I'm reinstalling some crown molding and decided to do some touching up while it's down. I had previously done some touch-ups on the same style in another room, and never quite got it perfectly smooth. How can I prevent brush strokes from showing on the finished product?
Some factors I've thought about:
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Should I go buy a top-of-the line brush?
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Would thinning the latex paint with water help?
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Should I just go get a paint sprayer to save myself some time? (And hey, another excuse to buy a new tool is always great!)
Follow-up: I went ahead and bought an airless paint sprayer on sale for $60 and used Floetrol as well. (My 1 gallon compressor couldn't supply the cfm required for the HVLP sprayers I considered.) As shirlock suggested, I had to go over the trim with a brush afterward, but I think it was the most efficient method to use. A few minutes of spraying followed by a quick brush over was all it took for 30+ ft of crown molding. I think I actually spent longer cleaning out the sprayer afterwards than I did painting.
Best Answer
Getting a smooth finish without purchasing an expensive HVLP sprayer is fairly easy. Start with any good grade paint, and treat it with Flotrol acrylic additive at a rate of about 1/2 pint per gallon and mix well. If you get a real thick paint, you can increase the amount of Flowtrol up to one pint per gallon max. I use and recommend Purdy brushes. For trim, I like a sash brush, (angled style). Be sure to pick out a brush for latex paint, usually a combo of nylon and poly bristles. The ends of the bristles need to be very tapered and soft. Check out the Purdy ExtraGlides for latex.
Your technique is important also. Always try to finish with long smooth strokes only using the very tips of the bristles. Properly treated paint and the right brush used well will give you fantastic results. Good luck.