Paint Brush Guide: Getting the Best Results with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Bonjour! It's good to be back — it's been a hot minute since my last post, and I'll have to excuse my tardiness, but I'm in the middle of moving house and the packing seems endless. Just when I think I've got a room sorted, I find more to pack. Why is it that packing a house takes forever, yet unpacking takes five minutes? Thankfully it's nearly done and now we wait for moving day — though I'm sure something else will pop up before then!

Today I want to talk about choosing the right paintbrush for your upcycling project. There are so many brushes out there, and believe me — they are not all created equal, and they won't all give you the same effect. I've loved the Annie Sloan brushes ever since I discovered chalk paint back in 2013, and they never disappoint. Even within the Annie Sloan range there are a few different options, so today I'm going to walk you through the most common brushes used for upcycling projects — the ones that will make your piece look amazing and help you achieve exactly the effect you're after.

First up are the original natural bristle paint brushes, available in small, medium and large, made from hog hair, which holds paint beautifully and gives that gorgeous texture of brushstrokes. Thanks to their density and ability to hold as little or as much paint as you need, there are so many different textured finishes you can create with these brushes. Once your brush is loaded, the split ends help create texture and spread the paint evenly with amazing coverage.

Personally, I love how easy it is to create that vintage, time-worn look with these brushes — making a piece look as though it's been around for years, not painted just last week. Honestly, I don't think there's another brush I'd depend on more for a textured finish and vintage look than the natural bristle brush.

It's also worth noting that these were the original wax brushes too, and they can absolutely still be used for waxing — even though Annie has since designed a dedicated wax brush for the job.

Next we have the newer range of brushes made from advanced synthetic fibres, designed to create a contemporary look while minimising brushstrokes. Available in small and large, these brushes are perfect if you want as little brushstroke detail as possible — they're designed to hold a lot of paint and spread it evenly, keeping brushstrokes barely there.

These are the brushes I reach for when I want a sleek, contemporary feel to a piece, as they give that gorgeous smooth finish that looks almost as if it's been sprayed rather than hand painted.

Lastly, we have Annie's newer wax brushes. As I mentioned earlier, the original natural bristle paint brushes doubled as wax brushes and can still be used for waxing — but the new dedicated wax brush is a game changer. Its pointed shape, combined with a blend of pointed and flagged polyester fibres arranged in a cross pattern, gives excellent coverage and gets into even the smallest crevices with ease — something a flatter wax brush simply can't do as well.

These wax brushes also hold an amazing amount of wax and spread it far and wide, which means you're using less product and spending less time getting a piece waxed. Trust me, once you've waxed with one of these you'll wonder how you ever managed without it.

Over the years I've used many different paint brushes, but none really compare to Annie's for quality and durability. I still have — and regularly use — that very first natural bristle brush I bought back in 2013, and I've acquired many more of each variety since then. As someone who restores and upcycles furniture for a living, I can't stress enough how important it is to have the right tools for the job. Whether you want lots of texture or that beautiful contemporary smooth finish, there's a brush for you....or maybe two.

À bientôt.....Michelle x