Best Paint Brush For Smooth Finish On Wood



The quality of your tools can make or break the finished look of your paint job. Ahead, learn the key considerations involved in choosing the right roller frame and cover for your next project.

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There are many do-it-yourself projects that allow for scrimping on costs without any negative effects on your results—painting, however, is not one of them. For a professional-looking paint job, you need to start with quality tools.

Paint

You’ll likely reach for a paintbrush when cutting in or painting trim, but covering the bulk of the wall or ceiling with paint becomes a much simpler, speedier job when you use a paint roller. Not only that, but the right roller-and-cover combination works to spreads paint smoothly and evenly, so you aren’t left with brushstrokes, patchy spots, or other imperfections.

  • Whether using a brush or a roller, when I want an extremely smooth finish, I lightly sand the surface with 320 grit sandpaper before painting the final coat of paint. Then I very lightly paint the final coat of paint with a brush.
  • When laying down a smooth coat of clear finish, however, the brush will have a major impact on how it looks when it dries. That’s when picking the right brush really becomes important. And as I said to John, “You wouldn’t use a sledgehammer to drive in a finish nail, so why use a foam brush to try to lay down a smooth coat of finish?”.
  • In addition to quality paint, the secret ingredient to my smooth paint finish is Floetrol. It is a paint conditioner for latex paints designed to make the paint application smoother and reduce brush strokes. It totally works! I painted all the battens with a brush and they dried with an ultra smooth finish.

Paint rollers and covers are simple and generally quite affordable tools, but there are many options to choose from. Ahead, our guide explains what to consider and what to look for, and it offers details on our top-favorite picks among the best paint roller and cover options available.

  1. BEST ROLLER FRAME:Wooster Brush 9-Inch Roller Frame
  2. BEST ROLLER COVER:Purdy Dove Cover
  3. BEST VALUE ROLLER COVER:True Blue Professional Paint Roller Covers

Finding the Right Paint Roller for the Job

1. Select an easy-to-grip roller frame.

A roller frame—the skeleton of this reusable painting tool—is basically a comfortable plastic handle connected to a roller cage (the part of the frame that slips inside the roller cover). Typically, roller cages have plastic caps at either end supporting the compression metal “ribs” that fit inside a cover and hold it securely in place, but you’ll also find roller frames with sturdy plastic cages.

Roller frames are sold in sets with covers for convenience, but you have more control over the quality of your supplies when you purchase it separately. When comparing frames, look for these optional features:

  • Ergonomic handle. If you expect to spend a lot of time painting, even just more than one room, it’s worth paying a little more for an ergonomic handle that is shaped to reduce strain on your wrist.
  • Ball bearings. Quality roller frames have ball bearings to provide smooth rolling movement and a more perfect paint finish.
  • Threaded handle. While it comes on most roller frames, do check for threads or clips at the bottom of the handle so you can attach an extension pole for tackling ceilings or the tops of walls.

Photo: istockphoto.com

2. Narrow down to your options for roller length.

Roller frames and covers come in several different lengths (and while most frames come in a fixed roller width, some of the large ones are adjustable in size, using small clips or prongs to secure the cover instead of a cage). You’ll need to match the lengths of your roller frame and cover if you want to do the job right.

  • 9-inch rollers are the best size for the majority of projects tackled by DIYers. For starters, these paint rollers fit easily into a 5-gallon paint bucket. Plus, these are large enough to cover a good size swatch of wall in one roll yet not so long that they are difficult to control around trim and other details.
  • 12-inch or longer rollers can be somewhat heavy and unwieldy and, therefore, are more often used by professionals than DIYers. If you really need to cover a stretch of wall in a hurry, however, you might want to choose one of these oversize rollers.
  • 6- or 7-inch rollers are a good size for painting baseboard molding or small furnishings. These rollers are also useful for getting into corners or reaching behind the toilet to paint the wall.
  • 4-inch mini rollers are great for touchups, small furnishings, tight spaces, or careful work around fixtures, windowsills, or other obstacles. They also come in handy for painting the insides of cabinets or bookcases.

3. Choose the right roller cover material based on your paint and project.

Covers come in five common material options, which vary in terms of what paint they work best with, how much they hold, and the texture they create.

  • Wool or mohair roller covers, with natural fibers, are the best choices for applying oil-based paint, but they work well with any finish and cover a variety of surfaces smoothly. Wool picks up a lot of paint, and so provides excellent coverage with just one coat.
  • Synthetic roller covers—including polyester, nylon, or Dacron—are the right choice for water-based latex paint because they resist matting. You can use a synthetic cover with any paint finish and on most surfaces. Though synthetics don’t pick up and hold as much paint as wool does, they are generally very durable.
  • Roller covers that blend wool and polyester can be used with either type of paint and any paint finish, so are a great choice if you often switch between oil-based and water-based products. These versatile roller covers give the best of both worlds: They pick up a lot of paint and last a long time if cared for properly.
  • Newer to the painting scene, microfiber roller covers (identifiable by the diagonal stripes on the plush cover) work with latex as well as oil-based paints with a matte, eggshell, or satin finish. These rollers provide a very smooth finish, almost as if sprayed on, and are suitable only on surfaces without much texture. However, there’s a bit of a learning curve to achieving an even finish with a microfiber roller because they pick up and release more paint than the average cover, so practice on cardboard or another throwaway surface before tackling your walls.
  • Foam roller covers don’t last as long as the other options and, for that reason, are sometimes considered “single use” covers. They are best for rolling semi-gloss or high-gloss latex paint over smooth—not heavily textured—surfaces. Use them for quick touchups on trim, baseboards, furniture, or other small projects.

You’ll also want to consider the core of the roller cover; a good one is made from some type of resin or plastic. Cheap rollers have cardboard cores, which don’t hold well and often come apart after just a few uses.

4. Know what nap you need for your surface.

Wood

The nap of a roller cover refers to the length of its fibers—yet another important decision to make based on the project at hand. Different naps are good for different surfaces. As a general rule, the shorter the nap, the smoother the surface you’ll use it on. Using a long nap on a smooth surface tends to create a bumpy finish, while a short nap on a rough surface will often tear apart or shed fibers into the paint.

  • 1/4-inch nap is best for very smooth walls, ceilings, cabinetry, and other surfaces without texture, including metal.
  • 3/8-inch nap is good for lightly textured surfaces, including most interior walls.
  • 1/2-inch nap is a good length for moderately textured walls, paneling, and painted brick or concrete.
  • 3/4-inch nap is best for heavily textured surfaces such as bare brick or concrete or textured interior walls like popcorn-textured ceilings.
  • 1-inch nap and above is useful for painting stucco, cinder blocks, or rough brick.

Our Top Picks

If you have outdoor wood furniture, from time to time you need to repaint it. That’s where issues are emerging. The most common of them are:

  • What paint to use on outdoor furniture?
  • What is the best paint for outdoor wood furniture?
  • How to paint outdoor furniture?
  • Do I need to use primer and finish?
  • How many paint layers do I need to cover?

If you’re one puzzling over these questions, this post will help you handle them.

Best Paint For Outdoor Furniture

1. Krylon Exterior Wood Stain – Best Wood Stain Overall

This spray-like stain works well when it comes to flawless and durable coverage. It looks more like a thin paint than a stain, so it isn’t the ideal option if you’re trying to keep the wood grain. However, some consumers notice that even after 2 layers of this stain, the wood’s grain is still visible.

Krylon Exterior Wood Stain suits outdoor wood furniture as it is both water- and UV-resistant. The estimated time of total dry-out is 15 minutes or even less. In addition, this stain doesn’t require either primer or finish.

The can’s size is 12 oz, which is enough for small-size projects. However, if you need to paint a few furniture items, be ready to buy several cans.

This stain is available only in three colors: cedar, redwood, and rustic brown. However, some consumers complain about the color of cedar: it doesn’t look the same as it is pictured.

Advantages:

  • Water repellent and UV protected
  • Superfast drying time
  • No primer and finish required
  • Spray format is convenient for even coverage

Disadvantages:

  • Only three colors are available
  • Hides the wood’s structure

2. Rust-Oleum – Best Spray Paint For Outdoor Wood Furniture

This paint was developed for both indoor and outdoor furniture made of wood, plastic, plaster, metal, wicker, unglazed ceramics, and other materials. It’s delivered in a variety of 65 colors, which allows making any project you’re dreaming of.

Rust-Oleum totally dries out in 20 min and makes full smooth coverage. The project’s square that can be covered with one can is 50 sq ft. It is twice more than any competitive brand guarantees.

The can is designed in such a way to enable any-angle spraying to reach even hard-to-paint zones. The paint requires at least 2 layers of coverage.

For better effect, use a primer before painting your project with Rust-Oleum. By itself, the paint doesn’t either shine or make your project glossy. For this effect, you can use finish above the paint.

Advantages:

  • Water repellent
  • Superfast drying time
  • Covers 2x more square than competitive brands of the same size
  • Spray format is convenient for homogeneous coverage
  • Variety of colors

Disadvantages:

  • Not UV-protected
  • Requires primer and finish for better effect

3. Ready Seal – Best Paint For Outdoor Wood Furniture Overall

This stain doesn’t leave laps, streaks, or runs. It doesn’t require back brushing and can be used at any temperature. Ready Seal works in such a way to leave a grain of the wood visible.

As Ready Seal combines properties of both stain and seal, no primer is required.

Brush

To maintain the paint good-looking, recoat painted surfaces every 2 years if they are horizontal and every 3-4 years if they are vertical.

One can is enough for big projects covering, such as 150 sq ft.

Best Paint Brush For Smooth Finish On Wood Floor

When it comes to mixing Ready Seal with other brands of paint, its producer doesn’t recommend doing so because of the unique mixture used for Ready Seal. On the other hand, if you’d like to mix different colors of Ready Seal, it’s totally possible.

Talking about the air cure time, the paint’s producer recommends waiting 1 month for total drying. However, consumers notice that 48-72 hours is usually enough.

There are 9 colors available. Since there are no samples, sometimes colors are not totally the same as they are in the picture, so be cautious about this.

Advantages:

  • Water-, UV-, and mildew-resistant
  • No primer is required
  • A big square of coverage

Disadvantages:

  • Drying time is pretty long
  • Colors can differ from those shown in the picture.

Best Paint Brush For Smooth Finish On Wood

4. Krylon ColorMaster – Paint With The Amplest Colors Palette

Just imagine that Krylon ColorMaster offers 100 different vivid colors. So, with this paint, you can realize your imagination.

Krylon ColorMaster doesn’t require either primer or finish. It doesn’t change through time. The result is fast drying requiring less than 10 minutes of air cure. There are no runs and drips if you use this paint.

It fits such materials as wood, metal, plastic, glass, paper, and wicker. In addition, it can be used for both indoor and outdoor projects.

Paint

Advantages:

  • Variety of color hues
  • Superfast drying
  • Water-resistant
  • Neither primer nor finish is required

Disadvantages:

  • Drying time is pretty long
  • Colors can differ from those shown in the picture.

5. DekoArt Patio Paint – Best Paint For Small Outdoor Projects

This is a weather-resistant acrylic paint packed in a sample set of 6 colors by 2 ounces each pot. However, its producer notices that there are 63 colors available. As this paint is water-based, it can be watered down by adding some water.

As each pot contains only 2 ounces of paint, it is enough for small projects with coverage no more than 6¼ square feet. In general, one-two coats are required.

The producer recommends waiting 72 hours for total drying, however, consumers consider that the paint is already dried out in a few hours.

Advantages:

  • 6 colors in a set
  • Weather-resistant

Disadvantages:

  • One pot is small enough for middle and big size projects

Buyer’s Guide

What Type Of Paint Or Stain To Use?

Let’s look at the difference between paint and stain and what exact types of these materials fit better for outdoor wood.

Paint is sitting on top of your wood and hides its grain, whereas stain soaks in it. Also, stain looks better than paint over the years because it’s more likely to fade than peel. So, if you’d like to keep the wood’s grain, we recommend you use a stain rather than a paint.

What Kind Of Paint To Use On Outdoor Wood Furniture?

There are three major types of paint: acrylic, latex, and oil-based.

In general, if you’re working on small projects, you can use acrylic paints. For projects of frequent use, we recommend an oil-based paint that is the most durable option. For other types of projects, latex paint is the best one.

How To Paint Outdoor Furniture?

There are the following stages of spraying wood furniture:

  1. Remove rust and pelt paint.
  2. Before spraying and during the process often shake the can.
  3. Maintain steady, even motion.
  4. Refer to can for dry & re-coat times.
  5. Wipe off excess paint.

The approach to brush painting is generally the same as spraying. However, if you’d like to paint without brush strokes, we recommend you to watch the video below:

How To Waterproof Painted Wood Furniture For Outdoors?

Most paint designed for painting outdoor woods is already water-resistant. However, if you’d like to improve the paint’s characteristics, you can do the following:

Best Paint Brush For Smooth Finish On Wood Floors

  1. Use sand before painting to protect the untreated wood.
  2. Use primer for better paint coverage.
  3. Cover your painted wood with a finish.

Can You Use Chalk Paint For Outdoor Furniture?

Chalk Paint™ is a decorative paint designed especially for both indoor and outdoor furniture. So, it fits outdoor furniture perfectly.

Best Paint Brush For Oil Based Paint

However, this paint wasn’t included in our list because of negative customer reviews. Customers complain that this paint covers the surface unevenly, colors don’t look as they must be, and more than 2 coats are required for the desired effect.

Best Paint Brush For Smooth Finish On Wooden

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