Using a medium cost/quality paint brushes, does anyone have any tips for dealing with acrylic paint drying off quickly in warm weather? Do you soak them in water first or some other liquid? Wash after with a weak solution of meths? There must be tricks of the trade.
I'm using a limited quantity of paint and packing up after about 45 minutes to give the brushes a really thorough wash, (water only) but whilst it suits my grasshopper/sprint mentality it isn't exactly the most efficient use of time. I hate brushes going hard or getting caked with paint and try to look after them. Enamels/oil paints are messier to wash with turps and warm soapy water, but with the shift to water based paints and varnishes, this is getting to be a problem.
Rollers are OK and wash out easily, but not the brushes.
ang_ck,
Feb 5, 2:03am
I used to put them in the fridge if I want to use it the next day, but now I wash them thoroughly after every painting job, even if it is only 15 minutes. IMO, I waste alot of paint because the paintbrush do carry a bit of "reserve" inside them.
When washing, I brush them gently with Raven Clear nail brush to remove the "reserve" paint inside the brush and also to remove any harden paint.
bluefrog2,
Feb 5, 3:05am
With acrylic paint, if I have to leave the paintbrush for a short while - not more than a couple of hours, I clingwrap it tightly and run a rubber band around the base of the brush, then leave it in a cool, damp spot like in the laundry sink.
lilyfield,
Feb 5, 3:12am
And always wet your dry brush in water before starting., thin down paint slightly in hot weather.
ang_ck,
Feb 5, 3:36am
I agree completely.
socram,
Feb 5, 6:47pm
Thanks. I had thought about wetting the brush first but thought that in this warm weather, it would still dry out very quickly.
bluefrog2,
Feb 7, 4:31am
If you're going to be thinning the paint with water anyway, you can also leave the brush in a jar of cold water for a short while, instead of having to wash it up.
socram,
Feb 7, 2:52pm
One thing I am not doing is thinning the paint! Trying to paint parts of the house not normally accessible without scaffolding is bad enough, without having to give them a second, third or fourth coat! The paint coverage (Resene) is excellent and I am making good use of the scaffolding whilst it is up for a new roof. May as well get some value out of it, as it costs a fortune and will be down by the end of the week.
You can't leave paint on the brushes for couple of hours, even in cling film, as it is drying on the outside of the brush well before that anyway whilst the brush is still in use.
tigra,
Feb 7, 3:52pm
Painting in really hot temps is a no no for acrylics. I've found the paint can get a skim top on it and it the heat tends to thicken it up anyway., Wetting the brush before you start does help but you have to keep a container of water available to dip the brush into occasionally
socram,
Jul 19, 4:54am
Thanks. A bit cooler today and used the small roller anyway - which washes out very easily. Just a bit of touching up with a smaller cheap brush required now and I treat them as virtually disposable. Always pour a small quantity of paint into a small roller tray or a 500gm yoghurt container and paint from them after putting the lid back on the tin or tub.
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