The best cutting in paint brush to get those clean lines

For a flawless application every single time...

best cutting in paint brush

by Samantha Price |
Updated on

If you're starting on your latest home painting project, you'll most likely need the best cutting in brush to perfect those clean lines. We all know how tricky it can be to get it right, but with the help of the best cutting in paint brush, it'll make for a flawless application each time.

There's nothing worse than a brush that leaves streaky lines or sheds bristles onto your last coat of paint! That's why you need the right brush for the job, so that's where we come in.

A cutting in brush is designed to paint areas that require more of a precise stroke, like those tricky corners and edges. The term 'cutting in' is the technique that's used to create a straight line when painting.

Unlike a paint roller, a cutting in brush is a lot more accurate at getting clean lines between areas door frames, skirting boards and ceiling lines. Here are the best paint brushes for cutting in that we could find, to help you get those precise clean lines on your walls, ceilings and skirting boards.

Best paint brush for cutting in UK

Best overall

Dulux 400321 Perfect Edges Triangle BrushDulux/Amazon

This Dulux Perfect Edges 1-inch Triangle Brush is a great one for cutting in. Its uniquely shaped brush head is designed for precision edging and ensures you get straight, clean lines.

Customers report this brush is great for getting neat, straight edges when painting but some customers found that while it's easy to clean, they had issues with a few of the bristles coming loose after the first use and clean.

Pros

  • Great for neat, straight edges
  • Uniquely shaped triangle brush head to be the ideal shape for cutting in

Cons

  • Some customers reported issues with bristles coming loose after cleaning

Best for smooth finishes

Purdy XL Elite Dale BrushPurdy/Amazon
Price: £14.97

Another great cutting-in sash brush is Purdy's Elite Dale 1.5-inch product. With thousands of reviews, it has been designed for a greater paint lift and smoother application. The hand is chiselled for precision cutting in and you're guaranteed no loss of filaments. Ideal for water and solvent-based coatings, it allows for the perfect painting of edges.

Customers appreciate the smooth finish that this brush gives and they also think it's good quality and worth the money. However, opinions are mixed on how much paint the brush holds. Some think it doesn't hold enough paint and others think it holds too much.

Pros

  • Designed to give a smoother application
  • Can be used with both water and solvent-based paints

Cons

  • Opinions are mixed on how much paint the brush holds

Best for water-based paints

Hamilton Performance 2 Inch Cutting in BrushHamilton/Amazon

The best cutting in paintbrush for precision is Hamilton's Performance 2-inch product. Suitable for all types of paint, the synthetic filament allows for a high-quality application, finish, and durability. Especially for water-based paints. The medium series size also seems to hold more paint than thinner models.

With an average star rating of 4.7 stars out of five, this is a top-rated product on Amazon, with it rating highly for its ergonomic design, and how easy it is to clean and hold. It does struggle to keep its shape after it has been used/cleaned though.

Pros

  • Highly rated for its ergonomic design
  • Holds a good amount of paint

Cons

  • The odd reviewer thought the bristles struggled to keep their shape after it had been used/cleaned

Best for precision

Wooster Brush Q3211-2 Shortcut Angle Sash PaintbrushWooster Brush/Amazon
Price: £7.10

Wooster Brush has created the shortcut angle sash paintbrush, which is extremely popular. With over 9,000 five-star reviews, it has a flexible purple Shergrip handle, giving it great manoeuvrability in tight spaces.

Its wooden handle is shorter compared to others on our list, which some reviewers found it made the brush difficult to work with, but most reviewers have found the shorter handle gave them greater precision and that it was easy to hold, with one even mentioning that it was good for their arthritic hands.

Pros

  • Handle is flexible, so it has great manoeuvrability
  • Some reviewers found the shorter handle gave them greater precision

Cons

  • Some may prefer a longer handle

Best for ceilings, doors and skirting boards

Purdy Clearcut Glide Trim BrushPurdy/Amazon
Price: £14.49
Alternative retailers
Lowe's$9.98View offer
Blain Farm & Fleet$10.99View offer
Newegg$14.95View offer
Overstock$30.64View offer

Another Purdy favourite is this Clearcut Series Glide Angular Trim 2.5-inches Paint Brush. Additionally, it also comes with an option for a smaller or bigger-sized brush. With long bristles and a beautiful wooden handle, it's certainly worth the investment and is suitable for all paints.

With hundreds of high ratings, reviewers recommend it for its smooth finish and great quality. It's also recommended by many professional painters. This cutting-in brush ensures you get a neat joint at the ceiling, around doors and skirting boards. Some reviewers think it is a little thin, so doesn't hold a lot of paint.

Pros

  • Great for neat joins around ceilings, doors and skirting boards
  • Offers a smooth finish, thanks to its long bristles

Cons

  • Some reviewers think it is a little thin so doesn't hold a lot of paint

Best angled cutting-in paint brush

Harris Seriously Good Walls & Ceilings Cutting In Angled Paint BrushHarris/Amazon
Price: £9.20

Harris's Seriously Good Walls and Ceilings Angled Paint Brush is one of the best for cutting in – and it says it all in the name! The two-inch brush has been designed to give you a controlled paint application along edges and into corners. Especially with emulsion paint, you will see some excellent results.

Customers appreciate the quality and overall value of this paintbrush, and many reviews also mention that it has a comfortable handle, so you shouldn't get aching hands during long painting sessions. Opinions are mixed on the bristle loss, some reviewers had issues with shedding, but others say it rarely loses any bristles.

Pros

  • Designed to give you a controlled paint application along edges and into corners
  • Reviews mention it has a comfortable handle

Cons

  • Some reviewers had issues with bristle-shedding

Best three pack of brushes

Hamilton Prestige Pure Synthetic Sash BrushesHamilton/Amazon
Price: £66.89

One of the best cutting-in brush sets is the Hamilton Prestige Sash Three Pack. Being Amazon's choice for sash brushes, it's made from synthetic hair, wood, and metal. Not only is the waxed wooden handle a dream to use, but the pointed head shape is also even more impressive for cutting in. It also has a rust-resistant stainless-steel ferrule.

As there are three brushes included in the pack, customers think this brush set is great value for money. Opinions are mixed on the overall quality, as some reviewers had issues with the heads falling off but they’re easily pushed back on.

Pros

  • Pointed head shape that's great for cutting in
  • Has a rust-resistant stainless-steel ferrule

Cons

  • Some reviewers had issues with the heads falling

Best brush multipack

Axus Decor Paint Brush Set Of 4Axus/Amazon

Rrp: £11.99

Price: £7.99

Axus Décor's Grey Series Pointed Paint Brush Sets also rank highly on our list. The set of four includes a 1.5-inch brush, two 2-inch brushes and two 3-inch brushes. It's ideal for sash windows, architraves, and mouldings. The super-fine tapered and synthetic filaments are designed to achieve a smooth finish with minimal brush marks.

Customers online say these brushes are good for gloss or emulsion paint, and they like that multiple-sized brushes are included in the pack. There’s only a handful of critical reviews as they’re much liked by Amazon customers but one reviewer thought the bristles could be thicker.

Pros

  • Four in a pack
  • Fine and tapered to achieve a smooth finish

Cons

  • One reviewer thought the bristles could be thicker

We asked Matt Gray, Skills Development Consultant for UK Dulux Academy frequently asked questions about cutting in paint brushes as well as his top tips on painting and decorating for beginners.

FAQs

What paint brush is best for cutting in?

“Angled brushes are ideal for cutting into corners, skirting boards, you name it – they help you get a straight edge. So, they are definitely worth the investment. Depending on what type of paint you’re using, you're best off with different brushes. Natural bristle brushes are best with solvent-based paints, whereas for water-based paints you’d be better off using synthetic bristle brushes.”

How do you cut in with a paint brush?

“For best results, you’re best off holding the paintbrush like a pencil and slightly dampening the bristles with water before dipping into the paint to help it retain the most paint. Once you’ve got some paint on the brush, paint the wall close to the edge you’re cutting into to get some excess off. Then, in a smooth and steady stroke movement, move your brush closer to the edge as you paint while angling the brush handle in the opposite direction to the edge – this way, you have less chance of getting paint on the wrong side of the edge. You can always go over it and get closer as you build your confidence.”

Tips for home decorating for beginners:

Matt’s top tips for beginners are:

“Preparation is key – don’t underestimate its importance. I know it isn’t classed as the ‘fun’ bit of decorating, but getting the prep right goes a long way in the difference to your finish.”

Invest in good-quality brushes and rollers. Looking after them will not only improve the quality of your decorating but will also help the environment. To look after your tools, make sure they are thoroughly clean and dry before storing them ready for your next project.

Keep one roller for your white paint so you don’t have old colours impacting your white finish – trust me, there is nothing worse than painting white and seeing streaks of yellow or green coming through!”

Matt Gray has worked in the painting & decorating industry for over 30 years. For 20+ of those years, he has been a key member of the UK Dulux Academy, sharing his knowledge about painting finishes to paint techniques with other decorators to evaluate their skills.

Samantha' Sam' Price is a Senior Beauty, Fashion & Wellness Products Writer at Yours magazine. In 2021, Sam began her journey as a Storytelling Executive at Closer and heatworld on an internship, creating beauty and fashion content across these brands. It was 2022 when Sam was employed as a Commercial Content Writer writing about Family Life on Yours, Mother & Baby and Spirit & Destiny. Now, she specialises in beauty, fashion and wellness content across many brands.

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