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[edit] The basic method
Use a paintbrush ( the traditional painting tool ) to paint any surface with primers, undercoats and varnishes, as well as decorative top coats. A paintbrush is the best tool for applying gloss to wood and metalwork and for painting where colours or surfaces meet around windows and doors, for instance. A brush also does a good job on walls and ceilings, provided that you use one at least 4in (100mm) wide. You will get the work done more quickly with a bigger brush but it may become tiring on your wrist.
1. Stir the paint (unless it is non drip) with a stick or stirrer attachment on a power tool. Make sure any sediment at the bottom of the tin is thoroughly mixed into the paint by lifting the stick as you stir.
2. Line a paint kettle with aluminium foil to make cleaning easier and pour in paint to fill about one third of the kettle. Do not work from the tin; you may contaminate the paint with dried paint, dirt and possibly rust from around the rim.
3. Choose a brush which is the right size for the job and which is also comfortable to work with. Never use one which is wider than the surface you are painting, you will not be able to brush out the paint evenly and may get drips and runs. You may find it most convenient to paint window frames with a 1in (25mm) brush, door panels with a 3in (75mm) brush, and walls with a 4in (100mm) brush, but it is very much a matter of choice. If you find that the brush you are working with is tiring, change to a smaller size.
4. Flick the bristles against your hand to remove dust and any loose bristles or dried paint particles.
5. Dip the brush into the kettle to load only about one third of the bristle depth with paint.
6. Press the brush against the kettle wall to remove surplus paint. Do not scrape the brush over the rim of the kettle because too much paint will come off.
7. Grip large brushes (3in -75mm to 6in -150mm) around the handle except when cutting in and 'beading'. Hold smaller brushes the way you would hold a pencil.
[edit] Painting With Non-Drip Paint
Do not stir non drip paint and do not remove any excess paint from the brush; it is meant to be heavily loaded. Apply the paint in horizontal bands. Keep the brushing out to a minimum. Over brushing will destroy the paint's consistency and make it run.
[edit] Painting With Oil-Based or Synthetic Gloss
1. Start at the top of the surface. Paint three vertical strips 600mm long parallel to each other. Leave a gap just narrower than the brush width between the strips.
2. When you have exhausted the paint, do not reload the brush. Working from the top, brush across the painted area horizontally to fill the gaps and smooth the paint.
3. With the brush now almost dry, lightly go over the section you have just painted with vertical strokes to ensure an even coating, stopping on an upward stroke. This is termed 'laying off.
4. Using the same technique, paint a similar sized section underneath the one you have completed. Work the wet paint into the dry, making sure the strips marry into each other. Do not allow the paint to build up where the sections join.
[edit] Painting With Emulsion Paint
1. Start at the top of the surface. Apply the paint in all directions, working horizontally across the surface and moving down when one band is complete.
2. Lay off the paint with light brush strokes and a fairly dry brush, working in a criss-cross pattern. Lift the paint finally on upward strokes.
3. Do not put the paint on too thickly.
[edit] ‘Beading’ Where Colours Meet
Where walls meet the ceiling and where adjacent walls are of different colours, keep the meeting edge as straight and as neat as possible. Do not rush the job.
1. Turn the brush edge on, holding the stock with your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other.
2. Load the brush with enough paint to cover about one third of the bristle depth.
3. Press the brush flat against the surface so that a small amount of paint (the bead) is squeezed from the bristles. Work towards the edge gradually, rather than trying to get close immediately.
4. Draw the brush sideways or downwards along the surface, keeping your hand.
[edit] Cutting In
When using a roller or pad, first paint the edges of a surface (where the tools cannot easily reach) with a brush.
1. Paint four or five overlapping strokes at right angles to the edge.
2. Cross brush over the painted area in a long, sweeping motion, keeping parallel to the edge.
[edit] Painting a Textured Surface
When you are painting a surface with a heavy texture or relief, load the paintbrush with more paint than for a smooth ceiling or wall. This cuts down the time it takes to coat the surface and fill all the little indentations. But dip to only a third of the bristle depth.
If you are painting a relief or heavily embossed wall paper, use a brush as wide as you can comfortably manage without putting too much strain on your wrist. A 4in (100mm) paintbrush is suitable. Paint the surface as you would an ordinary plaster wall or lining paper, starting at the top right corner and moving down, but work a little more with the bristles so that the paint gets well into the hollowed areas as well as covering the raised parts.
With a textured coating on a wall or a ceiling, you can use a shaggy pile roller, but you may find a brush easier.
Exterior rendered surfaces, such as rough cast, are best painted with an exterior grade nylon shaggy pile roller or a large exterior grade brush (sometimes called a cement brush) which has firm bristles that hold the paint well. Keep the brush almost at right angles to the surface and apply the paint in a stippling (or stabbing) motion. Because exterior grade emulsion and masonry paint have a thick consistency, you almost have to scoop the paint out of the paint kettle or tin. You will not pick up enough paint just by dipping in.
If the rough cast is new, wet the surface with water before applying paint to cut down the amount it absorbs.
