Top 5 Best Paint Brushes For Chalk Paint (2023 Review)

Last Updated On September 22, 2023

Are you looking for the perfect paintbrush for applying chalk paint to your next DIY project?

You've come to the right place!

In this ProPaintCorner.com guide, you will learn:

  • Why you should use a different brush for chalk paint
  • What the different types of paint brushes are
  • How to choose the right brush for your chalk paint project

And much more!

Top 5 Best Paint Brushes For Chalk Paint (2020 Review)

Below is a quick list of all our top products. Keep scrolling to learn more about how to choose and use a paintbrush for chalk paint!

Image Product

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Chalk & Wax Paint Brush Set by Modern Art Supplies
  • 2-pack
  • Chalk & wax paint compatible
  • Nickel Plated Ferrule
  • 2-pack
  • Chalk & wax paint compatible
  • Nickel Plated Ferrule
View on Amazon

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Tatler & Tatum Chalk Painting & Wax Brush
  • 100% natural bristles
  • 30 day guarantee
  • Low shedding design
  • 100% natural bristles
  • 30 day guarantee
  • Low shedding design
View on Amazon

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Professional Chalk & Wax Paint Brush 5 Piece Master Set
  • Premium natural hair bristles
  • Ergonomic handle design
  • Heavy-duty
  • Premium natural hair bristles
  • Ergonomic handle design
  • Heavy-duty
View on Amazon

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Brossum Large 2-in-1 Round Chalk & Wax Brush
  • Handmade
  • Low shedding bristle design
  • Inexpensive
  • Handmade
  • Low shedding bristle design
  • Inexpensive
View on Amazon

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Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Brushes
  • 100% natural boar bristles
  • Hold a large amount of paint
  • Multiple sizes
  • 100% natural boar bristles
  • Hold a large amount of paint
  • Multiple sizes
View on Amazon

Our Overall #1 Rated Pick

Updated On September 22, 2023

Our top choice chalk paintbrush is this amazing set from Modern Art Supplies that includes both a round and an oval brush.

This set is the perfect chalk painting starter kit because it offers a small brush and a larger brush that can help you achieve great results on DIY projects both large and small.

Plus, the nickel-plated ferrule is strong and shedding resistant so you won't lose so many hairs in the thick chalk paint!

At a super affordable price point, these brushes are sure to be a great addition to your crafting tool kit.

Why Should You Use A Different Brush For Chalk Paint?

Chalk paint is a newer type of paint on the market that was developed by the brand Annie Sloan to create a matte look that will show off the natural brush strokes.

It's often used in cohesion with a soft wax that helps to seal the paint in and give it more of a satin finish once dried.

Incidentally, it also happens to be a low-VOC and water-based paint which means it's less toxic than oil-based paints and offers easier cleanup.

So why does the type of paint matter when it comes to choosing a brush?

Because the brush you choose determines the overall look you'll achieve in the end.

Not only that, but chalk paint is often selected because of it's more "rough around the edges" look, and in order to achieve that hand-painted look, you need to use the right brush for chalk paint specifically.

Painting furniture (in particular) is an art form, so even if you're an amateur DIYer who's never worked with chalk paint before, choosing the right brush can help you get the best results without the extra know-how.

Advantages Of Using Chalk Paint

One of the best parts about using chalk paint, though, is the fact that it often requires minimal prep work in the form of sanding or priming.

Chalk paint is incredibly adhesive and can still create an amazing paint color without the extra priming step.

Chalk paint also has a low chance of causing dripping during the painting process because it's a thicker paint.

So whether you're painting a piece of furniture or doing an entire room makeover, keep reading to decide which chalk paintbrush is the best one for you!

Read More >> How Do You Properly Clean A Paint Brush?

Did you know: The first known origin of paintbrushes was in 300 B.C. in the Qin dynasty of China. However, the first mention of a paintbrush in history didn't happen until Tuscan painter Cennino Cennini documented it.

What Are The Different Types of Brushes To Choose From?

When it comes to choosing the right paintbrush for chalk paint there are a few things you need to know.

First of all, you need to understand the differences between synthetic bristle brushes and natural bristle brushes (we'll get to that in a minute) but you also need to understand how different styles of brushes factor into the end result.

Both of these things - the bristle style and the brush style - work together to ultimately create the brush marks you're looking for.

Synthetic Bristle Brushes

Synthetic bristle brushes are paintbrushes that have bristles that are made from materials other than hog bristle or animal hair.

Often they're made from nylon bristles or polyester bristles or a nylon/polyester blend, which creates a smooth finish on whatever surface you're working with.

Natural Bristle Brushes

Natural hair brushes are often made from natural,  animal hairs and often those hairs come from hog bristles, ox hairs, goat hairs, and even sable hairs.

The best part about natural bristle brushes is that they create a very real look and feel in your brush strokes.

That's why natural bristle brushes are almost unanimously recommended for creating amazing chalk paint results.

However, there is one thing you should look for when scoping out a natural bristle brush for chalk paint:

You must find a brush that has low-shedding bristles. Why?

Because natural bristles shed! Things like boar hair and ox hair are very fine, which is great for creating a beautiful finish, but when you run them through the ringer with a thick, viscous paint like chalk paint or chalk paint wax you run the risk of losing a bunch of hairs in the paint!

That can yield huge headaches when you're trying to create a high-quality DIY paint job.

So yes, natural brushes are the way to go, just make sure you're watching out for shedding along the way so you don't end up with a bunch of hairs dried into the nooks and crannies!

Round Brushes

The last type of brush I want to mention is the round brush, which is mostly what you're going to see on this list.

That's because round brushes are often used with chalk paint to create those beautiful, matte brush strokes that chalk paint is known for.

The style and grip of round brushes gives you much more control over how you're laying on the paint and makes it much easier to apply both the chalk paint and the chalk paint wax in order to get that rustic, stylized finish.

How To Choose The Right Brush For Chalk Paint?

So how do you ultimately choose the right brush for a chalk paint project?

Ultimately, that's going to depend on a few key factors:

  1. How often do you plan to work with chalk paint?
  2. What type of surface are you applying the chalk paint to?
  3. What's your desired look and feel?

Now obviously that doesn't cover everything, but these 3 things can help narrow down what you want to look for in a chalk paintbrush.

For instance, if you want to paint an entire wall in chalk paint, you'll honestly probably want to get a paint roller to cover the large surface area you're working with.

But if you want to do some DIY furniture painting, and you know you'll be doing more of it in the future, you might want to invest in a full chalk brush set like the one we recommend in Pick #3 below.

So, take a look at our recommendations below and see which brush or brush set is the best for you and your future DIY projects!

Read More >> What Are The Best Paint Brush Cleaners Out There?

Our Reviews Of The Best Paint Brushes For Chalk Paint

If you're looking for an amazing paintbrush set for your home DIY kit, our #1 choice is this simple little 2-brush set from Modern Art Supplies.

These brushes are made from high-quality natural hairs that are low-shedding and designed specifically for chalk paint and chalk paint wax application.

The shape of these brushes is also ideal for creating the brush marks that you want with your chalk paint.

It's just an excellent all-around set for getting started with chalk paint DIYs!

Pros

  • 2-pack
  • Chalk & wax paint compatible
  • Nickel Plated Ferrule

Cons

  • Require careful cleaning to not pull out hairs
  • Because they're natural hairs, they're prone to bending more than synthetic hairs

Our choice for the best budget brush is this Tatler & Tatum Chalk Painting & Wax Brush because this little brush is just perfect for almost any chalk painting project you have.

While it's on the smaller side (not great for larger surface areas) it's got an ergonomic handle that makes it ideal for creating an artistic looking finish with your chalk paint.

It's also about half the price of the typical chalk paintbrush!

So if you're new to the world of chalk painting and you want something that's high-quality but at a lower price point, this little brush is your new best friend!

Pros

  • 100% natural bristles
  • 30-day guarantee
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Some people noticed that the brush smelled odd
  • Higher shedding than some other brushes

Our high-end recommendation is none other than this 5-piece Master Set from Infiniti Elementz.

This set has everything you need to get started with chalk paintwork from small projects to large.

Not only do these brushes make it super easy to fill in all those nooks and crannies, but the larger brushes will make it easier (and faster) to put down that first coat.

They're a great choice if you know you want to do more chalk painting projects in the future and need to have some high-quality brushes in your toolkit, so if you're looking to make a slightly larger investment for a quality brush set, this is the way to go.

Pros

  • Premium natural hair bristles
  • Ergonomic handle design
  • Heavy-duty

Cons

  • Some customers said the larger brushes hurt their fingers over time due to the design (might vary by project though)

If you're looking for another inexpensive brush to add to your arsenal, this Brossum brush is a great one to look at!

This one comes in a large size as well as an extra-large size and typically costs about $15 which is a super affordable option for a handmade, natural bristle brush like this.

I love that this one also comes with a leather hanging strap which makes it easier to store when not in use.

Plus, it's made of twice-boiled natural boar bristles which are generally less prone to shedding than other hair types.

Pros

  • Handmade
  • Low shedding bristle design
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Some users still noticed shedding when doing bigger projects

Last but certainly not least, the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Brushes.

These are the original chalk paint brushes that have been specifically designed by Annie Sloan (also the developer of the original chalk paint that started the craze).

These brushes are pricey, but if you plan to use chalk paint a lot they're worth the price.

They shed the least of any of the chalk paint brushes out there and they also hold a ton of paint so they'll cut down on your painting time dramatically by allowing you to paint more from one dip in the can!

Pros

  • 100% natural boar bristles
  • Hold a large amount of paint
  • Multiple sizes

Cons

  • Pricey
  • Not on Amazon

Our top choice is still this Chalk & Wax Paint Brush Set simply because it offers both of the 2 main styles of brushes you'll need to paint most projects.

Not only that, but they come in at a reasonable price point, so if you're not ready to drop serious money on some chalk brushes like the Annie Sloan brushes, these are a fantastic option to get you started.

They're just excellent value for the money, and you can get them easily from Amazon now.

Final Thoughts On Finding A Good Chalk Paint Brush

No matter what your next chalk paint project is, it's basically essential to find the right paint brush (or brushes) to add to your toolkit.

Trust me, if you want to create amazing looking results on your next DIY project, using a brush specifically designed for chalk paint will make all the difference.

And I'm confident that pretty much any brush on this list will help you achieve the results you're looking for.

As always, happy painting!

Want More Painting Tips?

Visit our Pro Paint Corner page to learn everything you need to know about painting. 

Our paint bloggers are trained professionals that are around 24/7 to help you with any of your painting needs. Good luck!

Meet Your Pro Paint Corner Author

Madison Rude

Madison Rude

I’m kind of a painting nerd. My mom taught me how to paint when I was nine, and since then I’ve painted rooms, furniture...you name it. I’ve written technical advice for Wagner sprayers, and I’ve spent a lot of time DIYing my own home. I’m no expert, but I love to learn. And here at ProPaintCorner, I learn more about painting every time I work with one of our painting pros to bring you the best product reviews and How To advice available. Together, let’s make your next painting project the best it can be!

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Madison Rude

Madison Rude

I’m kind of a painting nerd. My mom taught me how to paint when I was nine, and since then I’ve painted rooms, furniture...you name it. I’ve written technical advice for Wagner sprayers, and I’ve spent a lot of time DIYing my own home. I’m no expert, but I love to learn. And here at ProPaintCorner, I learn more about painting every time I work with one of our painting pros to bring you the best product reviews and How To advice available. Together, let’s make your next painting project the best it can be!

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