The paint application category encompasses our huge range of major brands such as Graco, Dulux, Taubmans, UniPro, and many more. In this category, you can find everything you need for applying paint, including brushes, rollers, paint sprayers, and roller frames. 

Paint Brushes 

Types of filament

Filament are the long strands or hairs on a brush. There are three types of filament to choose from

• Synthetic Filament: good for all paints, best with water based paints
  
  
• 100% Pure Bristle: best with oil based paints
  
  
• Polybristle Blend: best with oil based paints

 

Style of brushes

• PAINT/WALL BRUSHES: these are the most standard and common type of brush. With a short handle in comparison to the cutter bushes they come in various widths for various painting jobs.
• CUTTER BRUSHES: These are popular brushes for cutting in before roller painting. Specially made for door and window frames and ceiling/wall/corner sections. They generally have less filament than wall brushes as paint holding capacity is not paramount while the long handle helps to control the stroke. There are several alternative
  shapes in these long handle brushes.
• Sash Cutter: is a full bodied cutting in brush ideally suited for the application of water based paints.
• Oval Cutter is a compromise between the two other styles because of its oval shape. It gives greater control and accuracy on the edges of the brush and holds more paint in the centre
• Angle Cutter is basically the same as the sash cutter however the top of the brush is made at an angle rather than straight across. The head of the brush and the ferrule are both made at an angle so that the tips of the filament or bristle are retained. This angle assists the user to be able to cut to a sharper more accurate area.

 

Size of brush

• 25mm: For small jobs & touch-up work such as chairs & timber
  trim.
• 38mm: Suitable for furniture, small panels, window frames, trellis,
  mouldings, shutters and downpipes.
• 50mm: For small to medium size work such as doors, screens,
  table tops, railings and cabinets.
• 63mm: A handy size for outdoor furniture, cupboards, gutters,
  eaves and doors.
• 75mm: For medium to large areas such as fence posts and rails,
  floor boards, steps, skirtings and fascias.
• 100mm: For all large areas. Most suitable for walls, floors, ceilings,
  roofs, fences.

Quality of brush

A good brush holds more paint, makes paint application smoother and reduces paint spattering. A quick way to check this is to feel the pack of filament. It should feel full and slightly resilient. Although cheaper brushes will not last as long as premium grade brushes they are quite suitable for the occasional job where finish, quality and brush life are not critical.

 

 

Match the bristle type to your finish 

Paintbrushes are available in either synthetic or real animal hair. The type you choose will depend on the type of paint you are using. If you are using oil-based varnish or paint, you may find that a natural bristle is your best choice. You can still use a synthetic brush, but natural bristles will provide a smoother finish in most cases. Avoid using a natural brush to apply a water-based finish because the bristles will soak up moisture and become too soft.

Synthetic brushes are available with nylon, nylon/polyester blends or Chinex bristles. A nylon-polyester blend provides a good compromise between softness and stiffness whilst Chinex bristles are designed for optimal use and easy cleanup. 

Paint Rollers 

How do I select the best pile height or nap for my project?

The pile height, or nap, refers to the thickness of the material used on the roller and determines how much paint the roller will hold. Generally, the best rule to apply to most painting jobs is the glossier the paint and the smoother the surface, the shorter the pile you should use.

 

Short nap 5 to 8mm:

Short nap does not hold as much paint as the others but is the best kind to use with glossy paint, since it leaves a thin, very smooth coating. They can be used on smooth and semi-smooth surfaces

 

 

Regular nap 10 to 12mm:

Holds any type of paint well and produces a soft-looking, stippled effect. More suitable for use with water based paints on smooth and semi-smooth surfaces such as wall boards and cement render. Holds more paint than the short Nap however the finish is not as fine.

 

 

Long nap 22 to 32mm:

Suitable for all paints on semi-rough surfaces such as brickwork and masonry. They have exceptional paint holding capacity and are also suitable for semi-smooth surfaces where heavy coverage is more important than finish. Works a heavy load of paint into the irregularities of a textured, damaged or extremely porous surface and can create a deeply stippled effect on any surface. The greater the irregularities, the longer the pile needed.

Quality:

The quality level of the paint roller will determine the quality of the finish, the durability of the roller, the amount of paint it will hold and the ease of use.

Best quality:

Premium or Pro Series rollers will provide the best finish, will last the longest, will hold the most paint and are very easy to use.

Better Quality:

Project or Classic quality rollers will provide a great finish, will last reasonably well, will hold paint well and are easy to use.

Good quality:

General Purpose or Redline rollers are good for disposable single use.

Fabric Material:

The material of the fabric comes down to preference but in general different materials should be used with different paints and on different surfaces.

Woven Polyester: suitable for use with ALL paints including full gloss enamels.

Knitted Polyester: More suitable for use with water based paints on smooth and semi-smooth surfaces such as wall boards and cement render. Holds paint well and produces a soft-looking, stippled effect.

Mohair Blend: gives the ultimate finish to full and semi-gloss enamels on smooth surfaces. They are most suitable for applying polyurethanes, epoxy resins and fibreglass coatings.

Sheepskin: is generally used on rougher surfaces such as cement render and brickwork because of the longer pile height.  The natural fibres pick up and release paint readily however the rollers are more expensive than those made from synthetic material.

Foam: For use with full and semi-gloss enamels on smaller areas such as kitchen cupboards where a mirror finish is required.

Micro Fibre: can be used with most water based paints. The short pile is especially suited for use with acrylic enamel paints

Textured: Coarse, medium, fine.

    Coarse Texture Foam Cover: Specially designed loops in this cover lift texture paints into peaks for a rich stucco look. Applies to all textures, finishes in one step. Clean by simply hosing out excess material.

    Medium Texture Foam Cover: Specially woven loops lift texture paints into peaks for a medium texture finish. Applies to all textures, finishes in one step. Clean by simply hosing out excess material.

    Fine Texture Foam Cover: A very fine foam material gives a fine textured finish. Applies to all textures, finishes in one step. Easy cleaning by simply hosing out excess material.

 

Paint Sprayers

Types of Paint Sprayers to choose from 

 The main types of paint sprayers are airless and assisted. Airless sprayers are the most commonly used for painting purposes. They use their own internal piston to create the force required to push the paint out. When compared to applying paint with a roller, the airless sprayer method consumes more paint. However, it also gets the job done at a much faster rate - which is key if you are under time constraints!

High-Volume, Low-Pressure

Meanwhile, Assisted, or HVLP (high-volume low-pressure) sprayers are particularly useful for working with fine finishes as they have better control. These systems utilize compressed air but in a different way to standard air spray systems. A turbine delivers a large volume of air at a much lower pressure to atomize and spray the fluid. They are designed for smaller jobs that require a fine finish because they provide the least amount of overspray and detailed precision, allowing for a high-quality professional finish. They also come with special nozzles with various designs - so you can get creative! 

Airless Spray 

Unlike HVLP sprayers, the airless models do not require a compressor or turbine. Airless spraying is considered the fastest and most versatile way to achieve professional-looking results. An airless sprayer is up to 10 times faster than using a brush - so that’s a lot of time saved! The fluid comes out of the tip in a solid stream which is then disrupted upon hitting the air - separating it into small droplets that form the spray pattern. 

Air-Assisted Airless 

The Air-Assisted Airless combines both airless and air spray methods in order to deliver a high-quality finish like that of an HVLP sprayer - along with the speed and efficiency of an airless sprayer. Air-Assisted Airless spraying requires 20-40% lower pressure than regular airless spraying. A small amount of air added to the edges of the spray fan allows for a softer pattern, a high degree of control, and less overspray.