Paintbrush Holder

Whether you’re painting a masterpiece on canvas, or you’re painting a complicated room in a house, it’s often the case that a painter uses more than one brush. Sure, sometimes you use one brush, rinse it out, and use another. But other times, you need to alternate brushes and other tools. Instead of having to clean each one, each time you use it, or take a chance on having a brush dry out while you’re not using it, you can make a bath for them. That way, you can keep the brush bristles in the wash to keep them fresh. Whether the wash be water, or another cleaner, you’ll have much less bother when you make the easy wash tray. And, with it, a paintbrush holder will keep the brushes from falling into the soak.

Use a proper tray for the wash you’ll be using. The tray can be a shallow, plastic container for a water bath, or could even be a metal tray for turpentine or other washes. Fill the chosen tray about halfway to three-quarters of the way full.

Foam insulation from a home improvement store can help you make the brush holder itself. The insulation is like a tube of foam with a slit that runs down the entire length. The slit has peel-n-stick edges on both sides so that, after the insulation is in place, you can stick the edges to an object, or to each other.

The foam insulation is available in many sizes, from small in diameter, to huge. Choose an appropriate size, depending on if you’re using house painting brushes, or canvas painting brushes. A small-diameter can hold small brushes, a large-diameter insulation piece can hold brushes with big handles. Cut the insulation to the length you need to fit over one top edge of the pan. Slide the insulation over that edge. Don’t peel and stick the edges and you can just slide the tube off when you need to clean the pan. If you want, make a brush holder for more than one side of the pan.

Cut vertical slits down the insulation, but only on the side that faces the wash. Cut them from the top of the tube, down towards the bottom. Now all you have to do is slide your brushes or tools into the slits, and down into the wash, to hold them in place. The easy-to-make paintbrush wash not only keeps your brushes ready for you, but keeps them from falling down into the water, turpentine, or other liquid.


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