Repairing Damaged Paintbrush Handles

Over time the lacquer on some paintbrush handles cracks, with entire pieces breaking off, exposing the wood beneath. This condition worsens over time as water, turps, or oils work their way into the unprotected wood of the handle.  

One fix for this is to use an Acrylic Gel Medium. First, remove any loose pieces of lacquer from the brush handle. Smooth down the remaining lacquer edges on the handle using fine-grained sandpaper. Wipe off any remaining grit until the handle is smooth and clean. Then spread the gel medium over the exposed wood and cracked edges with a soft-haired brush. Continue brushing the gel around the full circumference of the damaged section of the handle. Doing this helps to create a stronger seal.

Below the gel medium has been freshly applied to the handle of the brush. 

Once the medium dries to a clear finish, the paintbrush is ready to use with the exposed wood sealed up to help extend the life of the brush and prevent further damage to the handle. 

This method also works for sealing the ends of brush handles that you want to shorten. Once the handle is cut down to the desired length, smooth the end with sandpaper to round off the edges. Cover the exposed tip with the gel medium, continue covering about one inch up the brush handle to create a strong seal.

The earlier you can repair this type of damage, the better your chances of extending the life of your brush.