Are Skinny Paint Brush Handles Ruining Your Hands?

If you’ve been putting off a badly needed painting job because those long, skinny brush handles are too uncomfortable for you to use, there is a solution. Large grip paint brushes and comfort grip paint brushes are designed to provide a more comfortable way for people to paint. While the brush head is basically unchanged, the handle is quite different from standard wooden and plastic handles.

Advantages Of Large Grip Paint Brushes

Large grip paint brushes have a handle that is as wide as the brush head and are designed with comfortable finger grooves. They are not much thicker than standard brushes, which means that they aren‘t too thick to fit comfortably in your grip.

Comfort grip brushes usually have bigger handles than standard brushes and a more rounded shape. Often, they also have a softer, cushioned handle for your ease-of-use.

Both of these non-traditional paint brushes are a wonderful tool for young children who want to help paint their rooms. They are also ideal for people who suffer from joint pain and need a different way to hold their brushes because gripping skinnier brush handles for long periods of time is just too painful.

Of course, no handle can turn a person with joint problems into a painting machine. The key to using a large grip paint brush effectively is to use it in moderation. Instead of painting straight through for an hour or more, paint for ten or fifteen minutes, wrap your brush in a plastic bag to keep it from drying out and take a ten minute break. When you have rested your hands for a few minutes, you can unwrap the brush and start right up again.

Other Ways To Get Hand Relief

Another thing you may want to try is alternating hands. It may seem awkward to do some of your painting with a hand you don’t use as often, but it really can help alleviate pain the next day. Also, make sure you flex your fingers occasionally as you paint. If you are reaching up to paint, put down the brush and shake your arms around every once awhile.

Finally, if at all possible, stand on a ladder or other sturdy surface to paint higher areas instead of reaching over your head. This helps you avoid putting extra strain on your hands and arms, since you don’t have to press as hard to apply the paint and you don’t have to hold them at an awkward angle while you try to reach spots that are too high.