How to Learn to Paint with a Trim Brush
Trim is the narrow strips of wood found along ceilings, around windows and doors and along the edge between the floor and the wall. Trim can be plain or fancy and serves to hide the places where surfaces come together, such as at the junction of the floor and walls or the walls and ceiling. The best way to learn to paint with a trim brush is simply to practice, but learning about trim brushes and how they are made will help you to become better with this tool. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose the right brush for the job. A trim brush normally has an angled end to help you to apply paint to trim surfaces. The type of bristles is important as well. A good all-purpose trim brush will have nylon or polyester bristles so that it can be used with all types of paint. The ends of the bristles should be tipped, meaning they have pointed ends that allow for the smooth, even application of paint.
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Determine the width you need for your brush based on the type of trim you are working on. You can use a very wide trim brush --2-1/2 to 3 inches across -- but a narrow trim brush 1 to 2 inches wide is more common.
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Practice holding the brush the way you will be using it. As a rule, trim brushes have long, narrow handles and should be gripped with the thumb and the first two fingers of your dominant hand -- the one you use for writing. Hold the brush in a manner similar to the way you would hold a pen or pencil. Practice making long, smooth strokes to help you develop control over the brush.
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Paint a section of trim that is not highly visible. You can practice on a scrap section of trim or paint an area of the room that is not easily seen. Get a feeling for how the paint flows from the brush and what strokes you need to use to apply a smooth layer.
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Continue to paint the trim, using the trim brush. As with anything else, learning to paint with a trim brush requires some practice, but the more you do it the better your skills.
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Tips & Warnings
Buy the best trim brush you can afford. Things such as the number of bristles, the type of bristles, how they are cut and how long they are will affect the price of the brush but will also affect the quality of the results.
Always clean your brush as soon as you are done painting, including in between coats. If paint dries on your brush it can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove and the dried paint can destroy your brush.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
