All About Brush Channels

Understanding Brush Channel Construction

Metal channel strip brushes all start out as flat steel on a roll. At Precision Brush, we offer several different brush-channel sizes: 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10. These numbered sizes each represent the total eighths of an inch in the metal channel before it is formed into a U shape. 

So, a one-inch-wide channel would be a size 8, indicating eight eights of an inch. A half-inch-wide channel would be a size 4 channel, and so on. Once a size is selected, the flat steel is then bent into a U shape, which creates the metal channel where the filaments will be held.

The smaller the channel, the less filaments (size and quantity) it will hold. For example, if you want a heavy-duty brush with very stiff, thick filaments, you would need a larger channel. As channel size goes up, we can fit more filaments in the channel as well as use thicker filaments. For a short trim brush, smaller channels may be more appropriate. Longer trim brushes usually require a heavier, thicker filament, which necessitates a larger metal channel.

Oval vs. Flat Channels

Most of the time, channels have a flat bottom. This is the default style for channel construction. However, customers sometimes request an oval-shaped channel bottom. We offer this option in the number 5, 6, and 7 channel sizes. Sometimes, an oval channel may be selected when the final use of the brush will be a cup shape, such as in a round or oval-shaped vacuum brush. 

For most uses, an oval channel bottom will not function any differently than a flat channel bottom, but the oval channels do have a bit more flexibility when forming the channel into a rounded or cup shape. This oval style was used more frequently in the 1940s and ‘50s for vacuum brushes and other circular brushes.

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