Cutting-in Brushes

How the number is chosen

The number is the width of the brush. A small number is for narrow surfaces, edges and corners; a large number covers more area in the same time and leaves fewer joins along a long line.

A job runs with two numbers rather than one: the wide one for the field and the long passes, the narrow one to finish frames, skirting and around sockets. In practice No 1 and No 1.5 are edges and corners, No 2 and No 2.5 general work, No 3 and No 4 wide surfaces and long cutting-in passes.

The millimetre equivalent of a given number shifts by a few millimetres between manufacturers, so the catalogue quotes the number. A specific width can be asked for by order code.

Eco, Lux and Super

The difference is how full the bristle block is and how long it lasts, not its shape. The Eco series is the consumable brush for day-to-day interior work: bought by the box, washed out at the end of the job or replaced. It is the site brush.

The Lux series carries a fuller block. A fuller block holds more paint per load -- fewer trips to the pot, the line in one pass, and no shed bristles left in the wet film. It is chosen for finish work where the paint is seen close up.

The Super series makes that block fuller again and is produced only in the wide numbers, No 3 and No 4: for the long unbroken passes along a frame, a skirting board or a ceiling batten.

Wooden or plastic handle?

The handle follows the paint. Solvent and thinner soften a plastic handle over time and loosen the grip of the ferrule, which is why wooden handles are asked for on oil, synthetic and varnish work.

On water based emulsion and satin paint a plastic handle is fine, easier to clean and cheaper. A wooden handle does not slip in a wet hand and tires the hand less over a long session.