If you’re new to the world of painting, or you’re about to DIY paint a room in your house, you might have a few questions on what to do and what not to do.
With so many tricks and tips, along with methods and techniques, it can be overwhelming to get it perfect on the first go, which is why it’s best to keep it simple and stick to the basic rules that will ensure you get it right.
One of the main questions new painters have is whether you should wet your paint brush before painting or not.
Do you need to dip it in water and then in the pain? Or do you take a dry paint brush and stick it straight into the pot of paint? It might seem like a stupid question to ask, but it’s completely valid!
It ultimately depends on the type of paint that you are using, so you should first and foremost check the instructions that come with your paint or the label that comes with the paint container.
Some paints work best with a dry paint brush, and others require you to wet them beforehand.
But if you’re looking for a general answer, most paints work best if you wet your paint brush beforehand, so that is what you should almost always do.
That being said, it is just as important to know exactly how wet the paint brush should be before use, as wetting the paint brush can be done in many different degrees of wetness!
Related: How long can primer sit before painting?
To wet your paint brush, dip it in some water, or put it under a running tap for a few seconds until it is completely wet.
But then, before using it with the paint, you will need to get rid of all the excess water it has absorbed, or else you will be placing that water onto the wall along with the paint.
To remove this excess water, you can squeeze the paint brush by pressing it against a surface, so that the water comes out.
Basically, after removing the excess water the paint brush should no longer be soaking wet, but it should still be damp all over.
Once you have it in this way, you can dip it into the paint, and use it for painting.
Is it ok to paint with a damp brush?
Painting with a damp brush is not only ok, but it is also usually a requirement!
Most paints need you to wet your paint brush beforehand, but instead of using the paint brush while it is soaking, you first need to remove the excess water.
So ultimately, wetting the paint brush beforehand should leave you with a damp brush, and that is when it is ready to be dipped into the paint and used for painting.
So in other words, a damp brush is perfect for painting, and is what you should aim for!
But, why do you need the brush to be damp? How does the dampness help with the painting? That’s a great question, and worth asking in order to know why it is necessary to wet your paint brush beforehand.
Essentially, having the brush be damp helps transfer the paint onto the new surface a lot better, so that it is overall a lot easier to apply, and the painting is smoother and easier!
So while you could still paint with a dry brush, having it damp will make the job a lot easier, and it is highly recommended! Consider it one of the basic rules, as it is simple, and makes a huge difference.
Should I wet my brush before applying acrylic paint?
Not all paints require you to wet your paint brush beforehand, but acrylic paint certainly does!
So yes, you should wet your brush before using acrylic paint. This will help the paint be applied a lot easier and will allow you to paint in a smoother and more effortless way.
It will also keep the paint from drying out too fast and will ensure there are no lumps in the paint so that everything is even on the painted surface.
Plus, it can help blend different paint colors together a lot better, for a more professional end result!
Do you have to wash paint brushes after every use?
After you have completed a painting job, you probably want nothing else than to sit down and take a well-deserved rest, but there’s one last thing you need to do: wash your paint brushes.
However, is this actually necessary? As in, do you really need to wash your paint brushes after every single use?
The answer is yes. In fact, washing your paint brushes is absolutely vital to their proper maintenance, and it is something you should do immediately after using them.
So that means you can’t even take a break and then wash them. You need to wash them as soon as you’ve finished painting.
This is because leaving them coated in paint, which will then become dry, for long periods of time, can seriously damage the bristles.
As for having to do it immediately, this is because you have no time to spare.
You might be tempted to just leave the brushes soaking in some water while you catch a breath, but leaving them to soak in a liquid for too long can also be incredibly bad for the brushes, and could significantly damage their bristles.
And trust us, there is nothing worse than a brush with damaged bristles, as it will no longer apply the paint smoothly or effectively.
You can usually clean a brush with some mild soap and warm water, and if you do it straight away it shouldn’t be too hard to remove all of the paint.
However, depending on the paint you’ve used with the brush, you might need a specific type of cleaning solution.
