As a professional Decorator of over 20 years, I have used loads of different brands of brushes and paint rollers over the past couple of decades, but the Lick painting tools have really caught my attention recently. It all stemmed from a post I saw on LinkedIn about the amount of single use plastic that goes to landfill as a result of decorating.
This led me to researching sustainable practices, and learning all about Lick. I’ve been using their tools for a few weeks now, so I thought I’d put pen to paper and write a full Lick painting tools review. I hope you find it useful. I am yet to try the full range, but I’ll come back and add to this review when I do.
Lick has a range of tools because they acquired a company called Eco Union a few years ago. However, I tried the Eco Union tools, and modern Lick tools are completely different. Lick as a company is very innovative, so they’re constantly looking to improve the performance of everything they have, which would explain why their tools have evolved.
Lick Plastic Dust Sheet and Tape & Drape Review
I thought I’d do these two Products together because they’re very similar. Lick Dust Sheet is a plastic membrane you might use to cover furniture when decorating a room.
Lick Tape & Drape is also a plastic membrane, but it comes with a roll of masking tape attached. You might use it for covering a window or kitchen units.
You simply roll it out and attach the masking tape to the top of the object you want to cover, cut through both tape and plastic when you’ve reached your desired length, and unfold the plastic. Electrostatic charge holds the plastic part of the Lick Tape & Drape in place until you can tack it to with normal masking tape.
Both do their designated jobs as well as anything else on the market. Where Lick is different is its sustainability factor. Most plastic membrane products are made from single use plastic. Lick use recycled and recyclable plastic, meaning less plastic going to landfill.
I investigated why more manufacturers don’t use biodegradable plastic instead; it’s my understanding that even though it does biodegrade, it takes a very long time, and there are often microplastics left. This makes me think that recyclable plastic is better from an environmental aspect. I think we can assume those who buy sustainable decorating tools also recycle their waste.
Lick Eco Paint Tray Review
As a Decorator, I tend to use paint scuttles, but I know a lot of other Decorators prefer trays. The Lick Eco Paint Tray is different to anything else I have seen. It’s made from some sort of pulp, which paint sticks to. This means you can use it multiple times without washing it out.
The Lick Paint Tray is also compostable, so it biodegrades in a short period. All the other trays I have seen are single use plastic, which means it goes to landfill and takes thousands of years to decompose.
I’ll reiterate that I don’t use paint trays, but if I did, it would be hard to look past Lick.
Lick Tools Brush Review
Lick manufacture a couple of different paintbrushes, each developed for the trade, meaning they’re good quality. Being as they’re made by Lick, they’re made in a sustainable way. Each with a slick bamboo handle and recycled metal ferrule.
Lick Tools Angled Sash Brush
This has a thin stock, angled bristles, and long fibres. It’s a fantastic brush for emulsion!! The bristles are too soft for any paint like contract matt because it drags, but for vinyl matt, durable matt, or eggshell emulsion paint, it’s a masterpiece!
It’s easy to manipulate paint with the Lick Tools Angled Sash Brush, so squaring up internal corners and striking sharp lines between wall and ceiling is made easy.
Lick Tools Flat Brush
This is a square brush with a thicker stock and stiffer bristles. I love this brush too!! It’s better for use in satinwood, gloss, eggshell, or other trim paints. It’s great for painting doors, door frames, windowsills etc. You can use it in both oil-based and water-based paints too.
The Lick Tools Flat Brush holds loads of paint, it just seems to go and go.
Final Thoughts
Sustainability is a claim made by more and more brands now, and it’s good to see it’s on everyone’s minds. I carry out a lot of spraying, and always feel guilty about the amount of plastic sheeting that goes to landfill. However, this is the first range of tools I have used that is both sustainable AND really good quality.
Lick only popped up a few years ago, but they took the designer paint industry by storm. Now they’re even making in-roads into the trade paint section of the market, and their tools are brilliant too.
For more information, please visit – www.lick.com/uk/products/supplies/pro-tools
Lick Painting Tools Review – by Mike Gregory
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