Painting Equipment List: 17 Must-Have Tools

1. Hand masker and painter’s tape: Use painter’s tape to keep paint off of baseboards and trim. A hand masker holds your painter’s tape and helps you apply the tape in straight lines easily. 

Average price: $10-$20.

2. Painter’s multi-tool: This is like a Swiss Army knife for painters and the best painting tool for prep work. Most multi-tools come with a paint can opener, flat screw bit, nail puller, nut wrenches, scrapers, chisels, and crack openers. 

Average price: $20-$35.

3. Caulking and gun: Use caulking to fill in cracks between window trim and walls or your baseboards and walls. To apply larger amounts of sealant, use a caulking gun to go faster and get more even results.

Average price: $15-$30 for both.

4. Filler: Use filler to repair holes and cracks in your walls before painting. Choose a filler that’s made for the surface material or type of repairs you’re doing.

Average price: $6-$18.

5. Patching knife: A patching knife or putty knife helps you even out the areas you’ve filled.

Average price: $6-$13.

6. Sandpaper: Sandpaper (or a sanding block) smooths out rough patches on your walls after you make repairs. The grit (how coarse it is) of your sandpaper depends on the material you’re sanding.

Average price: $5-$10.

7. Microfiber and tack cloths: Wipe down dirty walls with a microfiber cloth, some mild detergent, and water. A tack cloth can remove finer dust, dirt, and grease from walls.

Average price: $5-$10.

8. Brushes: You’ll need a variety of paint brushes to match different jobs. For example, a 2-and-a-half-sash brush is ideal for painting along the room’s edges. Angle brushes can create clean lines, making them essential for painting inside window frames and cutting doors.

“I like to have a good cut-in brush. You can tell the quality of brushes by the hair on the brushes, These are usually nylon or man-made hair, while this one is a horsehair. Horsehair is a fairly inexpensive brush and I would normally use this for anything I was going to throw away or not really care about. The nylon brush, I keep and clean all the time. It will give you a nice, crisp edge every time. This is my go-to brush. Totally worth it. Will make your project better and will make you happy because it will make your project easier.” — Chris Cotter Color2Color Painting.

Make sure you choose the right bristle type for your paint finish. A synthetic hair paint brush is great for most types of paint. For a smoother finish, apply oil-based paints with natural hair bristles (also known as China bristles).

Average price: $20-$30.

9. Roller frame: Also called a roller cage, this is what holds your paint roller. Larger rollers are better for walls and ceilings. Use a 4-inch roller frame to paint cabinets and doors.

Average price: $10-$20.

10. Roller cover: The roller cover is the cylinder that picks up and applies your paint. Roller covers come in a few nap sizes (thicknesses) for different wall textures. The rougher your surface, the thicker your nap should be.

Average price: $5-$10.

11. Paint tray: Plastic roller trays are more affordable and easier to clean—some are easier to peel paint off of when the paint dries. Or you could buy a more durable metal paint tray and put a plastic paint tray liner inside it.

Average price: $10-$20.

12. Paint sprayers: A paint sprayer is a tool that makes it easy to spray stains or emulsion paints onto walls. Use a paint sprayer to apply paint to large areas in less time than rollers or brushes. A paint sprayer can help you paint over rough surfaces easily and evenly.

Average price: $60-$300.

13. Ladder: A basic stepladder will help you paint hard-to-reach places, whether you’re painting a tall foyer inside a house or a large office. For a commercial painting project with hard-to-reach surfaces, use an extendable ladder.

Average price: $50-$100.

14. Wide rollers: Wide paint rollers are large paint rollers with wider headers that allow you to pick up more paint. For bigger walls, use a wide, 18-inch roller to cover double the area in the same amount of time as a standard 9-inch roller. Make sure your roller covers are the same size as your roller cages.

Average price: $10-$20.

15. Stir stick: Stir sticks aren’t just for mixing colors. Oils in the paint can separate from the paint while they’re in the can. Mix it all together to make sure your paint comes out in an even tone.

Average price: $10 for 1000. 

16. Drop cloth: Always bring a drop cloth to protect floors from paint drips and spills. A canvas drop cloth is durable and washable, but you can also use plastic sheeting to protect furniture that you can’t remove from the room.

Average price: $5-$20.

17. Extension pole: Extension poles attach to your paint rollers so you can reach higher surfaces in and outside your client’s building. They’re ideal for painting hard-to-reach places such as high ceilings. 

Average price: $20-$50.