Pro tip: skip the foam brushes for poly, a cheap china bristle brush is a total game changer

I was finishing a big oak table last month and decided to test both. The foam brush left a million tiny bubbles in the first coat that I had to sand out, adding like 2 hours to the job. The $8 china bristle brush from the hardware store laid it down smooth and even every single time. It held more finish so I could work faster, and the final coat looked like glass. I'm never going back to foam for top coats. What's your go-to brush for water-based stuff, since bristle can be tricky with those?

2 comments

2 Comments

barbaraw1618d ago

My buddy had the same bubble mess with foam on his cabinets. Swore by those cheap nylon brushes for his water-based poly after that, said they don't get all soggy.

val74118d ago

Honestly, your buddy is totally right about the nylon brushes. I had that exact foam disaster on a table last year, and it was such a mess. Switched to a basic nylon brush from the hardware store and the difference was crazy. The bristles just hold their shape and don't leave those little bits in the finish. It seems so simple but it really fixes the whole bubble problem. I won't use anything else on water-based stuff now.