How to LEARN TO PAINT WITH A TRIM BRUSH

It's easy to use a roller and paint the walls, but what about getting a nice, even line of paint against the ceiling. Or up against your beautiful oak trim? This is truly a case of the right tool for the right job. Do you own a good trim brush?

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Trim Brush - 1-1/2 to 2"
• Paint

1. Lay the brush flat against the wall, pushing down to use only the tip of the brush. If you try to paint along the ceiling or your woodwork using anything other than a trim brush, your results are probably not going to be to your liking. A trim brush is angled and usually has fewer bristles than a regular brush. The angled end to the brush is what gives you such a nice, straight line. If you've never used a trim brush before, go and buy a good quality brush (probably at least $12.99)and if you take care of it, you will be able to use it for years. Now, practice with your new brush to see how to make the paint flow where you want it to go. After dipping the tip in the paint, lay the brush at a 45 degree angle to your wall, with the shorter end of the bristles closest to your hand. Try for a slow and steady run; there is usually enough paint on your brush to lift and start again before getting more paint. If you put more paint on your brush than your putting on the wall, the paint will slowly make it's way up to the shank of the brush. This paint tends to dry out quickly and is hard to remove if allowed to stay there.
2. Lift brush once during the run and make a second sweep before you reload with paint. Try and find a place in your room to practice before you paint a area that is front and center. You might have a closet or end of the hall area that might not be so noticeable. Do your cutting-in with the trim brush prior to using the roller. In most cases, you'll need to do 2 coats on the trim to get good coverage. In between coats, clean your brush.
3. If using a latex paint, use soap and water to clean your brush. You can soak your brush as long as you keep the water below the metal casing. Do not leave your brush soaking overnite, only long enough to loosen the paint.

Tips & Warnings

• If you take care of your brushes, they will last for many years. Clean well with soap & water, use a rag to smooth the bristles. If your brush has wayward bristles, wrap a folded paper towel around the bristles to keep them in line until dry. If your bristles are really a mess, try using hair conditioner after washing to smooth and condition. Store your brushes upright in a container to keep them in good shape.
• Make sure the paint your using is latex prior to using soap & water. If your using a oil based paint or stain, you'll need to clean your brush with paint thinner or laquer thinner. Pour a small amount of thinner in a disposal cup and swish the brush around. Use a rag to get all traces of the thinner and paint out of the bristles.