Recommended brands for paint brushes/rollers

teepoo

Hi All,

Can anyone recommend a brand for quality paint brushes and rollers?

I am painting over some old porous plaster so I would like to get a smooth finish.

Thanks,
Pete.

sarah_elton

I use the Harris No Loss brushesIIRC - blue handles, black bristles. They've always worked well for me, including over fresh plaster.

I forget which roller brand I last used. But I usually buy cheap roller heads and bin them after use because they're far too much hassle to wash.

I'd recommend doing your first coat on bare plaster with a 50/50 water/paint mix (the wall sucks in the paint and a thinner mix goes on much easier, plus you won't waste anywhere near as much paint)

andrew-b

I always use Harris brushes. Pure bristle brushes are best for oil-based paint and synthetic bristles (as in No-Loss brushes) for water-based paint. Standard brushes (not no-loss) may shed a few bristles initially the first time you use them but after that they should be fine.
If you can afford them Hamilton brushes are supposed to be the best.
Don't compromise on the brushes. Look after them well and they will serve you well! I've tried cheap brushes before and you end up spending longer picking out bristles from your paint than painting!

Andy

chrisw

I found the best rollers are the ones from Asda, £1.56 for a 9 inch one with tray. It also has a screw thread on the end which fits standard extension poles. As mentioned above, it's hardly worth washing them afterwards.

dawnydee73

I'm another who uses Harris Brushes, I used to get cheap ones and then throw them away instead of washing them, but the more expensive ones are so much better to paint with

teepoo

For the first coat, are there undercoats that people recommend?