What is the best brush for water-based polyurethane on the nowadays market? How to buy the right brush? You will find the answers in this article! Read now!
With the help of the best brush for water-based polyurethane, you can complete any coating project with ease!
However, choosing the right brush is never an easy task, especially when there are a lot of good products in the nowadays market!
But that’s the reason why we are here to help! In this article, we will instruct you on how to choose the best paintbrush for water-based polyurethane.
Also, you can see our top picks of the best ten products. Without any further ado, let’s get started right away!
Right below are our top picks of 10 products. Let’s find what your best brush for water-based polyurethane is!
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#1. Wooster Brush Available F5119-4 Bravo Stainer Bristle/Polyester Stain Brush
What’s great about it
This Wooster Brush F5119-4 Bravo is a combination of both soft and firm white bristles.
Therefore, it can make smooth coats while still maintaining its original shape no matter how many times you put it to action. After many hours of testing the brush, we notice that it still looks like new!
The bristles totally do not come curved or separately.
How to use
The cool thing about this brush is, it can support both water-based and oil-based polyurethane very well. Due to this reason, you won’t have to worry about choosing a paint type before starting your work.
Before coating, we advise you to wash and clean your furniture.
This will help remove all the dust and stain that time leaves on it so that when you do the work, the brush will be able to deliver smooth polyurethane layers.
Results (best for both interior and exterior)
With soft and durable bristles, the brush can hold much paint for you to make smooth and thick coats.
Believe it or not, right after you apply the poly on your furniture, the paint will dry quickly and look beautiful, no matter how the weather condition is.
That’s also the reason why this item is the best brush for applying water-based polyurethane on the interior and exterior furniture.
Reasons to Buy – Pros
- Combination of both soft and firm white bristles
- Supporting water and oil polyurethane
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- No handle included.
#2. Wooster Brush 3103-2 Foam King Paintbrush
What’s great about it
This Wooster Brush 3103-2 appears with great construction.
The small bristles on top of it are very soft (just like a sponge). As we tested using the brush, those bristles moved very evenly in order to deliver smooth paint.
Also, the plastic handle has, in a way, has us sing praises about.
Because this brush part is very stiff, you are able to hold it tightly for more accuracy while painting.
How to use
It is not difficult to use this tool. Just like using all the normal brushes, you need to hold the handle and move the bristles gently to paint.
Do not put too much pressure on the brush top, or else the bristles will come curved.
Besides, because this product is reusable, so after completing your work, make sure that you wash the brush under water and store it in a dry place.
Results (best for making thin paint)
Thanks to the small brush top, you can easily make thin and smooth polyurethane lines. Also, due to this reason, the product is suitable for coating small objects such as the corner of an appliance or house door.
In case you expect thick coats, this product may not be the right choice for you. As the bristles are so small, they can only deliver thin paint lines, supporting light-duty tasks.
Reasons to Buy – Pros
- Small and soft bristles for delivering smooth and thin paint
- Stiff plastic handle
- Reusable many times
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- The bristles come curved if you put too much pressure
- Not suitable for big projects.
#3. Wooster Brush 4IN P3974-4 Factory Sale Polyester Paintbrush
What’s great about it
If you want a brush with high durability, you can place your trust in this Wooster Brush 4IN P3974-4.
Because the thick bristles are made of gold polyester, they can keep their shape well in both hot and cool times of the year.
Additionally, the Wooster company has applied solid plastic to construct the handle.
Thus, this brush part will be stiff enough to support you in holding and precisely painting.
How to use
Just like the first product on our list, this brush can work well with all types of paint, no matter if it is oil-based or water-based.
However, there are several things to consider when cleaning this brush.
If you use this brush for water-based coating, you can simply wash the tool underwater with ordinary soap.
On the other hand, if this brush has oil-based paint on it, you have to clean it with liquid dish soap and warm water.
Results (best for doing heavy tasks)
The thick bristles of the brush will support you in delivering big polyurethane lines. That’s why the tool is ideal for completing heavy-duty tasks.
However, you have to be careful while making the topcoat.
Because the gold polyester bristles can not hold paint well, the poly may drip on the surface of your appliance, making the finish look bad.
Reasons to Buy – Pros
- Durable bristles delivering thick lines
- Solid plastic
- Supporting all types of polyurethane
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- Not suitable for making the topcoat.
#4. Purdy 144080310 XL Series Dale Angular Trim Paint Brush, 1 inch
What’s great about it
When it comes to painting outdoor furniture, this Purdy 144080310 is surely the best brush to use with water-based polyurethane.
As the bristles (made of Tynex and Orel polyester) of the tool are so stiff, it can deliver liquid polyurethane very well at any time, not depending on outside humidity and temperature.
In addition, the long handle of the tool allows you to reach high spots or any hard-to-reach areas of your furniture with ease.
How to use
Using this Purdy 144080310 is no different from using other common brushes. All you have to do is just move the tool up and down.
However, if you apply this tool for painting corners of your wall or any other high spots, you need to hold the end of the handle and push the brush top a little bit so that the paint can stick to those areas.
When cleaning, make sure that you use soap and warm water to remove all polyurethane on the brush. Also, do not soak the brush head in water for too long. Otherwise, its filaments may come separated.
Results (best for outdoor using)
As the bristles can work in any weather condition, you can coat any outdoor objects with water-based polyurethane quickly.
The result will only be the smoothest and softest paints.
Reasons to Buy – Pros
- Stiff bristles work well in any weather condition
- Long handle
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- Bristles degrade if you soak them in water for too long.
#5. Purdy 144080730 Pro-Extra Series Dale Angular Trim paint Brush, 3 inch
What’s great about it
The handcrafters of the Purdy 144080730 seem to care about the brush head very much.
They have made the bristles with Chinex Nylon, Tynex Nylon, and Orel Polyester so that they can keep their shape well.
In other words, the filaments may come curved while carrying out their duty, but after use, they will return to their beginning state.
How to use
Just like the advertisement has said, the bristles can hold much poly for making thick coats.
So when using this brush, you do not need to soak it in polyurethane too much.
Instead, just by soaking it slightly, you already have enough paint to coat your appliance.
Results (best for making top coats)
Because the brush bristles are made of many high-quality materials, they will hold the paint without any drip.
Of course, due to this reason, you can make beautiful paint finishes with ease. Rest assured that there will be no brush marks on your topcoats.
On the other hand, because the product can only release thick poly, it will not be suitable for detailed or trim painting.
Reasons to Buy – Pros
- Bristles keep shape well
- Holding much polyurethane
- Good for making topcoats
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- Not suitable for trim-painting.
#6. Wooster Brush Q3211-2 Shortcut Angle Sash Paintbrush
What’s great about it
As you can see, this Wooster Brush Q3211-2 has a short handle.
This design gives you more versatility in painting in tight space.
Additionally, the white nylon and gold polyester bristles can release much poly at one time that will help you coat any surface in a short time.
How to use
Because this tool is super small, you will have to place the brush in your palm and use all your fingers to hold the ferrule of it.
When painting, instead of using the entire arms, you should only move your wrist from right to left, and vice-versa.
Results (best for trim painting)
The edges of the sharp bristles have made this Q3211-2 model suitable for trim painting.
By using only the sharp edges to draw, you can easily make small polyurethane lines.
Reasons to Buy – Pros
- Short handle for versatility in using
- Releasing much paint for quickly coating
- Sharp edges for trim painting
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- Difficult to paint high spots.
#7. Purdy 144152330 XL Series Glide Angular Trim Paint Brush, 3 inch
What’s great about it
Once again, we have a brush with sharp bristles edges. In detail, the brush head of this Purdy 144152330 is designed with a diagonal line, so that it can both make thick coats and deliver thin lines for painting angle.
How to use
When you want to make thick coats, you should paint your furniture with the entire brush head. On the other hand, if you just need some thin lines to paint angles or corners, use the edges of it.
After completing the work, you can wash the brush with soap and warm water. Keep in mind that the product comes along with a keeper. So you can use it to protect the bristles
Results (best for gloss finishes)
If you make thin lines with this brush, the polyurethane will dry very quickly. Due to this reason, you can apply many coats fastly in order to have a gloss finish.
As we tested doing this, what we received was a super shiny topcoat.
Reasons to Buy – Pros
- Making both thick coats and thin lines
- A keeper to protect the bristles
- Polyurethane will dry quickly
- Good for gloss finishes
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- Bristles lose their shape after time.
#8. KingOrigin 3 Pack (4,5,6inch) Heavy Duty Professional Stain Brush
What’s great about it
Heavy-duty tasks are nothing with this KingOrigin 3 Pack! When this product arrives, what you will get are three big fence brushes (4, 5, 6 inches). All these tools have wide bristles that work in wide areas. Especially, there is an extended hole on each item that allows you to attach an extra feature to it so that the brush can be longer to support in painting high places.
How to use
When you paint walls, just choose the biggest brush (6 inches) to do the job quickly. After that, you can attach a ferrule to it to paint your ceiling. There is only one note that when you coat the high places, you should do the job slowly, or the polyurethane may drip down.
For objects such as tables, chairs, etc., you can choose the brushes that have smaller sizes (4 inches, 5 inches).
Results (best for fast painting)
This product can hold and deliver a lot of paint at one time. So, if you have big projects to do, just trust these KongOrigim brushes to help you! You will complete the job right after a short time!
Unfortunately, with the large brush head of this product, light tasks and trim painting will not be possible to carry out.
Reasons to Buy – Pros
- Holding much paint
- Releasing much polyurethane at one time
- Doing heavy tasks quickly
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- Not suitable for light tasks.
#9. Piece Professional Painters (4”, 3”, 2”, 2.5”, 1”, 1.5”) Heavy Duty Paint Brush
What’s great about it
This Great Andrew product contains ten different brushes with different sizes. Therefore, they can support you in doing multiple tasks, no matter if they are light or heavy ones
Because the bristles of these tools are made of 100% polyester, you will not have to worry about the durability of them. They are really a long-term solution!
How to use
Depending on your purposes, you can choose a suitable brush size. Just keep in mind that each brush requires a specific way to hold and paint.
For example, if you use the big tools, you have to hold the handle and use the whole arms to paint.
On the other hand, if you choose the short handle ones, you should place them in your palm and use the wrist to do the work.
Results (best for serving multiple purposes)
From big to small, and from thick to thin polyurethane lines, this product can take care of it all!
What you need is just to get the right brush size!
Even when you require a beautiful topcoat, you can also trust the set to help you!
The polyester filaments will give you the most shiny finish!
Reasons to Buy – Pros
- Making both thick and thin paint.
- Ten pieces with different sizes
- Durable bristles
- Keepers to protect the brushes
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- The product is not sold separately.
#10. Wooster Brush 4175-3 Ultra/Pro Firm Mink Flat Sash Paintbrush, 3-Inch
What’s great about it
Just like other short-handled brushes, this Wooster Brush Shortcut gives you extra flexibility while using.
Whenever a painting issue comes up, dripping, for example, you can fix it right after a second!
In addition, controlling the paint with this brush is very simple as well.
How to use
Use your palm and fingers to hold this brush, just like with other short-handled products.
And if you notice, there is a deep part in the middle of the handle.
You can place your thumb there for tighter holding. Of course, do not forget to use your wrist to move the tool!
Results (best for painting in tight places)
Short-handle brushes are always suitable for painting in tight places.
And this Wooster Shortcut is not an exception.
It allows you to move your hand flexibly to control the poly flaws.
And since controlling paint becomes an easy task, you will have no problem making smooth finishes on your furniture.
Reasons to Buy – Pro
- Flexibility in using
- Deep part on the handle for tight holding
- Ease in controlling the paint.
Reasons to Avoid – Cons
- Bristles wear out after time.
Things to consider before buying
There are many things to consider before buying the best brush for water-based polyurethane.
And in this section, we will explain to you all of those things.
#1. Foam Brush vs. Synthetic Bristle Brush
Synthetic brushes are usually constructed of nylon or carbon fibers so that they don’t contain cuticles. Therefore, this type of brushes can be washed under water and reusable many times.
On the other hand, foam brushes are natural types. They can work well with all types of paints. However, you can only use it one time. So, depending on your purpose, you will know which type of brush is suitable.
#2. Type of Bristle
The next factor to notice is the type of bristles. Typically, there are two types of polyurethane filaments that are:
- Natural type
- Synthetic type
While the foam type can support all types of paint, the synthetic bristles can only go along with the water-based polyurethane.
However, if you need the best brush for water based polyurethane finish, you should get the synthetic one.
As this type is specially designed for water-based poly, it will be easier to make top coats than the foam type can do.
#3. Width and Style
The brush with sharp bristles will allow you to make thin paint lines, while the wide square bristles can release a large amount of thick polyurethane.
In case you require a brush that can do both, you can try using the brush that has a diagonal design.
The sharp edges of it will make small lines for painting corners.
Otherwise, you can use the entire brush head to make thick coats.
#4. Type of Handle
The type of handle is also an essential part of choosing a poly brush.
The short handle will give your hand flexibility to paint in tight areas.
On the other hand, the long handle will give you permission to do the coating at high spots, ceiling, for example.
#5. Quality
Of course, you surely don’t want a brush that breaks down after a time of use, right?
Therefore, keep in mind that a high-quality brush must meet these following criteria:
- Bristles are made of synthetic materials, avoiding wearing
- Handles must be stiff, usually made of wood or metal
- The product contains a keeper to protect the brush head.
What is the best brush for water-based polyurethane?
As we have discussed in our buying guide, there are several things to decide the best brush for water-based polyurethane. They are
- Type of brush
- Type of bristles
- Width and style
- Type of handle
The product that meets all these requirements will be the best choice.
What kind of brush do you use for water-based polyurethane?
You should use a brush that has synthetic bristles.
Because this type of bristles is specially designed for water-based polyurethane, you will be able to control the paint easily with it.
Also, the synthetic bristles can hold the liquid-based paint really well, no matter how the weather condition is.
How do I get a smooth finish with water-based polyurethane?
If you want to have a smooth finish, you require the best brush for a clear polyurethane topcoat.
In detail, this type of brush can deliver the paint that can dry quickly, so that you can apply many coats for a glossy and shiny finish.
On our list above, Purdy 144152330 has this feature.
How many coats polyurethane water-based?
You can apply as many coats of water-based poly as you desire. The more coats, the more your furniture is protected.
Painting many coats is good, but make sure that you do the job carefully. Otherwise, you will not be able to have a glossy finish.
Should I sand between coats of water-based polyurethane?
Our answer is yes. Sanding will make the poly surface flat so that you can paint the next coat easier.
However, after sanding, you should remove all the sanded dust on it.
Otherwise, you will get many problems coating in the next round.
Final words
Those are our best brush for water-based polyurethane top picks. In your opinion, what is the best brush for water-based polyurethane to buy?
In fact, all ten products above are good to get. Each type has its own specialty and function.
Depending on your requirements for the brush, you will find a suitable one.
Of course, we have given a checklist of requirements. So make sure that you use it when choosing the tool.
And now, our article will come to an end. Many thanks for reading!
