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Most Common Painting QuestionsPurdy’s Paint Doctor answers hundreds of questions each year about painting, brushes, rollers and more. Following are the most-asked questions. You will likely find the answer to your question here, but if not, use the search engine or contact the Paint Doctor directly. Brush/Roller Care and Cleaning Brush/Roller Care and CleaningWhat type of soap do I use to clean my brushes when using latex paint?Any mild bar soap or dishwashing detergent will work. What is the best way to clean brushes after using oil-base and water-base paints?Brush Maintenance
What is the best way to clean a roller? I have a project coming up where I will be applying several coats. I would like to reuse a quality roller.
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The Paint Doctor strongly recommends the use of a brush comb. This tool is very useful in cleaning through the center of the brush and removing any residue near the ferrule’s edge. Paint residue left in the brush will harden and "set" the bristles, which will lose their bend recovery. Once clean, use the comb to straighten the bristles or filaments to prevent "fingering". Reshape the brush to its original shape, replace in its keeper and lay flat to dry. (After hard use, it may be necessary to steam synthetic brushes or dip natural-bristle brushes in boiling water to aid in reshaping.)
Remove the brush, and using stiff nylon bristle brush gently rub the filament following the flow of the bristles. Follow with a clear water rinse. Repeat the process if necessary.  Purdy XL Dale |
 Purdy XL Glide |
Both are trim brushes and are used for “cutting in,” which is the process of applying paint around trim, doors and other areas. A Dale brush is thinner than a Glide brush and is a little easier to use; while the Glide brush holds more paint. The Dale has square corners and the Glide has round corners, which is largely a matter of personal preference. Homeowners/Do-it-yourselfers with limited paint experience should probably start with the Dale brush since it is easier to use. Professionals and experienced DIYers tend to prefer the Glide brushes.
Why can't I use a White China bristle brush (or any natural fiber brush) with water-based paints?
White China bristles are made from natural fibers like our hair. When the bristles get wet, the brush gets soft and has no backbone. Synthetic filaments retain their stiffness and body with all types of finishes.
What is the difference between a nylon/poly brush and a 100% nylon brush? What is the advantage, if any, to adding polyester?
Professional painters often prefer a 100% nylon brush for painting interiors with latex enamels. However, nylon reacts to heat and humidity by getting softer and harder to use. Nylon processes better than any synthetic filament (tips and flags) and is twice as abrasion-resistant as polyester and 7 times as natural bristle.
Polyester adds stiffness retention to the brush and helps limit the reaction to heat and humidity, so they are ideal for exteriors as well as interiors. These brushes work with all types of paints and stains and are considered “all purpose” brushes.
It is worth mentioning that Purdy synthetic filament brushes perform exceedingly well in oil-base paints. This is due to the various processing and finishing steps in our manufacturing operation that softens the synthetic material and eliminates "drag" when used with oil-base paints.
Both the 100% nylon and nylon/poly blends allow paint to flow smoothly, thus, the choice comes down to the environment. If your climate has high heat and humidity at the time you will be painting, use the poly/nylon blend. If not, select the brush you prefer.
To select a specific brush or roller for your application, visit our Tool Selector.
PAINT DOCTOR TIP: For homeowners/do-it-yourselfers, our most popular line of brushes is the XL Glide™ series … they work with all paints and most surfaces and provide consistent coverage, excellent paint lift and smooth application. If you are looking for one brush family to cover your painting needs, this is the series we recommend.
What kind of roller do you suggest using for painting a bathroom with a satin latex paint on a drywall surface?
We are assuming the drywall has been primed and is ready for paint. Use a 9” White Dove™ roller cover in either a 1/4" or 3/8” pile height for the best results.
Painting Tips
Can I paint over stain? The exterior of our house is coated with stain and I want to paint over it. What are the steps to do this?
You should have no problem getting paint to hold over stain. Be sure that the surfaces to paint are clean, that the stain is totally dry and that there are no loose chips on the surface. Prime the house with a pigmented stain sealer to prevent “flashes” or “hotspots” coming through the paint. Then, paint with a good quality paint and brush designed for the outdoors, like our XL Glide™ series.
At what temperature can you begin to paint? Is it the same for oil and acrylic stains?
Once the temperature drops below about 55 degrees Fahrenheit paint becomes a little harder to work with. It is also easier to get sags in paint because of the slower dry times. Temperatures for latex and oil paints differ, as do stains and paints. Please read the label on the can of finish and follow the manufacturers’ recommendations.
I started re-painting my kitchen and discovered that it had a layer of paint and a layer of wallpaper underneath. The surface on the wall started bubbling, but only in one spot. Can I remove the loose paper, prime with a good oil-based primer and then paint? I don´t want to remove the old paper.
Score around the paper that has lifted, remove the loose paper AND paste, then prime the area plus a couple of inches around the remaining paper. You will need to feather the edges with spackle and then prime the spackle. You should prime with a roller to create a stipple that matches the rest of the wall and then you should be ready for paint.
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