Spray Painting vs Brush Painting

Applying a fresh coat of paint to give the home a new splash of color is one of the most effective ways to enhance the appearance and increase its value. Home painting involves making several crucial decisions to achieve the desired result. Choosing the right paint color, paint type, and paint application method plays a critical role in achieving an efficient and successful paint job. 

The technique used to apply paint on the walls of surfaces has a significant impact on the overall look. Brushing and spraying are the two primary ways to paint a home. Both professional painters and DIYers use these methods to give a home a new lease of life. People have different preferences regarding getting their home sprayed or hand-painted. 

Several homeowners ask painting contractors ; which one is the better option out of the two, is spray painting better than rolling, is brush painting cheaper than spray painting, is spray painting after than rolling, etc...? In this article, we discuss in detail the two painting methods to determine which one is better.

Spray painting

Spray painting uses an airless sprayer to apply paint to any surface quickly. It facilitates painting a wall in minutes which might take hours using a brush or roller. People use this technique for the convenience it offers or to get a satin or high gloss smooth finish.  

Pros and Cons of Spray Painting

Pros of spray painting

• A faster method of painting any surface
• Easy to paint the hard-to-reach areas
• Offer a smooth look without any roller or brush marks
• Provides even application
• Oil-based spray paints are more durable
• Easy application
• Dries faster
• Ideal for painting large areas

Cons of spray painting

• Use two to three times more amount of paint than brushing
• Offer a patchy look due to poor paint adhesion
• Risk of over spraying
• Long prep work and clean up time
• Requires practice and professional expertise to achieve perfection
• Tough to paint when it is windy
• You will need to rent paint sprayers
• Expensive
• Chances of getting an uneven finish when painted by a novice

Brush Painting

Brush and roller paint application is the traditional, old-fashioned technique used by several professional painters. Though slow, laborious, and tedious, brush painting or rolling paint offers better control and provides a more even finish. For homeowners looking to accomplish detailed paintwork, it is better to go for brush painting. 

Pros and Cons of Brush Painting

Pros of brush painting

• Use less paint.
• Offers great adhesion
• Requires minimal preparation, and the cleanup is fast and easy
• An affordable DIY painting method
• Provides uniform and smooth coverage for small and inaccessible areas
• Offers effective results with minimum equipment use
• Lasts longer

Cons of brush painting

• An exhausting and time-consuming painting technique
• The painting method can leave brush or roller marks, making the paint look messy
• You will need to purchase brushes and paint rollers
• Expensive when done by professionals

Which one is better? Spray or brush painting

As we see, the pros of using brush painting outweigh the cons. Most painters suggest that it is worth the extra time and effort to paint with a brush than a spray. Use either of the techniques depending on the surface or the need for speed and accuracy. However, homeowners can get the best of both worlds by combining the traditional brush painting technique with the contemporary spray painting. Back-brushing is a technique that makes efficient use of both methods. A person can spray the paint, and the helper can use the brush to even it out before it dries. It helps achieve better adhesion, and the painting job takes less time.

Spray painting is good to paint the exterior walls where the area is large, and painting accuracy is not much of a concern. Brush painting is a better choice of interior painting where there is a need for more detailed work and necessary to protect other surfaces from paint.

About the author: - This article is written by Manuel Lopez, founder of M&B Painting LLP - top rated painting company in Surprise