Tape bristles together for a substitute stencil brush

When you have a small amount of stenciling to do, it's tempting to avoid the expense of buying a stencil brush by daubing the paint on with a standard brush. Trouble is, an ordinary brush isn't stiff enough for stenciling. Then, too, you could end up ruining a good brush that way.

Before you try to stencil with your standard paintbrush, wrap masking tape around the bristles. The tightly bundled bristles will be stiff enough for stenciling. The tape will also keep the bristles from splaying out and breaking off. After the job, simply remove the tape. Your brush will be unharmed.
—Barbara Maxwell, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio