There are a LOT of paint tools available in the market and it can surely get confusing when deciding which ones to purchase! Make sure you know how to differentiate good product from a bad one - it's actually easier than what you may have thought! Use these tips below to ensure you always bring home a quality product to help give you that perfect professional finish.
Paint Brush
Paint Roller
Used to store, maintain & preserve the
paint brush after use. Good keepers will
have a tapered shape to help keep
preserve the shape of the brush.
The best professional paintbrushes are
tapered to a fine edge to further
improve cutting, coverage and finish.
The tips of the filaments will also be
flagged. Un-tapered or level filament
reduces the price of the brush, but
sacrifices capacity, coverage and
control. Look for a smooth feel of the
filaments on the top of the brush.
The softer the feel the smoother the finish.
A brush which has greater variants of
filament lengths will bend more
gradually in response to brush pressure,
allowing finer control and less paint
splatter. Make sure the filaments have
been filled in a straight line and the
appearance of the brush looks linear.
Good filling of the brush will not have
any diagonal or angled filaments in the
head of the brush.
Pinch the filaments to see how well the
brush has been filled. Too little fill weight
in the brush will lead to Fish Mouth-
causing paint splatter as there will be
less control. Found in low quality brushes
to reduce cost.
The metal band that holds the filament
and handle together and helps give
form to the brush. Attached by nails.
Since brushes interact with water, it is
essential that a professional paint brush
use rust proof metals such as stainless
steel or rust resistant platings such as
nickel & copper.
Well placed plastic or wooden strips
that create a reservoir to carry paint
and improve pick-up & release. Good
spacers do not absorb moisture. This
would make them expand to disfigure
the brush.
High grade adhesive that locks
filaments firmly in place. An indirect
way to test filament bonding with
ferrule is to check for filament shedding.
Make an 'L' shape by stretching out
your index finger and thumb. Use your
thumb bang the heel of the brush
several times. Then glide your hand
over the brush head to see if any lose
filaments are released.
Comfort is essential! The painter should
never feel strain to his back, neck or
arms, allowing him to easily spin to
change working side with ease. Can be
made of plastic, plastic and rubber or
wood but finish is critical. Plastic handles
should be made of strong plastic which
will not crack if the rush is dropped.
Rubber coated handles are soft
provide comfort to the painter over
prolonged use.
Used to store, maintain & preserve the paint brush after use. Good keepers will have a tapered shape to help keep preserve the shape of the brush.
High quality rollers will use thick & dense
fabrics. Don't confuse this with pile
height: which is the total length of the
fabric piles from the root of the fabric to
the tip. Short pile length rollers can also
have very high density. As a general
rule, short pile height are better for
smooth finishes, medium for semi
smooth, and long piles for
rough and textured finishes.
The puff should look like one continuous
fabric, without any gaps. Having gaps
will lead to an inconsistent finish on the
wall. The starting point of the fabric
onto the core is usually the weakest
point on the puff. If it begins to unravel,
the remaining puff will also unravel.
Make sure it is strongly fasted to the
core.
Designed to roll smoothly over all
surfaces and with all kinds of paints.
The spinning of puff should be smooth,
frictionless and not bumpy. This will give
the painter comfort and control, and a
uniform finish to the painted surface.
KNITTED: Knitted covers are attached to
the core by a single pass through. This is
an 'open stich' process that creates
good pick up, release & enhances
coverage of the roller.
WOVEN: Woven fabrics are individually
attached to the core by two pass
throughs. This 'double lock' produces a
smooth & lint-free finish and shed
-resistant performance in paints.
CORE: Base of the roller cover. High
quality rollers are made of
Polypropylene: PP. PP cores are highly
resilient, never lose their shape, and
chances of breaking are extremely low.
To check if core is PP, the material
should look white in colour, clear &
translucent.
High quality rollers always use Thermo-
Bonding to bond fabric onto the core.
This technique heats the plastic core,
melting it slightly & then quickly rolling
the fabric onto it. This guarantees the
highest bonding quality & lowers risk of
fabric unwinding.
Handle should feel very comfortable
when gripped by a painter without
adding any undue strain to his neck,
back, or arms. Should be made of
strong high-quality plastic or rubber
which will not crack if dropped.
Examine plastic to check for any rough
edges. Rubber coated handles are soft
provide comfort to the painter over
prolonged use. The more uniform and
softer the handle the better the plastic
quality. Should be compatible with an
extension pole.
5-SPOKE CAGE allows for the puff to be
put firmly onto it, ensuring the puff does
not unfasten from cage during use; &
can be re-used with single puffs.
STICK STYLE ROLLER: Reduces total
weight of roller giving painter more
comfort & less fatigue for long working
hours.
Sturdy, chrome plated rod that
connects the cage to the handle. Rod
should be sturdy & made of hard steel
so that it does not easily bend with use.
High quality rollers rods will be chrome-
plated to protect from rust making
appearance shinny & uniform.