When it comes to intricate painting where a roller cannot be used, the term is cutting in.
Whilst you can cut in using a normal paint brush, it is actually much better to use a cutting in paint brush to carry out this task instead. These differ from normal paint brushes by way having their bristles angled.
There are a lot of different cutting in paint brushes available, but as is often the case, there are a lot of cheap ones that should be avoided. Generally speaking, the really cheap brushes are only suitable for a one time use. Therefore, it is much better to invest in quality brushes. Below, you will find some of my favourite cutting in brushes that I have used time and again with a flawless finish.
Pro Dec Ice Fusion
Pro Dec are a well known brush manufacturer that has countless happy customers. Their Ice Fusion cutting in brush is no exception. What I really like about this range is that they offer three different brush widths which are 1”, 1.5” and 2”. The benefit of this is that you can choose the one that best suits your needs, especially when you need to use the brush in extremely tight areas. By using these smaller brush heads, it really does minimise the chance of mistakenly painting part of the woodwork.
Another major plus point is the fact that the weight of the brushes, regardless of the size is spot on. At no point during my testing did I feel that the brush was cumbersome of uncomfortable to hold. This is really important if you’re planning on painting a large area with this brush. The handle is extremely strong and passed the test of being dropped several times without there being any damage to it, or the ferrule.
In addition to this, the bristles are able to be used on a wide variety of paints, including emulsion and gloss. The benefit of this is that you can save money be washing the brush to do the gloss work after the emulsion, as opposed to having to buy two separate brushes.
Even after washing the brush several times, the filaments on it were just as soft as they were when it came out of the packet. Again, another bonus since some brushes do start to harden up after repeated washes. With the Pro Dec Ice Fusion, every time I used it, it felt as though I was using a brand new brush, and always had a flawless finish.
- Ideal for water-based paints including emulsions (eg. matt, silk, eggshell), gloss and satin, as well as woodstains and varnishes
Last update on 2023-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Cottam Short Handle Brush
Another excellent brush manufacturer is Cottam. Whilst they are also known for making car detailing brushes, their real claim to fame is making paint brushes.
The short handle brush is stubbier, with it being just under 10cm in length. However, it still feels excellent in the hand. As someone with pretty big hands, I never found it to be uncomfortable, and was able to carry out my testing with this for quite some time. The handle is made from beech wood. Not only does it look great, but it’s also super strong. Much like the Pro Dec, I dropped the Cottam several times and there was no damage to the ferrule or the handle itself, and all of the bristles remained intact.
The brush head is 2.5” wide, making it ideal for those that prefer to cut in whilst also covering a larger area. For tigther areas, I would recommend a narrower brush. It also performed admirably with a wide variety of paints including emulsion and gloss. For each paint type, the finish was brilliant and it was a professional looking job (something that you would pay quite a lot of money for).
- 2.5” angled cutting in brush – built for precision and speed.
Last update on 2023-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Harris Seriously Good Walls and Ceilings
Our final recommendation on the list is from the well known brand Harris. Harris have been making paint brushes for longer than I’ve been alive, which is quite a while.
Unlike the other two brushes on this list, the Harris has a plastic handle. Despite this, it still feels extremely good to hold onto for long periods of time. I never felt any fatigue when using the Harris.
The brush head is 2” wide, and really does make cutting in a real breeze. The brush was able to go through a real battery of tests, and handled a wide range of paints with ease and really did give a professional finish. Much like the other two brushes on this list, the bristles were just as good after then tenth paint as they were on the first. This is a brush that has been built to last and will serve you well for a long time for your cutting in needs.
Last update on 2023-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API