Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic RELATED LINKS About the Shopping Bags: Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic VIDEO TIPS: The Shopping Bags give quick pointers on more than 100 items

By Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic

There's no better way to spruce up a room than by applying a fresh coat of paint. But if you're going to go to the trouble of doing it yourself, choose the right tools to give your canvas a professional look. Time to brush up on what you need to know about buying paintbrushes:

• If using water-based latex paint, choose a brush with synthetic bristles. Nylon or nylon-polyester blends are durable. Don't use natural-bristled brushes with water-based paints. They absorb too much water and can get heavy.

• Natural-bristled brushes (like those made of hog hair) are best used with oil paints. They will spread the paint more evenly.

• A well-balanced brush will be easiest and most comfortable to use. When shopping, balance the ferrule (the metal part where the bristles attach to the handle) on your finger. The brush should not be weighted too heavily on either the side of the bristles or the handle.

• Look for brushes with split ends. Bristles that are split or flagged will hold more paint and that means fewer trips to the paint can.

• To test quality, tap the bristles against a counter and/or gently fan them out. A good brush won't lose too many bristles.

• Of course, the bigger the brush the faster you'll complete the job. A four-inch brush is good for most large jobs (where you're not using a roller). A two-inch brush is best for trim and corners. Angled or sash brushes are good for painting around windows.

(Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic host The Shopping Bags. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)