Corona Paint Brush Review

For many professional decorators in the UK – myself included until recently – Corona are one of those brush brands that you may be aware of but have little experience of using.  Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity over the last few weeks to use some of their brushes, so I thought I’d write a quick overview of the range.

The history of the company dates from the aftermath of World War 1. A Mr Waksman, who had already learned some of the skills needed to manufacture paint brushes from hog bristles, left Russia to make a better life for himself and his family.

Via Cuba, he ended up in Tampa in Florida, where he set up his new business.  Three generations later, Corona brushes are available not only across the USA, but in the UK too, where they have built an excellent reputation among those who have tried them.

Tradition ad Family area important values at Corona. The brushes are all still made by hand in the USA – they’re extremely durable, built to last and come with a lifetime guarantee.

They have been making brushes for eighty years now and refuse to compromise on quality.  The company is still overseen by the third generation of the Waksman family.

And talking of family… the Corona range of brushes is absolutely vast, so I find it easiest to understand by dividing it up into four families of brush:

• The Performance Series.
• The Red-Gold Series.
• The Champagne Series.
• The Specialist Series.

In this blog I won’t have time to go into too much detail on every brush they offer, so I’ll give you an overview of each brush “family”, and then pick one or two brushes from each family to look at in a bit more detail.  More detail of the full range can be found at www.coronabrushes.co.uk. 

Corona Performance Series

All the brushes in the Performance Series use 100% Chinex filaments, which are quite firm/stiff, so if you like a firmer filament this would be a good place to start for you.  They can be used with oil- or water-based paints, and hybrids too – the stiffer filaments are great for “pushing around” thicker paints (paints with more “body”).

Within the Performance Series you will find brushes of different designs (square cut, angled, oval, different handles), each of which has its own name, but all use the same 100% Chinex filaments.

I find that the fine Chinex filaments hold a lot of paint but also lay off very nicely for smooth finish. If I’m using one on skirtings and architraves, for example, I have to keep reminding myself to slow down; because they hold a lot of paint, it’s easy to get a bit carried away, with the amount of area you’re covering.

With certain paints which are prone to do this anyway, you can end up with drips and sags because of the sheer volume of paint you’ve managed to get on in a short time period – it’s not a criticism of the brush at all, you just need to be aware of how much paint you’re putting on, and take time to lay it off accordingly.

Fortunately, the Performance Series Chinex filaments are great for laying off with; even though they’re quite firm, they’re also fine and nicely flagged at the ends.

I’ve used a Merlin a lot recently with Benjamin Moore Scuff-X; not only did it wok really well with this type of paint, I also found it cleaned up really easily at the end of the day.

So those are my thoughts on the Merlin, but as I say, if you like a firm but fine filament but don’t want a square-cut brush or a beavertail handle, there are loads of other options within the Performance Series family.

Corona Red-Gold Series

All the brushes in the Red-Gold Series use a blend of synthetic Tynex and Orel filaments, which are a bit softer than those used in the Performance Series.  These are great “all rounders” – they’re workhorses, you can use them in almost any type of paint and you know they won’t let you down.

But when I say “workhorses”, please don’t take that to mean lower quality.  Quite the opposite – they’re built to last, pick up a lot of paint and give a super smooth finish, thanks to the flagged tips on the filaments.

Corona Champagne Series

If the Performance Series was the firmer, stiffer filaments, and the Red-Golds were in the middle, the Champagne Series brushes are the softest of the Corona brushes, ideal for thinner paints, stains and water-based varnishes.

They use 100% Tynex synthetic filaments which are flagged in-house to give a really smooth finish.  I’ve heard of quite a few people using these for projects like hand-painted kitchens (not something I do much of myself, but I can see the logic).  Maybe not an” everyday brush” like the Archer, but one to be aware of if you prefer a softer type of brush for certain jobs.

Corona Specialist Series

Final Thoughts on Corona Paint Brushes

Corona aren’t “cheap and cheerful” brushes – they are premium price, premium quality brushes which are hand-made and built to last.  They come with a guarantee against defects, and in the limited time I’ve been using them I’ve had no issues at all – haven’t lost a single bristle, and they keep their shape well.

As I say, the range is huge, so the easiest way to find what you want is to find the “Series” (“family”) of brushes which uses the filaments that you like, then find the specific brush which is the shape you want with the handle you like, and then narrow it down to the size.

My favourites at the moment? I’m sure everyone will disagree, because we’re all different, have slightly different technique, different sized hands, working with different paints on different projects.  So, there’s no “right or wrong” brush, it’s about finding one that works for you in the paint you’re using.  But right now, I’m loving the Red-Gold Series for use in emulsion, and the Performance Series when I’m working with Scuff-X or Johnstone’s Aqua-Guard on interior woodwork.

Brand Summary