The BEST Brushes for Chalk Painting Furniture...and How I Use Them
- Tracey Bellion
- Aug 3
- 6 min read
My painting needs have evolved, and the tools I used to love aren't always the ones I reach for now. With new brushes hitting the market and my own creative needs shifting, my most used brushes have shifted as well.
Whether you are priming, base coating, blending or detailing, these are the best paint brushes for chalk painting furniture. I recommend them over and over again.... because I actually couldn't get through a day in the shop without them!
I've compiled a list for you of the FIVE best paint brushes for chalk painting furniture, why they are my favorites, and how I use them in the furniture painting process.
If you are a new reader, hello and welcome to the Fancy Fam! With over a decade of furniture painting experience, I can honestly say that sharing my projects through this blog is still my favorite way to inspire! I've got years worth of fun and creative ways to update your home decor and furniture through paint! If this sounds like something you'd like to have delivered to you every Sunday be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!
FIVE Best Brushes for Furniture Painting
You can also shop my favorite products and tools in my Amazon influencer list here.
This post may contain affiliate links. I could make a commission at no charge to you if you purchase my recommended products. Please read my disclosure here and my privacy policy here.
BEST Brushes for Furniture Painting: The How & Why
The Why: The Mini Brush is a synthetic brush that is hand crafted here in the USA. The sturdy bristles are made to hold the weight of chalk mineral paint... and most importantly they are tapered on the end to deliver a smooth brushstroke-free finish.
The overall feel of the bristles is silky smooth and that is the exact finish this brush delivers.
I've never thrown one away!
They hold their shape and last for years as long as you rinse them well after use.
The size of the handle also plays into my heavy use of this brush! I have a very small hand...and the short handle is the perfect fit in my hand!
The How: I use the the Mini Brush on all large pieces of furniture.
I use it to apply my primer coat as I want my primer layer to be really smooth. If your primer coat is choppy and brush stroke heavy... every coat after that will be too. It lays down a smooth foundation for color.
I also use this brush for the majority of my base coats on large surfaces.
And when blending colors, I use one Mini per color. It works beautifully for blending.
And finally, I keep one Mini for my clear Top Coats only. I prefer my top coat brushes to be free of any paint/primer residue and by keeping one just for this purpose has been a lifesaver for me.
There is also an angled version of this brush but I rarely use it. I find the flat version does everything I need.
The Why: The Flat Medium brush is also a synthetic brush that delivers all the same benefits as the Mini above. It's constructed exactly the same... being hand made, sturdy, and tapered bristles... it's just a different size and shape. I find this brush to also be a very good weight and fit in my small hand.
The How: The width of this brush is a bit more narrow and I tend to reach for this brush when working on smaller furniture pieces or in smaller spaces of a large furniture pieces such as drawer fronts or trimmed out areas.
It's also the perfect width to dip into any jar...it even fits perfectly into the small 4 and 8 oz jars on the market.
I use it just as I use the Mini... to apply primer, base coats and top coats. I don't use this as a blending brush as it's a narrow brush which doesn't allow it to blend "out" as well.
I do keep one Flat Medium set aside to use for clear Top Coats only... just as I do the Mini above.
The Why: The Big Daddy Brush is SO much fun!!! It is an oversized natural bristle brush that is a workhorse and a party animal! I have introduced this brush to so many people and they always fall in love with it!
The How: I use this brush to apply base coats to large pieces only if it is a more rustic or organic finish. It covers a lot of ground quickly but does leave brush strokes. I have been known to apply a base coat to a large surface with this brush...and then smoothing out that base coat with the Mini to smooth it out.....they make a great team!
However this brush is the star of the show for blending out colors on furniture pieces. It will blend multiple colors at once and create the most beautiful effects while doing so. It pulls colors together while creating new colors in the process.
Most often when blending I'm also spritzing with water.....which keeps the brush strokes to a minimum.....leaving the most beautiful ethereal blend.
I highly recommend the experience this brush will offer you!
The Why: The premium chip natural brush is my work horse brush. It's the brush that takes all the beating because it can. Let's face it....in the furniture painting world....sometimes things have to get a little rough before they get pretty....and this brush is there for the rough part.
It's a natural bristle brush NOT to be confused with the wimpy little standard chip brush that I have NEVER liked. It is called premium for a reason. It holds its value FOREVER.....literally.
The How: I use this brush on any project that has hard to reach areas that require heavy scrubbing or pouncing of the paint. This brush allows me to really "smash" that paint into areas.....and the bristles seem to know their duty!
Especially on painted fabric that is a little rough. I can use this brush to really scrub that paint into the fabric fibers. I use it for both primer and paint.
I do not use it for blending or top coats. These brushes will not fall apart, they do not loose bristles....and they really will be your shop work horse!
The Why: The craft brush package contains four brushes....three of which I highly recommend for beginners. The variety in this set makes it a great place to begin your detail painting journey.
If you decide you enjoy tiny detail painting such as checks and harlequin patterns... you can graduate to more specific brush types as your skills grow. But this is a great brush pack to get you started.
The How: I use both the tiny flat and angles brushes from this pack as I create checkerboard, harlequin, and stripe patterns in all sizes.
The straight yet tapered edges offer great control for such straight lines. I also use the tiny brushes to apply paint to tiny trim pieces on furniture.
They wash well and the bristles hold their shape. The larger brush in this pack I refer to as my "trash" brush. This means.....I save it for oil based products or any other reason that I might need to use a brush and then toss it in the trash. I keep a whole bowl full of this fourth brush just for that reason.
One Final Look at the FIVE Best Paint Brushes for Chalk Painting Furniture
Whether you are just getting started or have been painting for years, having the right tools really does makes all the difference! If even one of these becomes a new favorite for you....then sharing this list was more than worth it! Happy Painting!
If you want more tips to help get you started on your next furniture painting project, check out my Furniture Painting Basics Tutorial for more...
JOIN ME FOR MORE...with Curiously Creative
If you enjoyed this and want more of a deep dive into home decor and DIY processes, I would love it if you joined my exclusive online creative group, Curiously Creative. I show up LIVE to guide you through every step of updating, upcycling, crafting, and creating on-trend home decor and gift-giving ideas!
Want more fancy furniture & design?
Save & Share on Pinterest!
Please share my FIVE best paint brushes for chalk painting furniture and follow me on Pinterest!
