20 Best Tool To Paint Trim (2023 Updated)

As a framer & finish carpenter, I use my 5 In 1 for multiple functions. This tool has a full tang, solid metal pommel, & thicker blade than many other brands. It also has a thick, rubber grip enabling me to maintain a comfortable, firm grip on it when using it as a chisel, a scraper, a pry bar, etc.

When possible, I exclusively purchase Purdy brand brushes. When properly maintained, they will last a year or more of projects. This 5 In 1 has already impressed me in the one (1) month I’ve been using it.

It should be a staple tool in any tool belt.

Only used so far to scape off old paint that I’d spilled onto floor tiles a few months ago. I’d tried the scrapers I already have, but this one cleaned them up very quickly. Looks like it’s other angles will be useful for cleaning paint off odd surfaces.

The handle is comfortable as well, which counts for a lot when arthritis strikes again!.

This is very useful tool particularly when you are preparing for decoration. I grind and hone the blade, the metal is good quality so you can achieve very sharp edge. Need to protect the end against accidental cuts.

A tool for every tool box. Purdy is a quality professional brand that can be relied upon.

I needed to find a good quality paint brush to paint & stain the unfinished steps. I did the risers in a traditional look, white paint and the treads were stained. I went with the Purdy XL Elite Brush and this brush did not disappoint.

Clean smooth brush strokes making it very easy to do the cuts on each step. I knew from just feeling the smooth bristles this brush would make for a clean finish look. The quality of this brush, the bristles from applying paint or stain and with the clean up doesn’t disappoint.

A comfortable smooth handle make for an easy hold too. Definitely my painting choice of brushes.

First off, I am not a professional. That being said I am venturing out and doing some home renovations myself. I was excited to try this Purdy brand paint brush. I do have a cheaper brush but after trying this brush I now know the difference.

So far I have painted two doors and used the Purdy xl 3. 0 and another Purdy brush. They work great!! They feel and fit good in your hand. I am very pleased with the outcome. This brand cleans up nice and I am told they will last me a long time if I take care of them.

I do recommend this brush. One last thing, keep the package it came in and after you clean it hang it up and put it back in the package it will help to keep its shape.

I wanted to wait until I painted my kitchen to write a review for this brush. I finally finished last night and I am very impressed with this brush. I must add I did not use a roller, only this brush.

The paint spread evenly, there were no lines whatsoever and it covered well. The paint held on to the brush so paint dripping was not an issue. It is comfortable to hold and rinsed out well. No bristles fell out or got out of place.

Really enjoyed using this brush for my project and I believe it will last for years to come.

We are working on a project to restore a keyboard instrument. After researching quite a bit we decided to paint the bulk of the case with an oil paint. Much time has been spent sanding, priming, sanding, priming.

Before getting the paint to start adding the color coats we researched brushes and found fairly unanimous advice that using a bristle + ox hair blend would yield the smoothest, finish. So we bit the bullet and purchased a 2.

5″ Ox-O-Angular (about $25). The good part is that finish does seem to flow on pretty smoothly as long as one can work fast and use very light strokes. However, the brush is very unstable. It makes almost no difference how smoothly it flows on because the bristles are constantly coming loose so that one has to use a tweezer of toothpick to pull them out of the paint surface and then try to reflow the paint again, hoping it has not dried enough to drag.

Unfortunately this is not always the case. I truly expected much better quality from a premium-priced brush. At this point, I am inspecting the brush after each dip in the paint under a high intensity light and trying to pick out any loose bristles before they appear on my work piece surface.

This is still not 100% successful. We’re talking very small panels. So far I’ve done two coats on approximately 8 sq ft of surface and have picked out about 50 bristles. I have to think this brush may be defective or else no one would use these products and recommend them.

There is no way you could use this to paint any significantly sized surfaces like fine wood trim because the inspection process is just too time consuming. Finally I’ll add that the brush cleans up nicely with mineral spirits.

The loose bristle problem was apparent immediately upon removing the new brush from the keeper and also after having cleaned it though. I’d really be interested to know whether Purdy folks believe this performance is expected or an unfortunate exception.

I have purchased many Purdy products and have always been very happy with them. I. am starting to redecorate my home and have 16 internal doors to remove, sand and paint. I bought a Purdy 2 1/2” Ox-Hair paint brush among other Purdy brushes as i wanted a mirror finish on my doors, hence the removing, sanding, priming, undercoating before applying the top coats of high gloss.

At first i was reluctant to pay the extremely high price being charged on Amazon (£52) which included the very high delivery charge as it was coming from Poland, seems you cannot buy them from a UK retailer, this is something which Purdy need to address.

I finally bit the bullet and paid the price as i wanted a 5 star finish. Well, i have got a brilliant finish so that part has been achieved but the brush is losing so many bristles that after every stroke i had to look very carefully to remove bristles from my paintwork, this meant the painting took a very long time and i had to mix Owatrol Oil with the paint otherwise it was drying out and streaking before i had finished painting.

I am hoping i have just bought a ‘bad brush’ as i cannot believe all their Ox-Hair brushes have this problem. I still would like to buy a 1 1/2” and a 2” Ox-Hair brush and another 2 1/2” brush (hopefully one which isn’t moulting) and i am am hoping Purdy can allow me to purchase directly from them in the UK and not forcing me to pay the ridiculous overseas delivery charge.

I hope Purdy can help me with this as before this issue with the Ox-Hair brush i think their products are 5*.

I have always purchased Purdy paint brushes and own many different types but this is my first Ox hair (OX-o-thin) as I wanted a brush for finishing a project with polyurethane and didn’t want to use foam brushes as I have for smaller projects.

After purchasing two ox-o brushes I combed them to get anything left during manufacturing as well as any possible lose bristle hairs and I was surprised at how many lost ones came out. After thinking I got all of them as combing no longer was removing loose bristle hairs, I started to use it.

I found that as I used it, more bristle hairs were being left behind on my project in the poly causing me to stop,wipe to remove said bristle hair, recover that area with poly and move forwards. This wasn’t a one time but happened many times causing me to have to inspect after completing an area before moving on to make sure no bristles were left behind.

Highly disappointed in this brush and will not purchase again therefore I cannot recommend it. Sadly the cheap Chinese brushes are better.

If you can find a “Soft” brush in your local DIY store you are very lucky. I tried a few as I needed to refinish the neck of a guitar. Even the most expensive supposedly non-shedding left streaks and bristles.

This Purdy brush after an initial wash and dry left a perfect finish with no shedding. I would highly recommend Purdy if you want the perfect finish.

I have always used the natural bristle brushes for my topcoats of varnish on antique restorations, but recently I tried this brush and I am very glad I did. For one the very soft and fine synthetic bristles lay down a much finer coat than I was able to get with my hog hair brushes, and they made a really perfect coat in multiple layers.

Was good to clean up and I think this brush will last a very long time if well maintained. Highly recommeded.

I’m with Kevin. I use this brush heavier latex enamels as well. Pretty much the only oil brush I will use. Holds up well to abuse too. Cleans up well and takes shape again. Long lasting.

Your pick. You need to cut in this room, but today you’ll be using a car, not a brush for the purposes of this review. And you have three vehicles to choose from. You want to do it driving a Ford Fusion, a Honda Accord, or a Porsche 911 Twin Turbo? Pricing should be considered.

I haven’t had so much fun with a new brush in many years. Yes, I am a professional. Not the professional painter who is an accountant Monday-Friday. A guy who has a brush in his hand for many of those hours.

I’m really, really impressed with these Clearcut Stiff brushes, and as a matter of fact have a Purdy in my hand these days over a Corona, and it’s always a Clearcut. It partners with my hand and puts the paint where it needs to go, and leaves it off where it shouldn’t go, and it accomplishes this with what feels like 30-50% less total physical exertion and hand/wrist fatigue over a day than any other brush.

It truly does feel like I’m finally driving a car that was designed specifically for me. My energy is translated into paint on the wall so much faster, so much cleaner, and ALL THIS is done WAY faster than my other brush.

For the first time ever it feels like the brush is working with me, not me fighting the brush! So in summary. these are good brushes. The best. I would say they are the Porsche of paint brushes. Normal Purdy, maybe the Mercedes Corona, the BMW.

Wooster, the Chevy. Proform. the Nissan.

Just bought one of these brushes to paint ceiling and door trim in a bedroom. Bought it solely on the reviews of brushes and it seemed to be one of the best. When I opened the brush it already had a few bristles that were not aligned with the others.

As I started painting more bristles became frayed and started to fall out. I also found that it didnt hold as much paint as The Royal Brush that I have been using. It was leaving some streaks, because of the fraying.

It seems like it could be a good quality brush, maybe I just got a lemon. That is why I would not recommend it.

I purchased this kit from my local Menards. It’s a savings over buying everything separately if you don’t already have the items. The brush works and cleans up well. The roller covers work very well and I dealt with very minimal lint.

The roller frame is basic with no bells and whistles, but is solid and gets the job done. The tray is solid and is a nice standard size that you can easily find and buy more liners for. Overall I was very pleased.

The cost of the set was less than what I would have paid for just the paintbrush that was included. Very pleased.

Don’t brother. Waste of money . Came ripped opened and then box taped up. the lid is your tray. Garbage.

This little brush is perfect for edging in and trim work; the super short handle allows you to maneuver in tight spaces where a full handled brush can’t. It also allows for excellent control. I have had three of these and find them to be essential.

Yes im a licensed paint contractor. This think was perfect for peacks on 3 story house. Im buying 5 more today. If theres a way to track my purchase you can see for yourself. I need to keep these in my inventory!.

This brush has came in handy on many jobs now. I used to tape my brush to a pole to cut in hard to get places where I couldn’t get a ladder this screws right on and are able to bend the brush to desired angle.

There was a weird corner by a vanity that there would be no way to get to but I was able to bend it, put it on a pole and get it done. This is a must have tool for painters.

Glad I purchased one! Not my go to brush but almost only because it holds alot of paint, easy to prime and cuts nice and sharp on various surfaces. Great for reaching out of the way places that normal brushes can’t get to.

I just hope they decide to make an inch and a half or even a two incher. I would get them both! Thanks Paint Life!.

I have been using Purdy for years and the XL Elite Dale Brush lives up to the Purdy Name. I used it to do the cut-in work on kitchen cabinets. The brush holds the paint and is a nice stiff brush. It does not leave streaks and makes for even coats of paint.

I did not experience any shedding and it held its shape for the entire project and during a rigorous cleaning. It cleans easily with warm water right after use. The tapered edge makes it easy to get tight spots and to get to the edge of the project.

Purdy has never let me down in all the projects I have done, if I am doing painting or staining I know this brush will do the job.

Not as good as the Rembrandt brushes that are surprisingly cheap and from China. I am shocked that Purdy or Wooster cant create a brush that competes with them.

These brushs are fantastic an long lasting bristles stay in tact and hold their form after Mary uses

As a painter I find this to be the best brush available on the market today.Thanks!

Perfect for applying most products, paint, stain, polyurethane, and it’s too inexpensive to ever clean. Not for big jobs, but it will last to cover 300 sq ft. Some solvents melt the styrofoam.

I used this to apply the general finishes water based interior poly product sold at rockler, as recommended by the salesman. ( also recommended on the can of finish). I was not all that happy with the results – I bought two of these pads.

On one of them, MANY of the filaments ended up in the finish. Didn’t really notice so much as I was applying the finish, but I sure did when sanding between coats! Also as I washed out the pad, I could see that about 30% of the filaments where gone.

I finished painting a shed that had rough hewn wood boards. It is a big shed and took about 1. 5 gals paint. I used one of these pad painters and it took about 4 hours. It never slipped or dumped paint.

It was much easier on the hands than a brush. I tossed it when I was done. It is a super product in my opinion.

I buy this brushes often. I like how they work and how the flow on the wall. When it comes down to washing them some times they hold lot of paint inside the center of brush. Also the nails that hold the frame to the bristles come loose over time.

As of recently the brushes have gotten loose more often.

Color Purdy Pro brushes in my case blue began bleeding color right after I rinsed for first use. It was subtle. It still bled color after sitting over nigh even after I flushed using 3/4 of a quart of thinner.

You might not even notice except for a tone / shade change. If you were to cut in with this brush it may leave you with a different shade then what your roll out. I didn’t try anymore colored brushes.

I usually use the all natural bristle brush but I wanted one I could “load up” a bit more so i could brush end to end with one stroke and cut down on brush marks.

I bought this brush (purdy pro extra stiff) with an understanding it had good capabilities in holding more paint and a better cut in line. Instead it started to split out while applying the paint (vinyl matt) and the cut in line was a disaster.

I buy purdy brushes regularly and feel let down by this brush. Are they even hand made anymore?? I’m decorating 17 years and have used all type of brush but this was terrible. I bought a Picasso angled minotaur recently and it’s a much better brush! Very annoyed painter and decorator and wouldn’t recommend.

Gary.

I bought about a dozen different brushes for an interior job and most performed well. However 4 of the brushes were made with very poor craftsmanship/material. The bristles started falling out and onto the paint resulting in a waste of precious time.

I then decided to clean the brushes to remove the rest of the loose bristles but then after they dried the bristles became brittle and crunchy. Horrible experience that has put me off purdy. I think i ill switch to Wooster since purdys quality has went down.

Didn’t realize just how much I needed this paint cup until I got it and used it. Really made the job a lot easier and faster. This little beauty will come in so handy you’ll not believe how you made it with out it.

I usually hauled the entire paint bucket up the ladder with me when I’m trying to reach the corners and around light fixtures and receptacles or tried to use an old bowl or even a paper cup which all was usually a task in itself.

With this little cup you can easily carry enough paint to tackle those areas and the handle is easy to hold on to. You can fit a brush up tp 3 inches wide in the cup. Has a drip free rim and an edge to pull off excess paint from your brush.

Easy clean up with just a rinse. Made from sturdy, durable plastic that can take a bit of rough use and still come out unscathed. Definitely recommend for any paint job.

I ordered the Linzer Plastic Trim Brush Cup with Pour Spout, Black and I’m so glad I did!! It’s the perfect accessory needed when painting!! It keeps things clean. It has a pouring spout so you don’t get paint everywhere you don’t want it.

It’s the perfect size for my smaller hands and I don’t have to lug the gallon paint can around. It also has a handle on it but its shaped so that it is easy to hold and doesn’t hurt your hands. It’s really good for the trim work as it was made for but I’ve also used it for painting in general.

It makes it so clean and easy. The paint cup is made very sturdy from a hard plastic. It’s easily cleaned and ready to be used repeatedly! I used this to paint my front porch, especially when painting the railings!! It makes it a much easier task without lugging the gallon can around!! Very nice painting cup!!.

We bought a new construction townhome recently. With workers dinging walls after being painted and moving in there were places that needed touch up work. This cup is perfect for job. Easy to carry around the house.

Makes the job a lot quicker. Pour spout makes it easy to pour leftover paint back into the paint can. Clean up is really fast as the paint rinses right out.

This brush works great with all paints and stains which means you don’t have to buy a new or different type of brush for each job you do. They come in a variety of sizes as well and they are super easy to clean up when the job is done.

A lot of heavier bodied paints don’t always spread evenly and smoothly but they do with this elite brush. The wooden handle is comfortable to grip and use. High quality paint brush.

I bought this brush on clearance, so the price was the reason I bought it. I found the brush had good paint pickup and distribution. One thing about purdy brushes, if you are using it for a sizeable job, the bristles tend to seperate in the centre and clump together on the sides.

The shorter handle is great in smal spaces but my hand was cramping after a while. It does the job and the price was right.

I’ve used the Purdy White Bristle brush for applying polyurethane to numerous furniture projects over the years. However, it seems their quality has recently taken a dive. I purchased a new brush and made one application of polyurethane.

I then cleaned the brush using mineral spirits. A few days later, after meticulously sanding the project (a bookcase) I started to apply the second coat. After completing about 25% of the bookcase. I noticed bits of brush hairs about 1/8” long literally covering the area I had painted.

Before starting, I was very careful to blow out any dust or residue, but this was incredibly disappointing. I now have to resand the bookcase to remove a finish that literally feels like sandpaper due to the residue / hairs left by your brush.

I will never again assume spending a lot of money on a Purdy brush means that they are high quality. Sadly, they are no longer considered #1 in my book!.

I hate to be negative but in all honesty I saw this brush in S. W. P. , after someone was talking about it like it was great. Being in the paint store every day and reading the great sounding description (high capacity, production) etc.

All the stuff that makes for a good day and since for some poor reason purdy no longer makes the 3in oval straight sash, Purdy Titian which was the best brush ever!!! I gave in, and spent close to $30 too much on this new hyped up high capacity brush.

I have always liked purdy tools and thier quality, but this brush slowed production and was hard to use. I actually cleaned it and broke out a different brush half way through a bathroom because it was just so flimsy i couldnt use it.

Then gave it another shot on a ext. And same result. My advice is to Stick with, which ever brush you used before or go right past it to maybe a purdy clear cut brush.

Now I have to be very honest here. I didn’t buy the edger to use as a painting tool. I actually bought it to use as a light scraper for frost on my truck windows. Now not knowing how it would work or if it would stay flexible in cold temperatures being it would be kept in a unheated vehicle before using it.

And finally just how thick of ice it would take before breaking or cracking. Well to my amazement it exceeded my expectations in all the was I mentioned above. I actually intentionally trip to break or crack it and it just kept going without any problems.

The best part is it removes frost and ice beautifully and because of all the different sizes of edges it has it works fantastic on the windows of all shapes and sizes and the mirrors. It also is large enough to help in removing the snow off the vehicle without scratching.

And it has a great Handel so holding it firm even with snow on your hands or gloves is no problem. I know that this item wasn’t designed for what I am using it for but it work fantastic and for a $1.

79 how can you possibly go wrong. Now that I wrote this review and someone from Harbor Freight reads this by chance I am sure the price will be raised and all the painters will hate me. (Only kidding on both statement BTW ) I just had to write a review on this item and it’s duel purpose.

I just though out of the box when I saw it hanging on the hook at my local Harbor Freight.

I used a hard card sharpener to trim some of the edges off. Long edge was bowed and curved. I failed to look it over in the store. Never bought a 4 Way before that wasn’t square and straight. Luckily because they are so cheap I purchased two and one was okay.

With some modifications and trimming off the sharp edges on the handles I actually have one now I really like. 5 stars for it when fixed. 3 Stars as is where is in the store.

Liked the price. It is lightweight and can be cleaned up easily. It’s my first time buying and using this tool and will use it again. I like that I was able to leave it in the water til I was ready to give it a good cleaning and it didn’t rust nor did the paint stick to it.

It just rolled off. Yes I will buy it again and will recommend.

As the owner of a residential service provider, I always leave a brush with the remaining paint for my clients and these brushes offer a very affordable little parting gift and are actually quite good quality for the price.

I personally have used this brush and always keep several on hand new for back ups. They offer a smooth straight cut in and when loaded hold a good amount of paint. If you clean them right away they will last a few jobs.

The nails holding the band around the handle fall out after a couple jobs, but in my mind for the cost vs quality it’s well worth it. They pay for themselves after one job. And could be used as a through away brush if desired.

I just always try to clean and maintain my tools. But these have never lasted longer then a month with consecutive daily use and (soaking/cleaning). So (Harsh Abuse). That’s the only thing that makes a Purdy brush or Wooster Superior.

Other then the longevity, the quality and brush stroke is equal to that of most top name brands in the 10-15 dollar range. So I’d go with these brushes anyway over the 15-20 dollar options. Appearance and presentation are very important to me so I buy new tools and equipment & brushes regularly regardless of the condition.

I don’t like sloppy paint covered tools.

I bought a couple of these to use as throw-away brushes for a project involving 2 part epoxy paint. 5 minutes into painting the brush bristles started to pull out and remain in the applied epoxy paint; frustrating.

I switched over to an old more expensive (W-brand) brush which I had used for latex paints numerous times. That brush performed beautifully. At the end of the day I attempted to clean both brushes with Zylene, then Brush Cleaner and finally Vinegar.

The expensive W-brand brush surprisingly came back to life (not expected when using it with 2 part epoxy paint). The HF brush was trashed. So, I guess you get what you pay for. At 3X more expensive, the W-brand seemed worth it in that it performed better and recovered after harsh chemical cleaning.