How to avoid brush marks on doors and furniture

Brush marks are avoided with a good brush, a little paint at a time, a well-sanded surface and painting without rushing or going back over it midway. Almost always the problem is working paint that has already started to dry. With a little method, the finish comes out smooth, even with a brush.

Choosing the right tools

A cheap brush sheds bristles and leaves streaks. Choose a good-quality brush with soft bristles, suited to the type of paint. For water-based paints, use synthetic bristles. For solvent-based, you can use synthetic or natural, as the tin directs.

Combining a foam roller and a brush gives good results. The roller spreads the paint and the brush smooths it.

Preparing the surface

Marks that look like brush marks can come from a badly prepared surface. Sand to remove bumps, old drips and dust. Wipe with a slightly damp cloth and leave to dry. Any grit left behind will drag along with the brush and leave a streak.

If the piece is porous or has many marks, first apply a coat of primer and sand it. Primer evens out absorption, and the paint glides on better.

The technique that makes the difference

Almost everything depends on the amount of paint and the pace. Paint needs time to level itself. If you work it when it is already drying, it leaves streaks.

  1. Dip only a third of the brush and remove the excess on the rim of the container.
  2. Apply the paint in short strips, along the length of the piece or the grain.
  3. Draw the brush over just once, lightly, to smooth, in the same direction, barely touching.
  4. Do not go back to the area you have just painted. Keep a wet edge and always work forward from that edge.
  5. Finish a whole panel before stopping.

On pieces with raised panels, paint the recesses first and then the flat parts, and finish with the edges. That way you do not leave build-ups of paint in the corners.

Tip: Two thin coats give a better result than one thick one. A thick coat runs, forms waves and takes a long time to harden.

Temperature, air and thinning

Painting in the heat or in a draught makes the paint dry too quickly and gives it no time to level. Paint at a mild temperature and avoid direct sun. Close doors that create a draught, but keep some ventilation.

If the paint is too thick, some tins allow a small amount of thinning, with water or with thinner, depending on the type. Read on the tin whether it is allowed and in what quantity. Thinning too much reduces coverage and may cause drips.

Sanding between coats and correcting mistakes

When the paint is dry, go over it with very fine sandpaper using a light hand. The aim is to smooth, not to remove paint. Clean off the dust and apply the next coat.

If there are already visible marks in a dry coat, do not try to correct them with more paint on top. Sand the area until smooth, clean and paint a thin coat again. If the mark is small, only that area needs to be redone.

One last tip: use good light. A torch held against the piece, at a raking angle, shows the marks while you can still correct them.

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