Paint is one of the most versatile forms of surface finish. Apart from increasing the aesthetic appeal of your house, it gives protection to the walls. A paint brush plays an important role for painting jobs. Always choose the right paint brush to get the best result. Before buying paint brushes, homeowners should know various parts of a paint brush. To get familiar with various parts of a paint brush, here we have given brief information on various parts of a paint brush.
Various parts of a paint brush are as follows:
Handle:
Brush handles are usually made of wood and are either painted and/or varnished. Now they are also available in the market in plastic and metal form. The length of handle varies from short to long. The length and diameter of handle both are very important consideration while buying a paint brush. Different brushes behave different in the hand, thus it is necessary to hold the brush before buying. The handle is designed in such a way that, proper grip between hand and brush is maintained and it gives optimum control when painting. So, that whenever you are going to use a paint brush for a longer period of time, it should be comfortable to hold.
It should be always checked that the wooden handle is lacquered, so as to prevent it from swelling, crackling, warping when in contact with a liquid. Never leave the brush in water otherwise the lacquer will crack and the wood will absorb the water and the handle of brush will puff up. Due to this reason, plastic handles are more used nowadays.
Bristles:
Bristles are the hairs of the brush, which hold the paint. Bristles are course and come in variety of lengths. They are available both in natural as well as in synthetic. Natural bristles are made from natural sources such as animal hairs which include hairs of hogs, ox, badgers, camel, horse, etc. Synthetic bristles are man-made plastics such as nylon, polyester, or a combination of both. For different types of paints, different types of bristles are used. During painting, it is very important that bristles are firmly held and aren’t going to fall out.
Ferrule:
A ferrule is the part of the paint brush which holds the bristles together and connects them to the handle. It is made of metal. Ferrule is designed by the size of brush and number of bristles. It is crimped at one end to hold the bristles in place and the other end is glued to the handle. A good quality ferrule will not rust quickly and will hold your bristles into the handle after many uses.
Toe& Heel:
Toe is the end of the bristles whereas the heel is where the bristles go into the ferrule.
Belly:
Belly is the middle of bristles. While painting, belly holds the maximum amount of the paint. Test the belly of a paint brush before you buy it. It should give smoosh and pouncing feel to the hand.
Paint brushes are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, prices, materials, lengths, and bristle types. According to the paint and area of application, paint brush must be selected. An expensive paint of good quality can produce disappointing results if not applied using an appropriate paint brush.
Also Read:
15 Common Home Painting Defects
Types of Paint Finishes and Sheens
20 Different Types of Paints Used for Interior and Exterior Surfaces
