Types of paint brushes

Paint brushes are made in various shapes and sizes for different purposes. Those used in the course of general decorating work can be classified as follows:
Ground or Pound Brushes.
These are intended for the application of oil paints, especially on large surfaces. The numbers on them indicate the approximate weight, in ounces, of the bristle employed. The sizes range from I to 8, No. 4 being probably the most useful for general purposes.
Ground brushes are round or elliptical in form and are bound with cord, wire, or metal.

The string-bound brush, though still employed to a very limited extent by the more conservative, has been superseded by the wire-tied or metal­ferruled variety.
It may be observed, however, that ground brushes as a class are now comparatively seldom used.

Their disadvantages are that they are somewhat heavy to wield, require a considerable amount of breaking-in, and have only a limited spread.
Nevertheless, in the opinion of many experienced painters, they are superior for many kinds of work to the modern flat brush which has largely taken their place; they are almost certainly better for the application of oil paint (which must be well brushed out), in contra-distinction to the high-gloss or enamel-type paint, which requires less manipulation and is flowed, rather than brushed on.

New round brushes, such as pound brushes or sash tools, should always be wrapped before using.

This" bridling" may be done with twine or cord as follows: Holding the brush in the left hand, handle outward, take about 5 ft. of strong, stout cord, and about 9 in. from one end make a small loop (not a knot), which is held by the thumb against the side of the brush just where the ferrule touches the bristles.

The short end of the cord is held in place by drawing it slightly into the end of the brush.
The long end of the cord is wound around the brush, care being taken that the successive turns make a smooth, solid coil.

When the coil is wide enough draw the loose ends of the cord, resting in the brush end, back through the loop that was held under the thumb.
Draw the under part of the cord snug downward and the outer part snug upward. That holds the coil firmly in place on the side.

Now take the other end of the cord, and on the side of the brush opposite the loop made at starting make another loop by turning the cord backwards and taking one turn around the brush.

Draw the free end through the loop, pull it snug, then tuck under one or two turns of the coil and bring it up towards the handle. The two free ends of the cord may now be joined and knotted firmly around the handle; or, better still, two tacks may be put into the shoulder of the brush and the cord ends may be neatly fastened to these. The bridle on . a new brush may be drawn tight and loosened up afterwards if thought necessary .

In breaking-in round brushes, the aim should be to secure an even bevel on each of the two opposite sides of the brush.
Otherwise the brush will wear to a point and be an inefficient tool.
Avoid poking if possible, as it tends to make a brush stubby, spoils the bevel, and causes the bristles to cross.
Different types of brushes - old style.
different types of brushes - old style
Sash Tools.

This name is given to the smaller-size brushes and originates from the fact that they are commonly used for" cutting-in" the sash or glazing bars of windows.
As with ground brushes, the round or oval form has been, to a great extent, displaced by the small Hat varnish brush, but it is none the less an excellent tool.

Varnish Brushes.
Here again, the older rounded or oval types have given way to the Hat variety, which are made in three thicknesses and in widths ranging from 1 in. to 4 in. Since they are not intended for rough work, which would have the effect of breaking them in, they are mostly made with bevelled edges.

Distemper Brushes.
We come now to distemper brushes, which are of equal importance to ordinary paint brushes in the execution of decorative work.
These are made in a varietypaint brush of patterns, and it is somewhat remark­able to observe how the popularity of particular forms of brushes varies in different parts of the country, in fact one might say in different parts of the world.

In Holland the painter's brush presents an appearance which the English can but consider as grotesque.
They are very rough in appearance and apparently badly made; yet the Dutch painter is, as a whole, a first-class craftsman, and by means of such brushes can produce excellent work.

In the South of England this brush is very much in demand.
For larger surfaces a three-knot brush. is often used.
In some places another form is preferred, viz. a brush which is not divided up into knots, but has the bristles distributed equally.
In most cases the bristles are kept in position by wire ties or by copper bands, as shown in the illustration.
Another form of a long bristle brush. ; this is usually known as a Kalsomine distemper brush.

A Kalsomine," or " Calcimine," is the American term for distemper, and this brush is almost universally used in the United States.
The nailed­stock distemper brush is used principally in the North of England:The Lancashire pattern.

The question of the size of a brush is one which requires a considerable amount of thought and study: At first sight it may appear advisable that a man use only large brushes, particularly on distempered work, so that he may get over the work very quickly, but as a matter of fact the actual labour is intensified in almost an exact proportion to the size of the brush, and it will be found most economical to have moderate-size brushes in most cases.
The exact shape is largely a matter of personal prejudice.
illustrates a two-knot wash-down brush.
ThIs is similar in shape to a distemper brush, but is less expensive, since the quality of the bristle is not so good.
This type of brush is also available with fibre instead of bristle or hair, for use in solutions, such as caustic, which would prove injurious to the latter.

Fitches.

For fine decorative work on a small scale, such as picking out enrichments or painting mouldings, round or flat hog-hair tools, up to about I in. in width, called fitches, are made.
A thin, flat type, with the bristles set at an angle, is employed for lining and usually known as lining fitch."

Miscellaneous Brushes


Stipplers
are made in a variety of shapes. is provided with a handle swivelled in the middle, so that it may be reversed from time to time as may be desired.
is the ordinary shape with a handle. a form which is much preferred by many decorators, as it is quite easy to use.
Stipplers are, of course, used on both distemper and oil­painted work, to produce a comparatively rough surface so as to eliminate excessive gloss and produce a pleasant soft effect.
While the paint or distemper is wet the face of the stippler is applied with some force.
This breaks up the level surface into minute hills and valleys, so to speak, and thus produces the softened effect.
Stipplers are very expensive, so that care must be taken with them in order that they retain their good quality; they must be thoroughly cleaned after use, and kept wrapped up in wax paper or a piece of American cloth.
They should not be kept In a very dry place in case the backs crack, and on no account should they be placed on the bristles, because this would cause the bristles to bend out of shape and render the tool practically useless.The various forms of dusters or jamb brushes, and here again the particular form used varies considerably in different parts of the country.
The type illustrated is flat, made in that shape in order that it may be introduced between the balusters and in corners.
A good form of brush for applying lime to rough walls. The handle is fitted in the hole provided; the brush itself is leather or metal bound and is very serviceable.
We complete our list of brushes by referring to a stencil brush. .
This type of brush is quite stiff and is used for stencilling, a subject which is dealt with at length elsewhere.
Some forms of stencil brushes are much larger than that shown, and the bristles are comparatively soft.
This permits of the graduation of colour being obtained, according to the degree of pressure exerted when the colour is applied.
The brush is quite fully charged with colour, particularly on the inside.
When strong colour is desired the heavy pressure gives it; and the pressure being some­what relaxed when the colour is applied, the tint is lighter, until, when the pressure is very small indeed, very little colour is transferred to the surface.
Wallpaper manufacturers use very heavy stencils, cut in copper, and many of the beautiful effects in their friezes are obtained in the manner indicated.
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 set of three bristle hair brushes