Whether you are planning on upcycling your old chest of drawers with that shabby-chic look or transforming an ornamental mirror into a bright and bold statement piece, chalk paint is a great alternative to traditional household paints. As an increasingly popular paint, chalk paint is easy to apply, quick to dry and leaves a stunning finish. It can give walls, furniture and ornaments a new lease of life! While still being relatively new on the market, there are many questions about chalk paint, with most of them revolving around its application – specifically, on the best brushes for chalk painting furniture. To help you narrow down the brushes you need to paint your furniture with chalk paint, we’ve put together a few things to consider. How to choose the best brushes for chalk paint You may have seen people using both oval and straight brushes in chalk painting tutorials. If you want to make the most of your paint job, it’s important to use the best brush for chalk paint, rather than a one-size-fits-all craft shop find. Shape Typically, the best brush for chalk paint projects is an oval one. You will use these to apply the paint to furniture, with specialist wax brushes available for the wax to seal and protect it. You can choose from small oval brushes and large oval brushes that allow you to get your desired finish and coverage. For getting into tight corners, especially on furniture such as wooden chairs or decorative mirrors, angled brushes and detailing brushes do just the trick. Flat brushes, on the other hand, are great for covering large, smooth surfaces through long brushstrokes. Bristles There are two types of bristles when it comes to paintbrushes – synthetic and natural. Since both work well with chalk paint, it’s worth considering a blend of the two. A blend of natural and synthetic bristles make the best brushes for chalk painting furniture. Width When shopping for chalk paint brushes, you should also consider the width of the brush head. For larger projects, you will cover more surface area with a wide, straight brush than you will with an oval brush, although getting into tight areas and corners may prove difficult. Today, you can get different sized oval brushes, which are sufficient for many projects. Do brushes matter when it comes to painting? It’s an absolute must to use the right tool for the job. If you’re wondering how to get a smooth finish when painting, the most important thing is to choose the right brush to begin with. Sometimes it’s tempting to take the easy or cheap way out, but it can end up costing you more in the long run. If you use the cheapest, most basic paintbrushes, then you may find that your paint job doesn’t turn out as good. If you use poor quality paintbrushes, you could end up using more paint to rectify the patchy coverage. The bristles may also come loose during painting, resulting in stray hairs on the furniture and a poor paint finish Can I use a regular paintbrush for chalk paint? Although there is no set rule that states you must use a special type of paintbrush when applying chalk paint, it’s worth considering before diving straight in. Poor quality tools are likely to increase the risk of a substandard final product. You might be tempted to use the brushes that you have lying around the house. However, cheap and low-quality brushes are often not the best solution when using chalk paint. They shed bristles and give uneven coverage. Generally, you will need a quality brush to give you the best results. Oval, Italian handcrafted brushes that are made from natural and synthetic bristles are preferable to when using chalk paint. How to prevent brush strokes with chalk paint While some like the unique shabby chic aesthetic that can be achieved through applying a thin coat of chalk paint with purposely visible brush strokes, others prefer a smooth, matte and seamless look. Fear not – both can be achieved with chalk paint, whatever your desired outcome. To minimise the appearance of visible brush strokes on your project, there are a number of tips to try whilst developing your own technique: Sunlight – Don’t work in direct sunlight as the paint could dry too quickly and cause drag marks. Overloading – Don’t overload your brush with paint. Dip only a short way down the bristles and apply with long, smooth, even strokes and a light touch. Let the brush do the work. Too much paint on the brush can lead to it becoming overworked and cause dragging. Think thinner coats. Water – Some like to work with a dampened brush or to lightly mist the surface with water. This slows drying a little and means drag marks are less likely. Slightly thinning the paint with tap water works for some, but it can affect coverage. Sanding – Where brush marks do occur, these can be minimised by sanding back lightly once dry. Whisk off the dust and apply another coat. Brushes – Good brushes, designed for chalk paint pick up and release are helpful. Practice – Above all, practice makes perfect! Easy and effective brushes for chalk painting Finding the right paintbrushes for your project doesn’t have to be difficult. At Frenchic Paint, we stock a range of Italian, handcrafted, oval brushes for chalk paint. Made with a careful choice of natural and synthetic bristles, our brushes can absorb plenty of paint yet maintain their brilliant shape time after time. With durable, affordable brushes that work best with chalk paint, we can help you skip the hassle of finding the right brushes. If you’re planning on doing a lot of projects that require chalk painting, don’t hang around. Grab a few of our brushes and get painting. We know that you’ll enjoy using them as much as we do!