Maintenance for paint/stain brushes

[CarverJerry]

I'm looking for some tips on how to maintain brushes. Seems like after I clean mine with mineral spirits they still get still, even if I wash them out with warm soap and water afterwards. Any pointers you guys have would sure make my day.

CJ

[cnsranch]

Do what I do - buy these or the two inchers, and toss 'em when you're done.

http://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-36-1-inch-industrial-grade-chip-brushes-4181.html

[alan.galbraith]

http://www.askthebuilder.com/686_Cleaning_Paint_Brushes.shtml

This site makes sense.

by the way, I use the 1" foam brushes. (I know) I'm filling the landfills.

[TerryT]

Jerry,
I do the same. You use as much in thinner, etc, to clean a brush as you would just buying a box of brushes for 6 bucks and tossing them when your done.

[Smoken D]

Grizzly has a box of 150 on sale at Christmas time. Was there last week, pointed them out to my wife and said that's what I want for Christmas. Do it every year and about how long they last me. Use and toss, don't cost me a penny! Great Christmas gift!

[JLT]

If I have a big job that requires a brush or nap roller over the course of a few days (paint, stain, poly, or glue), I wrap it up in saran wrap in between uses. I'm a little more careful with oil based stains, though, because of the potential combustion aspect. Usually I let them dry out and chuck them, but on rare occasions I'll leave them wrapped up, but laying in the middle of the concrete floor as extra precaution...

[Old Salt]

Just can't beat a good brush.


Water Base - rinse thee times with fresh water and soap,
Work in liquid soap into brush.
fold brush in one full sheet of news paper.
put brush in plastic bag and seal.
Store in frig if you can laying flat.
before using again just rinse with water.


Oil base - rinse out three times with paint thinner fresh each time . Save thinner in can and pour off top after paint or Polly .
Rube in some oil mineral or linseed '
Fold in one full sheet of newspaper .
put in plastic bag and seal
Store in cool flat place.
Rinse out oil to use with paint thinner.

I have some brushes that I use that are 30 years old "talk about cheep "

[liquidguitars]

For shelace i put the brush is a seperate contaner and it wil dryout, set the brush back into the finish to soak and its soft in 10 min...

[CarverJerry]

Well, guess I've learned a whole lot tonight. Thanks for all the tips, now I can save my good brushes and also go out to harbor frieght and buy some cheap ones just to toss. That one video showed me that I was doing every thing wrong with my expensive brushes......go figure, and to top it off he said to treat it like your hair......well hell thats my problem.....I'm bald....lol

CJ