Must-Have Paint Tools
Not all tools are created equal. Whether you are a DIYer or mural artist yourself, having the right tool can make the job go easier, faster and make it so much more enjoyable! We have tried out so many different tools and supplies over the years and have found out the hard way what works and what doesn’t. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but a great place to start as you are working on your own projects.
The Basics
Paint Brushes - A good quality brush is the most essential item in your toolkit. If you are painting murals, you’ll want various sizes, and there’s no such thing as too many.
Standard Brushes - The only brushes we use are Purdy Paint brushes. They hold up best over time and give the cleanest lines. Our favorites are the Clear Cut 1.5 inch and 2 inch.
Artist Brushes - We’ve tried a lot of different options, but the ones we like best are the Royal and Langnickel purple handle craft brushes from Walmart. They are easy to clean and give decent coverage.
Paint - We use Sherwin Williams paint for all our murals, Resilience for exterior, Duration and To-Go tubs for interior, generally in a satin finish. It has great coverage and durability.
Drop Cloth - Our drop cloths take a beating and have saved us from disaster more than once. The only one we’ll use is One Tuff Dropcloth. The top layer is cloth that soaks in the paint so you aren’t tracking anywhere and it doesn’t flake off all over your floor. The bottom layer is plastic and keeps spills from soaking through.
Rollers - Rolling areas of paint saves us a lot of time and with the mini roller it make sense for even fairly small areas. Rolling also gives the mural a more uniform texture and removes uneven brush marks that can show up when viewed at certain angles. We recommend a different handle for every color, if possible. It saves time having to switch and reduces the chance of accidentally mixing paint from a dirty roller handle. Handles and covers can vary in quality, but not enough for us to be too picky about which ones we use.
Small roller covers and handles are great if you are working with less paint since the cover doesn’t soak in as much. We usually use smaller rollers when we are working with quarts of each color, or murals with smaller areas. The ones with a nap are better than the foam for coverage.
Large roller covers and handles soak in a lot more paint which is great to cover large areas. Choose a higher nap if you are working on a very textured wall like brick or cinderblock.
Paint Tray - We often need 10+ paint trays at a time so our go-to is the ones that are sturdy enough to be used on their own, but disposable so they are affordable to swap out if needed. After painting, we always scrape out the tray and then let it dry. We’ve found we can reuse these trays many times over before they have to be replaced.
Helpful Add-Ons
Besides the basics, there are several things that we rarely paint without. While they may not be absolutely necessary, they certainly make the job a lot easier
Handy cup - holding a quart or gallon of paint for any period of time can can be exhausting. We love that the handy cup makes holding paint more comfortable and the brush holder magnet is a game changer when you are climbing up and down a ladder.
White eraser - We often draw designs on with a pencil and stray marks need to be cleaned up between coats of paint. If the pencil doesn’t come off with a wet cloth, we opt for a white eraser because it’s less likely to leave any reside.
Painters tape - We don’t often tape off our designs, but when we do, we prefer to use Frog tape. It has the cleanest lines and that means less touch ups for us.
Cloths - A wet cloth is important to have on hand and has saved us countless times. We have tried various kinds, but by far we like precision-fiber cleaning cloths the best.
Rubber mallet - Closing your paint cans tightly is vital. A rubber mallet keeps you from damaging the lid and ensures you get a good seal every time.
Plastic wrap - The key to maintaining your brushes is to keep them wet or clean immediately. Plastic wrap is a great way to keep your brushes wet in between coats or colors.
Chalk line - The easiest way to get long straight lines is by snapping a chalk line. Make sure you are using the correct chalk. We use the purple dust-off chalk because it wipes off easily and doesn’t stain the wall.
Level - There’s nothing worse than getting a design on the wall and realizing it’s not level. Your phone can help out in a pinch, but a small investment in a long level can save you a time and heartache.
Extension Pole - Roller extension poles come in handy, especially if you are on a ladder. We like the adjustable one so that it’s easy to store an can adjust to the size you need.
Go Pro
If you are thinking about painting on a regular basis or even starting your own mural business, there are a few extra investments we recommend.
Projector - If you do any designing on the computer or would like to incorporate text into your design, a projector could be a good investment. There are a lot of different options here. This Epson projector is the one we use on a weekly basis and have had good results. If you have more money to invest, a short throw projector may be helpful for tighter spaces.
Step ladder - Unless you are painting very low to the ground, a good step ladder is so important. This Rubbermaid one is the one we use for just about every job. It’s light enough to carry with one hand and juggle other supplies and is sturdy enough to handle constant use.
A frame ladder - What this ladder costs you in weight, it pays back in versatility and function. We love that you can climb up either side or extend it flat if you need to go higher.
Rolling Container System - Organizing and keeping track of supplies can be challenging. We love our Craftsman Versastack system because we can connect everything we need in one easy rolling stack of containers.
If these lists seem like a lot, don’t stress! Start with the basics and then add in more supplies as you go along. You’ll be glad you did!
Did we miss anything? Have any questions we didn’t answer? Comment here or find us on IG or FB @ironbrushmurals.
Happy Painting!