Maybe you’ve got a long weekend ahead, or a few extra hours to tackle your next paint project. You head to your local home improvement store to grab some tools and end up in the paintbrush aisle to find the right paintbrush. Once there, you encounter an almost endless amount of options! They seem to come in every size, shape, color and price tag. So how can you know which will be the right one for your paint job? 

For most paint jobs, brushes are a necessity. They’re able to reach into tight corners, cut along the trim, and give you the cleanest result. But not all brushes are created equal. Here are 5 of the most popular paintbrush types and exactly how to find the right paintbrush for the job.  

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1. Hog/animal bristle brush

All animal bristles have naturally flagged tips (think split ends), which hold oil paint in the brush’s edge and release it throughout the stroke instead of all at first contact. The black China bristle seen here is durable and is best for coating rough surfaces, like siding and decks.

2. Angular sash brush

Whenever you’re working with paneled doors, furniture, cabinets, trim, or anywhere that you’re painting close to another surface, you’ll always want to use an angular sash brush. These angular sash brushes are also called cutting brushes, and they make it incredibly easy for you to paint a clean line.  

3. Flat trim brush

Do you have a really small surface to paint? Look for a great flat trim brush! These brushes are typically 2-3 inches wide and give you a great amount of control when you’re painting. When you’ve got a small, narrow area to cover, reach for a flat trim brush.

4. Oval sash brush

Similar to flat brushes, oval brushes can be used anywhere, but they work best on flat surfaces! These brushes great for touching up small, narrow areas, and are used most often with oil-based paints.

5. Rollers

For large, flat surface areas like walls and ceilings, paint rollers will help you get the job done in about half the amount of time it would take with a paintbrush. If your surface is fairly rough, use the long naps. Short nap rollers work best on smooth surfaces. Textured rollers, which are best used on large surfaces, are designed for texture-painting that specific surface. The foam covers of these kinds of rollers have different patterns that will be reflected onto the surface that you are painting. This roller can give the effect of metal, wood, stone, etc. on different kinds of surfaces.

So which brush or roller type is right for your next paint job? Happy painting!