Tips for using and storing paint brushes and rollers

Old paint and paint brushes don't work well together. Follow these tips from the pros to learn how to use paint brushes and rollers to make painting easier and neater.

Trim rough roller edges

Those uneven edges and tiny beads of dried paint on your paint roller may look harmless, but they can leave unsightly marks on your paint job. Trim them off, leaving a slightly tapered edge, and your roller will be as good as new.

Clean brushes with a golf club brush

Dry paint and paint brushes do not work well together. Old golf club brushes are great for scrubbing away the crust that builds up on your brushes. Plastic bristles flush out most of the crust without damaging the brush. Brass bristles will handle stubborn spots.

Double the life of your brushes - wash off most of the paint first

To ensure the long life of your synthetic brushes, clean each brush immediately after use so that the paint does not dry out. Rub a brush over the newspaper to remove excess paint. Then insert the brush into a bucket of warm water and move it around to remove as much paint as possible.

Lint-free paint roller - use a self-adhesive lint roller to remove lint

Cheap paint rollers come off on the paint as you roll it, but they're great because they're disposable - no cleanup required! Wipe down with a self-adhesive lint roller to remove all loose lint before use - no more picking it off damp walls.  

The best way to clean roller covers - connect the hose to the faucet

If you do a lot of tumbling and use a quality roller cover that you don't want to throw away, buy a roller washer ($15). You'll be glad you did. It's easy to use and the rollers are very clean - a task that takes a long time by hand, and even then, you can rarely take a real nap. Simply connect the hose to the faucet, slide the roller cover into the tube, and watch the water rinse off the paint in a matter of minutes. By typing "roller cover gasket" into the search window.

Painting ceiling edges

Cut the perimeter of the ceiling with Ceiling White and 3 in. Brush. Don't worry if you flip onto the wall. Roll the second coat of ceiling paint in the opposite direction of the first coat.

Paint brush holder - do not let bristles touch bottom of can

Soak the oil brush in cleaning solvent without bending the bristles and damaging the brush! Clip a medium or large flipchart to the handle of the brush and spread your arms to span the cleaning container so the bristles do not touch the bottom.

Out-of-the-way brush storage - hang brushes on a pole or line

Hang your brushes out of harm's way by installing a few screw holes or cup hooks in the bottom of a few rafters or floor joists. Then run the brush handle through the hard wire (or weld) and hang it all the way up.