Zeebo

I'm a little embarrassed to say but I have been painting for over 1.5 years and I find that I am dripping too much paint on the floor with my brush.

Now this isn't a big problem, but it's a little more than what I like it to be.

I typically use a 2.5 inch or 3 inch (angle sash) cutting brush from Wooster - great brush.

As a cutting pail, I use a new cutting pail with a handle. The inside portion of the pail has a magnet to hold the brush upright while resting as well as a lip to scrape off excess paint. I will also use an ordinary cutting pail - from a gallon of paint.

I find that both pails will leave my paint brush spotted with paint after about an hour. Specifically, the paint builds up where the metal ferrule meets the wood portion of the handle...right in the outside corners. So I usually get paint on my fingers. The wood handle becomes spotted with paint.

When I load the brush, I dip it in to the pail, about half way up the bristles / hairs. As I pull out the brush, I wipe the bristles / hairs against the wall of the pail or sometimes I tap it to both sides to remove the excess.

When I apply the brush to the wall, say if I am cutting or going down in a corner, I will hit the brush in about 4-6 inch spots, one after the next to spread out the paint. I will then go back and brush out the paint or cut in. Long strokes.

Sometimes, I will see 2-4 drips of paint on the floor or drop sheet at the beginning of this application.

So I'm not sure if I have too much paint on my brush, or if I'm applying it incorrectly to the wall....but I know something is wrong!! It's happening too often.

I also know there is an art in loading a brush!!!!

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks guys.

Zeebo

AAPaint

Dip the bristles half way down in the paint and slap them on the sides of the pail. Then when you go to the wall, lay out a streak of paint right close to where you're cutting in to get the extra off, then just cut in, and smooth out. Simple really. Never wipe the bristles off, you're painting with a dry brush if you do.

One note, careful when slappin the brush, sometimes it will splatter up and get you in the face after it builds up on the sides of the cut pot. Other than that, try to learn working with lots of paint, a dry brush is no good. The wetter the better, I always say.

__________________
-AAPaint

AA Quality Painting & Pressure Washing LLC
Jacksonville Painters
Jacksonville, FL.

phinsher

Zeebo, quit using that Benjamin Moore Paint, try some Sherwin Williams applied with a Purdy.

Brushslingers

Slap slap, paint. Can't show you but hey.

__________________
Benn

Vermy

Slapping is the way to go!

Flawless Finish

AAPaint is right about not scraping the brush clean, but instead taping. You'll make your brush stroke go much further. That is why I never work out of a gallon paint bucket. It's too hard to tap the inside.

I personally don't like to dip the brush 1/2 way, especially when cutting ceilings. I think it just gives the paint more of an opportunity to roll back towards the metal. This makes a mess and clean-up a B****. I go with closer to 1/3 and leave a good amount of paint on. It also allows me to work with it better IMO.

KellyPainting

I was havin the same problem.... drippin on screens...
I moved up to a 2 gallon bucket (exterior)
I fill it 1/4 full and slap away.. no drips anymore
It's also easier on my screen and zip roller.

Double-A

I can say that slapping our painter has helped the drips, but I still have to scrape him up sometimes after a long hot day.

So, for us its still slap and scrape. I tried tapping, that just makes him mad.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006