5 Best Paint Brushes for Furniture (According To DIY Experts)

How many times have you gotten frustrated when it comes to painting furniture because of the streaky paintwork?

No matter how many times you paint the surface of your furniture, no matter how many coats you give it, it always ends up being anything but perfect.

Which means you're going to end up with streaky furniture that looks ugly in your home.

Surprisingly, the trick is all in the paintbrush you use.

Is it really worth spending the money on a quality brush if you just want to paint furniture? We certainly think so!

But with so many different paintbrushes and best paint tools available on the market, how can you choose the best paint brush for furniture? 

I've saved you the work and selected the best paint brushes for furniture according to DIY experts and professional painters. 

Short on time? Check the top pick below!...

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OUR TOP PICK

Chalk Paints Brush Set Large 2.5 in & Small 1 Inches Brush, Painting & waxing Brush for Furniture & Stencils, Can be Used for Milk Paint and Soft Wax.

This set of 2 chalk and wax paintbrushes from Modern Art Supplies are just the things you need for those furniture painting jobs.

These particular brushes are ideal for use with a variety of paints and furniture wax so you can rest assured that these will give you the finish you need.

Both of these high-quality paintbrushes have been constructed using only natural bristles from animal hair.

This helps to achieve an even finish when it comes to painting furniture.

The handles of the paintbrushes are made from birch wood and also features a nickel-plated ferrule.

So you’ll know that you’re buying a quality paintbrush set that will last you for many years to come!

This particular set of paintbrushes comes with two different sized brushes so you can choose the best brush for the job at hand.

This set includes one small round brush and one 2.5 inch large oval brush.

This will be ideal for painting large areas, as well as smaller areas or just painting the fine edges without having to buy more paintbrushes for the job.

These paintbrushes make use of an easy to grip handle and are lightweight.

This will be an essential feature if you’re painting for hours at a time and want to avoid wrist fatigue.

You can effortlessly move these paintbrushes in any direction, too, thanks to their unique round design.

This particular set of paintbrushes is suitable for use on a wide variety of furniture.

You can use them to paint chairs, tables, doors, and many more.

Whichever furniture you wish to paint, these brushes are the ideal choice for the job!

Pros:

  • Set of 2 high-quality paintbrushes suitable for use on furniture

  • Can be used on a variety of furniture including chairs, tables, and doors

  • Uses quality materials such as natural bristles and birch wood

  • Two different sizes for smooth, even finish

  • Lightweight and easy to use

Cons:

  • Brushes may shed some bristles when in use

EDITORS CHOICE

New Renaissance Professional Chalk Painting and Wax Brush, Large, Natural Bristles

The New Renaissance professional chalk painting and wax brush is an ideal choice if you need a paintbrush for furniture.

This particular paintbrush makes use of natural bristles so that you get that smooth finish that you’re after. 

This particular paintbrush has been manufactured with furniture in mind.

It will work with all furniture, which is ideal if you want to paint a variety of pieces.

New Renaissance has only used the finest materials to construct this paintbrush.

So you’ll know that it will last you for many years to come.

Perfect if you want to buy a brush to last you for the foreseeable future rather than having to replace an inferior brush!

This particular paintbrush is suitable for use with a variety of paints as well as furniture wax.

Perfect if you’re looking for a versatile brush that can be used for a variety of decorative projects.

The New Renaissance paintbrush is lightweight.

It only weighs 3.2 ounces, so you won’t need to worry about getting any cramp or wrist fatigue when using it. 

Just the thing to look for when you plan on using it for long periods of time!

Pros:

  • Designed with painting furniture in mind

  • Uses premium materials including natural bristles

  • Suitable for use on all furniture

  • Suitable for use with various paints and furniture wax

  • Lightweight and easy to use

Cons:

  • Only includes one paintbrush

BEST VALUE

Chalk & Wax Paint Brush for Furniture - Painting or Waxing - Clear & Dark Soft Wax - Compatible with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Milk Paint, Home Decor, Stencils - Natural Pure Bristles

The Tatler & Tatum chalk and wax paintbrush is perfect if you plan on painting furniture.

This particular paintbrush is suitable for a variety of paints and furniture wax, so you can rest assured that it’s perfect for your DIY decorating jobs.

This particular paintbrush only uses natural bristles.

This will be essential for getting that smooth, even finish that you’re after. 

It also uses other high-quality materials to be as long-lasting as possible.

The handle is made from beech wood and the ferrule is nickel-plated.

This will be a paintbrush that will last you for many years to come if looked after properly.

The great thing about this particular paintbrush is that it has been designed for minimal shedding.

All of the natural bristles are densely packed and held together with Tatler & Tatum’s specially designed high strength epoxy adhesive.

This not only creates a low shedding design, but also helps to maintain the integrity of the natural bristles.

Tatler & Tatum have designed this paintbrush with a round head.

The round head of this paintbrush will hold much more paint on it than a flat head brush can.

This means you can get more paint on your furniture without worrying about having to constantly dip your brush in the paint tin!

This paintbrush is perfect for use on a variety of furniture surfaces.

It can be used to paint wood, fabric, metal, and even ceramic.

Perfect if you’ve got several different types of furniture that you want to get painted!

Pros:

  • Designed with a variety of furniture surfaces in mind

  • Perfect for use with a variety of paints and furniture wax

  • Uses high-quality materials including natural bristles

  • Features a low shedding bristle design

  • Uses a round head design for better paint application

Cons:

  • Only one paintbrush available

RUNNER UP

Chalk & Wax Paint Brush (Set of 6) for Waxing & Painting Projects – 100% Natural Boar Bristles, Ergonomic Handles, Minimum Shedding – Smooth Coverage for Furniture, Milk Paint & Stencil

This DIYARTZ chalk and wax paintbrush set gives you everything you could possibly need for effective furniture painting.

This particular set includes 6 paintbrushes of various sizes to help you get the finish you need from your decorating job.

You won’t need to worry about buying a larger or smaller brush to supplement your set - this particular set has all the brushes you need.

What’s really great about this particular paintbrush set is that DIYARTZ has used only the finest materials to create them.

Every paintbrush in this set uses natural bristles to get the even paint job that you’re after.

These brushes are also easy to clean after use and will provide you with excellent paint coverage thanks to the unique oval brush shape.

These paintbrushes have been designed for minimal bristle shedding.

All of the natural bristles have been densely packed into the brushes using a rust-resistant ferrule and are held in place with a strong adhesive.

Perfect if you’re fed up with those cheaper brushes losing most of their bristles through shedding!

All of these paintbrushes feature ergonomic handles to be easier to hold for long periods of time.

The lightweight, heavy-duty handles have been designed to fit all hand types to allow you to paint for longer.

There’s no need to worry about hand fatigue with these brushes.

While these paintbrushes have been designed with use on furniture in mind, they are also suitable for use on a variety of surfaces.

Ideal if you want a set of versatile paintbrushes that can be used for a variety of DIY decorating projects!

Pros:

  • Set of 6 paintbrushes for painting furniture

  • Constructed with premium materials including natural bristles

  • Designed for minimal bristle shedding

  • Features ergonomic handles for easier handling

  • Suitable for use on a variety of surfaces

Cons:

  • You may have more brushes than you need for your paint job

RUNNER UP

Chalk & Wax Paint Brush Set for Furniture,DIY Painting and Waxing Tool,Milk Paint,Stencils,Natural Bristles,by MAXMAN,Small Size

This set of two chalk and wax brushes from MAXMAN are ideal for those furniture painting jobs you have in mind.

This particular brush set comes with two different shaped brushes so you can get the finish that you’re after.

You’ll get 1 round-headed and 1 flat-headed brush in this particular set.

These particular brushes have been manufactured with premium materials.

There are only natural bristles used for these brushes, giving you the perfect even finish that you’re after.

The handles have been manufactured from sycamore wood which has then been varnished. 

MAXMAN has designed these paintbrushes for maximum bristle retention.

All of the natural bristles are firmly packed and set into the stainless steel ferrules.

This is to prevent the bristles from shedding over time, no matter how often you use them or wash them.

These brushes will last you for many years to come as long as they are looked after properly.

These lightweight brushes have been designed to be easier to handle for long periods of time.

This will be a lifesaver if you tend to paint for longer.

You won’t have to worry about getting cramp in your hand or suffering from hand fatigue with these two paintbrushes!

The manufacturer has your peace of mind at heart.

MAXMAN offers a 30 day money-back guarantee so that if you’re not 100% happy with your paintbrushes, you can return them.

This is great for giving you more peace of mind that you’re investing in a quality pair of paintbrushes.

Pros:

  • Set of 2 paintbrushes suitable for use on furniture

  • Made using premium materials such as natural bristles

  • Features a light, easy to use sycamore wood handle

  • Designed for maximum bristle retention

  • 30 day money-back guarantee

Cons:

  • Some users found the brushes were smaller than they expected

Furniture Paint Brush Buyer’s Guide

It can be tricky choosing the best paintbrush for furniture when there are so many options available.

While it may be tempting to opt for the first set of paintbrushes you stumble across, there are a few factors that you should consider first. Remember that buying cheap often means you have to buy twice!

There’s no need to get confused about types of paintbrushes or worrying about whether you should spend more money on an expensive set.

We’ve put everything you need to think about below so that you can make a fully informed decision when it comes to choosing the best paintbrush for you. 

Take a look at the points below, or skip ahead to the frequently asked questions.

Natural bristles

Try to look for a paintbrush that uses natural bristles. While it’s tempting to go for the cheaper synthetic brushes, they won’t be able to get the same quality finish that a brush with natural bristles can.

A paintbrush with natural bristles will be able to get a smoother finish overall.

If a paintbrush has natural bristles, this is also an indicator that it’s a better quality brush. A brush of better quality is likely to last you much longer than a brush using synthetic bristles.

Bristle retention

You won’t want to have spent all that time choosing the best paintbrush for your needs only to discover the bristles have all fallen out after a few uses.

Take a look at what measures the manufacturer has taken to prevent bristles from falling out. A paintbrush that loses its bristles quicker will become useless to use, and you’ll have to spend more money replacing it.

Make sure that the bristles have all been tightly packed into the brush using a high-quality ferrule.

The ferrule is the metal part of the brush that holds the bristles in place. The paintbrush should also use a strong adhesive to secure the bristles to the wooden handle.

Ergonomic handles

If you tend to paint for long periods of time, then you’ll want a paintbrush set that will be lightweight and easy to handle. The bulkier and harder to hold that your chosen paintbrush is, the more uncomfortable it will be to use.

After using an uncomfortable brush for long periods of time you could get hand fatigue or even cramp.

A handle that has been ergonomically designed will be much easier to hold - especially for longer periods of time. It will also make itself more reliable long term.

Multiple brushes

If you want to get real value for your money, it will be worth looking for a set of paintbrushes. These should include several different sizes of paintbrushes to suit your furniture project. 

While a larger brush is ideal for painting large areas like a roof, you’ll need a smaller brush to get the neat edges that you’re after especially if painting small items like electrical outlets.

Buying a set of paintbrushes will be better for your wallet than having to spend more money on several different brushes to meet your requirements.

Outside brushes are typically different from brushes you'd paint furniture with for example. 

Suitable for a variety of surfaces

You will of course have ensured that your chosen paintbrushes are suitable for use on furniture. But it will be worth checking that your new paintbrushes are suitable for use on a variety of surfaces.

This is of course because depending on the furniture you want to paint, they will vary in the types of material used to construct them.

As long as your paintbrushes are versatile enough to be used on a variety of surfaces, you will be able to paint pretty much anything.

Which will mean you’ll get much more value for your money. Depending on the DIY projects you plan on tackling, of course!

Suitable for multiple paints and furniture wax

Another important factor to consider is what paints your chosen paintbrushes are suitable for use with. This does go hand in hand with the point above, of course.

Depending on the DIY  decorating project you’ve got in mind, you might have already picked out the paint you want to use.

As long as you ensure your chosen paintbrushes are suitable for use with these, you’ll be able to let your creative juices flow.

Of course, paintbrushes that are suitable for use on furniture aren’t just used for paint. If you want to use furniture wax to liven up your bureau, ensure that your chosen paintbrushes are suitable for use with furniture wax.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best brush for painting furniture?

As we’ve mentioned in more detail above, the best brushes for painting furniture are:

How do you prevent brush marks when painting furniture?

The key to getting that smooth finish that you’re after - minus the brush strokes - comes down to several factors. Firstly, you want to buy the best brush possible for the interior paint that you’ve chosen.

Next, you want to practice using your chosen brush. Try and hold the handle like you would a pencil - you shouldn’t grip it firmly with the whole of your hand. 

When applying the paint to your furniture, use a light touch to coat it. You will also need to ensure that you paint with the grain of the wood.

If you paint against the grain, this will be more likely to cause brushstrokes. Or if your furniture isn’t wooden, try and paint in the same direction for the entire panel, rather than vary directions.

Should you paint furniture with a brush or roller?

This will vary depending on the type of furniture you want to paint. While a roller will make painting large areas of furniture easier, you may still need a paintbrush to get the more tricky areas. You certainly couldn't paint tiles or paint a fireplace with a roller. 

If you’ve got a piece of wooden furniture, a roller may not be able to get as smooth a finish depending on the texture of the wood.

A brush may be able to get smoother coverage as the bristles should be more adaptable than a roller for the pitted bits of the surface.

Last update on 2024-04-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API