is pretty smelly


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## harmonicarocks (Nov 29, 2013)

I've found that Muralo Ultra thinned with a little floetrol or water if not overbrushed will dry out beautifully,with minimal brushmarks. However if you see a spot you missed, don't try to touch it up when tacky, let it dry then fix it.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

harmonicarocks said:


> I've found that Muralo Ultra thinned with a little floetrol or water if not overbrushed will dry out beautifully,with minimal brushmarks. However if you see a spot you missed, don't try to touch it up when tacky, let it dry then fix it.


 

ahh BILL 

never mind


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

I still leave brush marks an I can still limit them if I want to but I still don't want to


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Ole34 said:


> I still leave brush marks an I can still limit them if I want to but I still don't want to


 
me either


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

when I bury a body, I like to leave no rake marks so no one will see where the grave is and dig it up.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

Sometimes I wonder if I really belong here on PT.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

slinger58 said:


> Sometimes I wonder if I really belong here on PT.


None of us do. We are like the Stooges at a black tie dinner


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

daArch said:


> None of us do. We are like the Stooges at a black tie dinner


That's me on the far right, which one is you?


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## Sully (May 25, 2011)

A soft brush and a quality paint go a long way... Don't like brush marks, don't use a brush, Spray that SOB


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## Joeb3rg (Feb 13, 2013)

Keep a wet edge , painting 101. With a higher sheen cut out a portion/section, one wall at a time depending on how large it is, than roll into it. & yes, using a softer nylon brush will leave less brush marks so I'll leave this equation up to you to figure out.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

slinger58 said:


> That's me on the far right, which one is you?


I see my self as Moe.


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## fauxlynn (Apr 28, 2011)

Workaholic said:


> I see my self as Moe.


Moe was the brains of that outfit....


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

fauxlynn said:


> Moe was the brains of that outfit....


Exactly.


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## fauxlynn (Apr 28, 2011)

Workaholic said:


> Exactly.


lol, I always fought with my sisters over Moe...


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

fauxlynn said:


> lol, I always fought with my sisters over Moe...


Did you poke her in the eye and slap her face to get your way?


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## fauxlynn (Apr 28, 2011)

Workaholic said:


> Did you poke her in the eye and slap her face to get your way?


Of course..lol...You are too funny mister....


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

fauxlynn said:


> Of course..lol...You are too funny mister....


lol I have my moments.


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## fauxlynn (Apr 28, 2011)

Workaholic said:


> lol I have my moments.


I love those moments Sean.I'm done with Craig Ferguson.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

slinger58 said:


> That's me on the far right, which one is you?













only problem is I don't play the violin


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