Purdy

Purdy specializes in professional painting tools, including handcrafted brushes, paint rollers, extension poles, frames, and surface preparation tools. A subsidiary of Sherwin-Williams, Purdy is known for making painting accurate and easier for both professional contractors and DIY users.

Their core business centers on manufacturing professional-grade painting applicators and accessories, but what sets them apart is the handcrafted approach. Founded with an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship, their mission remains to build the finest painting tools by hand and make professional painters’ jobs easier, faster, and more precise.

Brush Technology That Works

The technical specs tell the story. Purdy’s brushes use specific bristle materials including 100% Natural White China Bristle, Black China Bristle, Natural Black Hog-hair, and DuPont Tynex Nylon/Orel Polyester blends. These aren’t random choices. Each material serves a purpose.

Natural bristles come in soft (White Bristle) and medium-stiff (Black Bristle) options. The natural hog-hair holds oil-based paints and stains better than synthetics ever will. Cold Montana mornings? Natural bristle maintains its shape and release characteristics when synthetics get stiff.

The synthetic story is different. Their Dale series uses DuPont Tynex Nylon and Orel Polyester filaments, engineered for latex paints. The Pro-Extra series adds Chinex to the blend, which provides even better paint release and easier cleaning. These synthetic filaments handle latex, enamels, and other coatings with unmatched control, durability and consistency.

Here’s what matters: Purdy offers flagged and tipped filaments for smooth release. Those flagged tips split like natural hair, holding more paint and laying it down evenly. No brush marks. No holidays.

Brush Series	Bristle Material	Stiffness	Best For
Extra Oregon	Natural White China, Black China, or Hog-hair	Soft to Medium-Stiff	Oil-based finishes
Dale/XL Series	DuPont Tynex/Orel Polyester	Medium Stiff to Stiff	Interior/exterior painting
Pro-Extra	Tynex/Orel/Chinex blend	Stiff	High-production painting

Product Lines Built for Specific Jobs

The XL Series became the standard for professional painters, featuring synthetic filaments with a ‘just right’ feel - not too stiff, not too soft. Well-tuned balance for responsiveness and control. That’s not marketing fluff. The bristle stiffness directly affects paint pickup, release rate, and tip control.

Their Cub brushes use short handles designed for better precision, more control, and easier maneuvering in tight spaces. Winner of Good Housekeeping’s 2022 Home Renovation Awards. Short handles mean better leverage when cutting in around trim or working overhead.

The Adjutant series features a natural hardwood ‘Rattail’ handle and square-edge stainless steel ferrule. That rattail handle design gives you better grip control for detail work. With naturally flagged tips and high paint-holding capacity, it holds and delivers more paint than other natural materials.

The Dale series takes a different approach. These brushes use a slender, long, angular sash handle specifically for trim work. The XL series features brushed copper ferrules while Pro-Extra uses stainless steel. Copper looks nice but stainless steel resists corrosion better in Montana’s temperature swings.

One standout feature: the chiseled tip for sharp cut lines. This isn’t about aesthetics. A properly chiseled brush tip lets you cut a straight line against ceiling edges without tape. That saves hours on a whole-house job.

Roller Technology

Purdy’s adjustable roller frame ranges from 12 to 18 inches, handling the three most common roller sizes contractors use. The patent-pending cam latch system allows tool-free, quick adjustment and release. No fumbling with set screws while paint dries on your roller.

The unique angled frame design lets you get closer to baseboards and ceilings. Less brush work means faster completion. They redesigned the riveting to prevent pin spinning in the frame arm — a common failure point on cheaper frames.

Roller Specification	Value
Adjustable Range	12 to 18 inches
Frame Weight	11.2 oz (0.32 kg)
Connection	Universal threaded (ACME) with Quick-Connect

Their roller covers include the White Dove™ woven Dralon® and Revolution series. The White Dove features shed-resistant fabric for a lint-free finish — critical when rolling semi-gloss or gloss paints where every fiber shows.

Cold Weather Performance

Montana contractors need tools that work in temperature extremes. Polyester maintains stiffness in humidity better than nylon, which is why the Tynex/Orel blend performs consistently whether you’re painting in July heat or October cold.

For cold weather work with oil-based products, natural bristle remains the best choice. Synthetic bristles can get too stiff when temperatures drop, making it hard to maintain proper paint flow and tip control.

Stainless steel ferrules resist corrosion from Montana’s freeze-thaw cycles better than plated steel. The moisture-wicking alderwood handles help maintain grip even when working in humid conditions or when hands sweat inside gloves.

The Bottom Line

Purdy tools cost more than hardware store brushes. They’re also built differently. Their innovation approach focuses on extensive jobsite observation, collecting feedback, and analyzing how tools are actually used. The team asks painters ‘What’s the worst part of your job?’ to identify pain points and design solutions.

Every brush is handcrafted and signed by its maker - a 100-year tradition. That signature means someone’s reputation is on every brush that leaves the factory. They have direct access to Sherwin-Williams paint development labs for co-development of tools with coatings, which means their brushes evolve alongside paint chemistry.

Skip Purdy if you’re painting one room once. But for contractors who paint every day, the math works. Better paint pickup, smoother release, and tools that last seasons instead of jobs. Their target market includes professional painting contractors, residential repaint professionals, new construction painters, and commercial painting professionals. They know who pays their bills.

FAQ

What’s the difference between Purdy’s natural and synthetic brushes?

Natural bristles (White China, Black China, or hog-hair) come in soft to medium-stiff options and excel with oil-based paints and stains. They hold more product and maintain flexibility in cold weather. Synthetic brushes use DuPont Tynex Nylon and Orel Polyester blends, designed for latex paints. They clean easier and maintain their shape through repeated use.

Which Purdy brush series should contractors choose?

The XL Series offers synthetic filaments with a ‘just right’ feel and well-tuned balance for responsiveness and control. Cub brushes with short handles provide better precision and control in tight spaces. Pro-Extra series with Chinex blend targets high-production painting. Pick based on your typical job requirements.

Are Purdy’s adjustable roller frames worth the upgrade?

The patent-pending cam latch system enables tool-free adjustment between 12, 14, and 18-inch sizes. The angled frame design gets closer to baseboards and ceilings, reducing brush work. Redesigned riveting prevents pin spinning, a common failure point. For contractors switching between roller sizes regularly, the upgrade pays off.

How do Purdy brushes handle Montana’s temperature extremes?

Polyester bristles maintain stiffness in humidity, performing consistently in temperature swings. Natural bristles work best for oil-based products in cold weather when synthetics stiffen up. Stainless steel ferrules resist corrosion from freeze-thaw cycles better than standard ferrules.