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Best Brush for Chalk Paint – Review and Buyer’s Guide

By Steve Grant Last Updated: July 8, 2021

Best brush for chalk paint review
When considering any arts and crafts project, paint or stain or any other type of brushed on product generally takes the center stage in terms of priority. However, just as important as the paint is finding the right brush. When it comes to furniture or a matte finish, you will want to make sure you have the best brush for chalk paint.
This is especially important considering that chalk paint does not inherently go on as smoothly as some other types of paint and can leave streaks in your finished product. While you can always give the end result a light sanding to remove the brush strokes, why not simply avoid that problem in the first place by finding the best brush for chalk paint.
Of course, finding the best chalk paint brush can be difficult. That is why we have put together a list of the 5 best brushes for chalk paint, highlighting what each one does best. Then we provide a helpful buyer’s guide, so you can find the right brush for chalk paint to suit your needs.

ImageProduct 
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Brossum Brush review
Brossum Brush
  • Bristles Size: 1 ½”
  • Bristles Hair: Natural boar hair
  • Length (bristles + handle): 4 +2
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FOR PAINTING FURNITURE
New Renaissance Brush review
New Renaissance Brush
  • Bristles Size: 1” 
  • Bristles Hair: White boar
  • Length (bristles + handle): 8 inches 
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VINTAGE BRUSHES
Vintage Tonality Pro Chalk & Wax Brush Set review
Vintage Tonality Pro Chalk & Wax Brush Set
  • Bristles Size: 1” and 2” 
  • Bristles Hair: Natural boar
  • Length (bristles + handle): 11”, 8”, 6” 
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NATURAL BOAR HAIR BRUSHES
1st Place Chalk & Wax Hand Made Brush Set review
1st Place Chalk & Wax Hand Made Brush Set
  • Bristles Size: 2″
  • Bristles Hair: Natural boar hair
  • Length (bristles + handle): 3 + 5 
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BUDGET BRUSH
1st Place Brush review
1st Place Brush
  • Bristles Size: 1 3/4″
  • Bristles Hair: Twice-boiled boar hair
  • Length (bristles + handle): 2 ½ +5
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1. Brossum Brush – Best Brush for Chalk Paint Wax

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Brossum Brush
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Brossum enters our list as a brand with the ideal specialty. Not only does Brossum specialize in chalk and wax paint accessories, but they go a step further and only manufacture brushes made for just such a purpose. This allows Brossum to figure out the perfect match of qualities for an ideal chalk brush. The fact that they sell their product exclusively online through Amazon only makes this product better as they can sell it for less than they otherwise might.

Easily one of the best qualities about the Brossum is its bristles which are made out of twice-boiled boar hair. Aside from the fact that boar hair is thick enough to accept the heavier paints the brush is designed to deal with, the fact that it is twice-boiled further strengthens the bristles and allows them to avoid absorbing the paints or degrade over time through use.

The handle is made of varnished wood so it maintains an excellent finish while providing you the stability and comfort required to paint for hours without fatigue. The ferrule is nickel-plated and made specifically to not rust or wear out. The bristles themselves are also a good size being 2 ½” in length and 1 ¾” in diameter–though this excludes the Brossum from finer detail work.

PROS

  • Made of twice-boiled boar hair
  • Features 2 ½” bristle length
  • Features 1 ¾” bristle diameter
  • Nickel-plated, rust-resistant ferrule
  • Solid wood handle
  • Features a leather strap
  • Can be used for paint or wax

CONS

  • Not appropriate for detail work
  • Bristles shed more than some

2. New Renaissance Brush – Best Brush for Chalk Painting Furniture

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New Renaissance Brush
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New Renaissance has definitely made more of a name for themselves with their chalk paint and furniture was than they have for their brushes, but they still know a thing or two about producing a solid quality brush as well. That said, this is definitely a secondary product for them and it is best suited for particular projects. For this brush in particular, that turns out to be larger projects with broad surfaces.

In terms of the bristles, the most important part, the New Renaissance brush is good but not great. However, it does have a specific advantage over pretty much every other brush on this list: size. The length of the bristles are a near list best at 2” across, but the length of the bristles are what truly set it apart. At 3” long, the New Renaissance brush bristles are a full ½” longer than the next closest competitor and are able to hold more paint than any other brush we reviewed.

The bristles are made out of boar hair, but they are only boiled a single time. Still, they are fairly durable and can handle being used for both chalk paint as well as furniture wax. The only issue is that the bristles shed more than some higher end brushes. Still, the body construction is made out of solid wood and features a leather strap for easier cleaning. Also, the ferrule is made of nickel-plated stainless steel.

PROS

  • Bristles made of boar hair
  • Features 3” bristle length
  • Features 2” bristle diameter
  • Nickel-plated, rust-resistant ferrule
  • Can be used for paint or wax
  • Solid wood handle
  • Features a leather strap

CONS

  • Not appropriate for detail work
  • Sheds more than some

3. Vintage Tonality Pro Chalk & Wax Brush Set – Best Vintage Brushes for Chalk Paint

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Vintage Tonality Pro Chalk & Wax Brush Set
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Comprised of three brushes for chalk paint and various other useful tools, this set is remarkably complete. The brushes themselves are expertly constructed, featuring tightly-packed bristles that soak up and release paint with remarkable efficiency. The three sizes are very different, ensuring that you will have options to deal with each project in the most convenient way.

Hand-Crafted Design

Without a doubt, one of the most remarkable features that the Vintage Tonality Pro Chalk & Wax Brush Set has is its hand-crafted design. Each and every one of its pieces was conceived to be put together by hand, ensuring maximum quality and a level of intricacy that only expert men and women can pull off. Of course, that wouldn’t mean much if the materials used were of low quality. Luckily, this brush set is made with top materials, including natural boar bristles, a hardwood handle, a steel ferrule and industrial grade epoxy to keep everything together.

Vintage-Style Results

Due to their design, the bristles that these brushes feature are particularly adept at creating vintage-style results. When used correctly, they are capable of creating a visibly hand-painted look that is both cozy and heartwarming. With some modifications in your technique, however, these brushes can be used to create a sleeker, smoother and more modern look.

Overall

With everything on the table, it can be said with confidence that the Vintage Tonality Pro Chalk & Wax Brush Set is a good choice for those people looking for an old school, worn look. Made with high-quality materials, all the brushes included in this set are durable and effective. Additionally, the set includes various useful extras that will help you get the best results possible in your painting projects.

PROS

  • Includes various useful additional tools.
  • Can help create a vintage look.
  • Very affordable.
  • Brushes have natural boar hair bristles.
  • Requires very little maintenance.

CONS

  • May shed bristles.
  • Bristles are a bit stiff.

4. 1st Place Chalk & Wax Hand Made Brush Set – Best Natural Boar Hair Brush Set

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1st Place Chalk & Wax Hand Made Brush Set
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Whether you want to apply wax or chalk paint to your latest project, this brush set can be of great help. It includes three different brushes, each of them with a different size and shape. Made of pure white boar hair, the bristles are durable, retentive and effective. Supported by a high-quality metal ferrule, these bristles are incredibly stable, greatly reducing the possibility of them falling off. Ergonomic and solid, the handles that these brushes have are perfect for extended painting sessions.

Materials and Construction

When it comes to tools like brushes for chalk paint, material quality is incredibly important. Luckily, all the items included in the 1st Place Chalk & Wax Hand Made Brush Set are made of the best materials available. The handles are made of premium maple wood that has been carefully and expertly carved into an ergonomic, comfortable and balanced shape. Similarly, the ferrule is made of stainless steel that’s tough enough to be immovable. Even better, the brushes’ bristles are pure and natural white boar hair, promoting an efficient distribution of the paint while also ensuring resistance and durability.

Performance

As previously mentioned, the natural white boar hair bristles provide a fantastic level of retention. That is not all, however, as they also excel when it comes to paint distribution. In fact, the release of the paint provided by these bristles is outstanding due to its smoothness and consistency. These characteristics make for a remarkably efficient painting, particularly when using the right brush for the job.

Overall

Taking everything into consideration, it’s easy to see why the 1st Place Chalk & Wax Hand Made Brush Set is such a popular product among chalk painting enthusiasts. Made of high-quality materials and expertly constructed, all the brushes included in the set are truly long-lasting and resistant to strenuous use. What really stands out about these brushes, however, is their performance. Featuring a very smart arrangement, its bristles are able to soak up and then release the paint with incredible ease, making the painting process smoother and more effective.

PROS

  • Made of high-quality materials.
  • Bristles do not come off easily.
  • The handle is ergonomic and comfortable.
  • Stainless steel ferrule.
  • Includes hangers for every brush.

CONS

  • Does not peform well with wax.
  • Bristles tend to bend

5. 1st Place Brush – Best Budget Brush for Chalk Paint

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1st Place Brush
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1st Place is actually the only company on our list that does not specialize in either chalk paint brushes or art supplies at all. In fact, this company does not seem to have an actual specialization and makes everything from dryer vents to key chains to patches that you sew onto fabrics. Because the brand is spread so thin, it only makes sense that they do not make the absolutely best brush, but they might make up for it with the fact that they definitely manufacture the least expensive brush for chalk paint that we found.

When it comes to the 1st Place brush, the bristles can be both a blessing as well as a hindrance. This is because the bristles are simply adhered to the ferrule as opposed to threaded or properly anchored. This means that the 1st Place brush’s bristles will come out far more often than most of the other products that we reviewed. That said, the bristles are at least made out of boar hair, so the application of the chalk paint should go smoothly.

Another potential issue with the 1st Place brush is its construction. It is not so much that the construction is poor as it uses many of the same principles as the other brushes on our list. The handle is made out of solid wood and features an extra long leather strap for a quick and easy cleanup. The problem is that the handle is a full inch shorter than the next smallest which may not necessarily fit as well in all people’s hands.

PROS

  • The least expensive chalk brush
  • Features 2” bristle length
  • Features 1 ½” bristle diameter
  • Nickel-plated, rust-resistant ferrule
  • Solid wood handle
  • Features a leather strap
  • Decent all-around brush

CONS

  • The handle is somewhat short
  • Sheds more than some

6. Bartsh – Best Detail Brush for Chalk Paint

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Bartsh
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If the name did not give it away, the Bartsh Chalk Paint Brush is another company that eschews even other accessory products made for chalk paint and focuses exclusively on manufacturing the best brush. While this can sometimes lead to hit or miss results, the Bartsh Chalk Paint Brush is by far one of the more capable brushes for chalk paint that we reviewed. However, its true value comes from its versatility.

Specifically, this brush was essentially designed to be used for finer detail work as opposed to larger broad strokes. You can tell that this is the case due to the shape of the brush bristle tip. Unlike the other products that we reviewed which features a flat bristle tip, the Bartsh Chalk Paint Brush has a tip ending in a tapered shape. This allows the brush to get into tighter spaces without accidentally getting paint on any of the other surfaces.

Another clue that the Bartsh Chalk Paint Brush is designed to be used for fine detail work is its size. The bristles of this brush have the smallest dimensions out of any other product that we reviewed. While this would normally be a knock against the brush, because it is designed for fine detail work it actually becomes a boon, allowing the Bartsh Chalk Paint Brush to further reach nooks and crannies without splatter.

PROS

  • Bristles made of boar hair
  • Features 1 ¼” bristle length
  • Features 2” bristle diameter
  • Nickel-plated, rust-resistant ferrule
  • Legitimately non-shedding bristles
  • Maple wood handle
  • Features a leather strap

CONS

  • Not ideal for larger projects
  • The handle feels small to use

7. Chapab – Best Paint Brush for Chalk Paint (Unavailable now)

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Chapab
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Like some of the other companies on our list, Chapab specializes not only in chalk paint accessories but in chalk brushes exclusively. This allows Chapab to put all of their efforts towards manufacturing the best brush for chalk paint that they can. Even better, this brand manages to avoid some of the mistakes that other companies make–even those specializing in chalk paint brushes.

When it comes to the bristles of a brush for chalk paint, there are few that we found which could legitimately give the Chapab a run for its money let alone outright beat it with any certainty. This begins with twice-boiled boar hair bristles to ensure that the bristles do not absorb or become bogged down with the paint. Still, the truly impressive part about this brush is the bristle attachments which use an anchor approach to prevent bristle shedding about as well as can possibly be achieved.

Beyond the bristles, this brush also offers a fairly standard construction–though it is worth noting that the standard for chalk paint brushes is reasonably high. The handle is made out of wood and features a leather strap to make cleanup easier. On top of that, the ferrule is nickel-plated stainless steel, so you do not have to worry about it rusting. Also, this brush offers sizable bristles at 2 ⅖” long and 2” in diameter.

PROS

  • Made of twice-boiled boar hair
  • Features 2 ½” bristle length
  • Features 2” bristle diameter
  • Nickel-plated, rust-resistant ferrule
  • Solid wood handle
  • Features a leather strap
  • Legitimately shedless design

CONS

  • A more expensive chalk brush

Buyer’s Guide:

Bristles:

Chalk paint brush reviewThis is the most important part of the brush as it will ultimately have the greatest impact on the quality of the final product. Regardless any other feature a brand may use to sell you their brush, if the bristles are not top quality, then your work will inherently suffer for it.

Material

The only material that you should concern yourself with when it comes to brushes for chalk paint is boar hair. This is because boar hair is incredibly strong and offers plenty of resistance without going overboard. If you prefer a softer touch, make sure to get a brush whose boar hair bristles are twice-boiled.

Diameter

The diameter of the bristles will not so much make the brush better or worse as much as it will tell you what the brush is meant to do. The larger the diameter, the larger the project piece should be. Conversely, you will want a smaller diameter brush for fine detail work.

Best Brush for Chalk Paint - Review and Buyer’s Guide

Length

The length is another bristle quality that does not determine the performance as much as it simply offers additional convenience as well as inform the purpose of the brush. The longer the bristles, the more paint you can put on them and prevent having to constantly dip your brush back as often. Of course, fine detail work is best approached deliberately and will not need as much paint.

Shape

Once again, we find ourselves examining a feature that will not actually determine the quality of the brush as much as it will place the brush into a particular role. Brushes come in two basic sizes: flat and tapered. The flat brush is meant for larger projects and for rougher painting while the tapered brush is meant for corners and fine detail work.

Shedding

Best chalk paint brush

This is arguably the most important quality of a brush for painting–whether you are using chalk paint or not. The best brushes will actually thread or anchor their bristles to the body of the brush, specifically the handle and ferrule. The alternative is adhering the bristles to the body which generally allows them to shed significantly more.

Conclusion:

In the end, the best brush for chalk paint will depend a bit on the project that you are using it for. Since the prices are fairly similar and generally low, we will not recommend using the budget option unless you simply need a large number of brushes for plenty of rough painting.
If, on the other hand, you want a brush that will provide an excellent quality, we suggest going with the Chapab. Aside from the fact that this brush uses twice boiled boar hair for the bristles, the bristles are firmly anchored to the body’s construction significantly reducing the amount that it sheds.
Another excellent quality brush is the Bartsh Chalk Paint Brush that is nearly as good about not shedding as the Chapab. However, this brush features bristles made of boar hair that were only boiled once. Still, with its smaller profile and tapered shape, this is by far the best brush chalk paint to do fine detail work with.

Summary
Best Brush for Chalk Paint - Review and Buyer’s Guide
Article Name
Best Brush for Chalk Paint - Review and Buyer’s Guide
Description
Here's our list of Top 5 Best Chalk Paints Brushes in 2019. For painting furniture or small project. Comprehensive reviews of the most popular brands!
Author
Steve Grant

Quick Navigation

  • 1. Brossum Brush – Best Brush for Chalk Paint Wax
  • 2. New Renaissance Brush – Best Brush for Chalk Painting Furniture
  • 3. Vintage Tonality Pro Chalk & Wax Brush Set – Best Vintage Brushes for Chalk Paint
  • 4. 1st Place Chalk & Wax Hand Made Brush Set – Best Natural Boar Hair Brush Set
  • 5. 1st Place Brush – Best Budget Brush for Chalk Paint
  • 6. Bartsh – Best Detail Brush for Chalk Paint
  • 7. Chapab – Best Paint Brush for Chalk Paint (Unavailable now)
  • Buyer’s Guide:
  • Conclusion:

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About me

Steve GrantMy name is Steve Grant. I am an engineer and my little hobby is to make different things in my garage. I work long in my garage so I need tools that are handy and light. I will share all the different things I work on in this site. I will also tell you about the instruments I use. I hope you find this useful.
[About me…]

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becky says

    January 27, 2019 at 4:52 pm

    Thank you for the reviews. I have checked every site I can find to buy the Chapab wax brush and cannot find it. Could you please tell me, has it been renamed, taken off the market, is only sold in other countries?
    I appreciate your time if you can help me.

  2. Steve Grant says

    January 29, 2019 at 11:30 am

    I was looking for information about this brush but did not find anything. Try Brossum Brush, a very good brush for a small price.

  3. Ian says

    March 27, 2019 at 7:01 am

    I recently tried out a new set of brushes by Vintage Tonality and I was surprisingly impressed by them. Worth a look at.

  4. Steve Grant says

    March 27, 2019 at 7:13 am

    Thanks for your feedback. We will add a review of Vintage Tonality brushes ASAP.

  5. TK says

    August 2, 2019 at 12:16 am

    I recently tried out the Vintage Tonality brushes based on your recommendations. They worked amazingly well on a few projects.

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