Thinking of painting your furniture? Details can make all the difference

I'm sure you've often wondered why the objects you paint yourself, following the exact instructions in the tutorials, end up looking different from the ones shown. I think I have an answer for you: your brushes. They are responsible for the final look when it comes to applying finishing materials by hand. There are all kinds of furniture paint brushes in the stores - big or small, synthetic or natural hair, thick or thin. In the past, when I bought brushes for a DIY project, I didn't pay much attention to the brushes. I checked that they weren't too stiff, so they wouldn't scratch, and that the hair was well gripped. I didn't think much about anything else. I went to a Annie Sloan workshop and saw what a good brush is and what you can do with it.

As you know, Annie Sloan is a paint innovator. She started by decorating and reinventing furniture and interiors and went on to totally revolutionize the field, creating paints and tools that make the job easier and the results remarkable. He did the same with brushes. They can be used to paint, ink, print or blend. You can achieve interesting effects and the end result is very good even if you are not a great specialist. The Annie Sloan brushes are of very good quality, made of natural or synthetic hair, with special shapes that help to get quality applications. They are made especially for Annie in Italy. Let's see what's special about these brushes.

Round paint application brushes are made from wild boar hair, which is firmer than the hair of other animals, giving a textured finish and an antique, antique look. They are great for applying mineral or chalky dyes. The hair is strong, firm, but flexible at the same time. Why are these brushes better for paint application? Here are some explanations:

• hold paint better, fixing a larger amount between the bristles. The fact that they are round, like a tuft, allows the applicator to pick up a larger amount of paint without the risk of drips or smudges.
• reduce working time. By retaining more paint, a larger area can be covered in a single soak, eliminating much of the 'feeding' time.
• reduce consumption. No drips and drips automatically reduce overall paint consumption.
• apply bettereven in hard-to-reach places. The round shape, with shorter brushes on the outside, allows easier access into corners or grooves while painting all sides.

The tweezers come in 3 sizes: large, medium and small. The large one is 26.5 cm long and 6.5 cm in diameter (in the metal grip area), the medium one is 25 cm long and 5 cm in diameter and the small one is 22 cm long and 4.5 cm in diameter.

Flat brushes for paint application are soft, synthetic fibers with a pleasant, silky look and feel. They are specially made for Annie Sloan paints and can be used to create smooth, modern surfaces. They too are designed to hold a larger amount of paint, but their main quality is that they apply paint evenly and streak-free. So, unlike round brushes, you can get very straight, totally untextured surfaces, contradicting those who say you can't get modern finishes with Annie Sloan paints. And if the wax topcoat is polished, you get high-gloss surfaces.

These brushes come in two variants, wide and narrow.

Round wax brushes they're... round and they're made of wild boar hair. The shape of the tuft is tapered precisely so that it can get into the most hidden places, corners and grooves. The shape is achieved not by cutting the bristles after fitting, but by laying them out from the start, shorter on the outside and longer on the inside. The firm hairs and special shape help retain more wax, which is released gradually rather than in clumps. It's perfect for applying as precise an amount as possible, and the waxing process goes much faster.

It is recommended that the wax be applied in circles first, but always finish along the fiber. Do not insist too much because the special shape of the brush allows the wax to settle quickly and well on the surface, getting into all the "nooks and crannies". No more force needs to be applied than for painting. Because of this ability to cover and penetrate into the wood structure, the waxed surface will resist 30% more than a surface to which the wax has been applied with a rag. Finally, any excess must be removed with a cloth. If a high gloss finish is desired, the wax should be allowed to dry for one day before polishing.

Wax brushes come in two sizes, small and large, the small one is 17 cm long and the large one is 24 cm long. The small one can be used both in hard-to-reach areas and on furniture. The large ones are for very large pieces, to increase the application yield. They are very ergonomic and easy to handle.

As I said, the brushes are made in Italy, especially for Annie Sloan, to the highest quality standard. The metal part of the wax brushes is wider than other brushes. The purpose of this is to be able to work while holding on to that side, as Annie is used to doing. The bristles of the tweezers are bonded with a very strong adhesive - 2-component epoxy glue - making it impossible to come loose. When new it may have hairs that have "escaped" unclipped into the tuft. It is therefore recommended to wash the tweezers several times before use. Once the 'flyaway' hairs have been removed, you will never again be surprised to lose bristles. Basically, over time, the brush will melt but the hair will not come loose. They're brushes for life.

And to anticipate a question - the brushes can also be found in Romania, at Annie Sloan distributors. You already know about some of them (Miercurea Ciuc, Bucharest, Brasov, Targu Mures), and others (Satu Mare, Iași) I will tell you more soon. And I have a surprise for the people of Sătmăren. Using the promotional code DBMZQI they can benefit in January of 10% discount for the whole range of Annie Sloan products from Cochet Home Decor, the distributor Annie Sloan from Satu Mare.