First off the main problem most DIYers have is that brushes and rollers come in such a wide variety of sizes and styles. This on its own puts most people off before they even start. So which one is actually going to suit the job you have in mind? Here's some tips to get you on your way.
Paint Brushes
There are two basic types of brushes you can choose from - ones with a natural bristle or the synthetic bristle type.
Brushes with a natural bristle are gonna cost you that little bit more but when you're buying paint brushes you can't afford to cut corners. Saving a few bucks now will cost you an awful lot more in a poor paint finish in the long run. There's nothing worse than having to redo a paint job believe me.
Using paint brushes with natural bristles will be far more suitable for oil based or the alkyd types of paint. You're better off not using a natural bristle paint brush with any type of latex paint though - they're not suited to each other at all. Your coat of paint won't be nearly as even as if you'd used another type of brush bristle. The downside of the natural type of paintbrush is that they don't last as long - the bristles tend to come loose a lot sooner than with a synthetic brush.
For all the value that natural bristle paint brushes have their synthetic rivals have their own value too. You can use these brushes with a latex paint and you'll get great results every time (as long as you haven't bought a cheapo brush).
Don't worry if the brush you're going to buy has a split or jagged tip. Even though this might look like you'll get a crappy finish with it the opposite is true. Usually the rougher the brush the better the finish you actually get in the end. Weird but true yes!
When you're buying a brush you need to look at the actual size of the brush itself. As a rough sizing guide your brush should be about fifty percent longer than it is wide. This will save wear and tear on your hands and help create a better finish full stop - the brush will just be better balanced for use.
Rollers
Just like their shorter and hairier friends rollers can come in either synthetic or natural types. You can also apply the same basic rules to rollers as you do to paint brushes but there are some extra considerations when it comes to buying rollers.
When you're buying a roller pay attention to the nap of the roller. For the best possible finish choose a roller with a fine and low nap - this will eliminate most of your problems straight away. You also need to choose a roller than will return to it's normal shape once you give it a squeeze. If the roller deforms after use then it's going to cause havoc with your painting job.
The main message here is don't cut corners on costs when buying brushes or rollers. The amount of money you spend on buying these items is tiny in comparison to what you're spending on the painting project itself. Yes you'll save yourself a few bucks but the results won't be what you wanted.
