Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →ThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More
PGH’s digital tools are best used as a two-stage system: use the style guidance and iDesign visualiser to explore brick, roof and exterior-colour combinations, then verify the shortlist with physical samples and a consultation before ordering. The screen version is a planning aid, not proof of the exact installed colour or texture.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Homeowners in Australia can move from the style quiz and product ranges to a free Australian selection-centre appointment. New Zealand visitors have a market-specific visualiser and product journey. Architects and designers have a separate BIM-download route. Keeping those paths separate—and checking the current local pages before acting—prevents a convincing digital facade from becoming the wrong real-world specification.
Which PGH tools are useful at each decision point?
Choosing a brick is rarely just a colour decision. The facade has to work with the roof, gutters, fascia, window frames, garage door, paving and any planning restrictions. PGH’s resources divide that work into inspiration, visual testing, physical verification and professional documentation.
#1 Best Overall
- COMPLETE 5-PIECE BRUSH SET FOR EVERY PAINTING TASK — Includes 1 Inch Flat, 1.5 Inch Angle, 2 Inch Flat, 2 Inch Angle Stubby, and 2.5 Inch Angle brush giving you every size professional painters use daily. Get all 5 for less than the price of a single brush from hardware store brands — professional grade performance at a fraction of the cost. Perfect for walls, trim, cabinets, doors, furniture, and detailed cutting-in work on any project.
- ZERO BRISTLE LOSS — GUARANTEED BY PRECISION ADHESIVE BONDING — Every bristle is locked in place with precision-set adhesive that keeps them in the brush — not in your paint job. The coated steel ferrule provides structural support while the adhesive bond ensures clean performance on every stroke. Premium SRT synthetic filaments load more paint and release it evenly for a smooth streak-free finish on walls, ceilings, and trim. Works with latex, oil-based paint, primer, sealer, and wood stain.
- INCLUDES THE ANGLE STUBBY MOST SETS LEAVE OUT — Professional painters know the 2 Inch Angle Stubby is the go-to brush for tight cabinet interiors, window sashes, inside corners, and detailed trim where standard angle brushes are too long. Combined with the 1.5 and 2.5 inch angle sash brushes you have precision cutting-in covered at every scale — baseboards, crown molding, door casings, and ceiling lines.
- FLAT BRUSHES FOR BROAD SMOOTH COVERAGE ON ANY SURFACE — The 1 and 2 inch flat brushes deliver even coverage on walls, furniture, shelving, doors, fences, decks, and wood surfaces. Ideal for applying primers, stains, varnishes, polyurethane, and specialty coatings. Solid wood handles provide all-day comfort and control for both professional contractors and weekend DIY homeowners tackling interior or exterior painting projects.
- TRUSTED BY PROFESSIONAL PAINTERS AND CONTRACTORS NATIONWIDE — Pro Grade delivers professional-grade results at a price that makes sense for crews who go through brushes on every job. Ideal for property managers, remodeling contractors, apartment turnover crews, maintenance teams, and commercial painting operations. Backed by thousands of verified reviews from working painters. Washable and reusable for multiple projects.
| Tool or service | Best use | What the published information supports | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSR iDesign visualiser (Australia) | Explore PGH products on facade types and test exterior combinations. | PGH describes it as a free visualiser; its Australian style material says bricks can be combined with Monier roof tiles, fascia, gutter trims and garage-door colours. PGH’s consultation page | Rendering is not a substitute for a physical sample. The current interface and product availability can change. |
| PGH visualiser (New Zealand) | Apply materials, paint and products to a photorealistic home design. | The New Zealand homepage describes an interactive visualiser for trying those combinations. PGH New Zealand | New Zealand ranges, products and customer journey should not be assumed to match Australia. |
| Style quiz and style guide | Turn a vague preference into a colour and design direction. | PGH directs visitors to a style quiz. An older Australian guide describes nine exterior colour palettes and six home designs. Older style guide | The nine-and-six counts come from an older page; check the current guide before treating them as a live catalogue. |
| Physical samples | Check the actual brick body, texture, mortar relationship and colour in project lighting. | PGH advises checking a sample because screen images, manufacturing processes and raw materials can affect colour and finish. PGH consultation information | Sample availability and collection or delivery arrangements vary by market. |
| Australian selection-centre consultation | Resolve site constraints and coordinate the exterior palette with a design team. | PGH states that the appointment is free and lasts one hour; it asks for plans, a facade drawing, restrictions, inspiration, quiz style and shortlisted bricks. | The page shows online booking links for New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia and a phone option. Confirm local coverage before booking. |
| BIM downloads | Place PGH products in an architect’s or designer’s digital model. | The Australian homepage lists BIM downloads. A 22 August 2018 trade report describes a PGH and UNIFI Labs library for native Revit and Archicad content. PGH Australia Architecture & Design, 22 August 2018 | The format description is historical; check the current file types, versions and licensing before relying on it. |
Begin with a style direction, not a single brick
If you start by scrolling through every brick, the choice quickly becomes unmanageable. PGH’s style quiz is intended to identify a preferred colour and design style, giving you a useful first filter. Record the result and the language it uses—such as the preferred mood, contrast level or warmth—because the Australian consultation page asks customers to bring the selected quiz style.
Use the product-range pages to make an initial list of candidates rather than a final order. Include at least one safer, lower-contrast option and one alternative with a different texture or tone. A dark sample can look almost black beside a pale sample, while the same brick may read softer against a dark roof. Keeping a small range makes the visualiser and later consultation more productive.
The older Australian style-guide material lists nine exterior colour palettes and six home designs, but that page is explicitly an older resource. Treat those figures as historical navigation, not a current promise about how many choices the live guide contains. Open the current guide before you tell a builder that a particular palette or style is still offered.
Use iDesign to test the whole exterior composition
Australian workflow
PGH’s Australian consultation information links to CSR iDesign as a free way to view products on different facade types. The Australian style material says the tool can combine bricks with Monier roof tiles, fascia, gutter trims and garage-door colours. That makes it more useful than a brick-only swatch: you can see whether the facade colour has enough separation from the roof and whether trims disappear or become an intentional feature.
New Zealand workflow
PGH New Zealand describes an interactive visualiser that begins with a photorealistic home design and lets users apply materials, paint and products. Use that market-specific tool for a New Zealand project rather than assuming an Australian range, roof system or colour name transfers across the Tasman. The two sites describe similar visual exploration, but they are not evidence of identical catalogues or availability.
Rank #2
- Great Value Pack Artist Paint Brushes: Soucolor 20 brushes in 10 sizes professional paintbrushes set — no shedding, holds paint well, cleans easily, Acrylic, watercolor, oil, gouache, Halloween pumpkin decoration & face painting, rock painting, ceramics. Fantastic high quality gifts for creative, artistic siblings to share!
- Awesome Set of Paint brushes: Professional paint brushes can cover all of your needs. The multi-purposed brushes are ideal for Watercolor, Oil, Gouache, enamel, Acrylic Painting, Body, Nail, Face Painting, Miniature, Model, Wood, Glass, Cup, Ceramic, Fine work, Art class, Craft Art Painting, DIY Art Crafts etc.
- Soft and long-lasting: The bristles are soft and strong, with nickel metal ferrules and blue wooden handles. After cleaning, the bristles will become soft and fluffy again and will not fall off.
- Easy to clean: it’s very convenient to Wash well in soap and water. Retain shape after drying. the brushes hold up very well. Nice selection to beginners and professionals. Keep them clean and they last a long time.
- Halloween Pumpkin Ceramic Crafts Supplies: A Great painting gift for family, friends, kids, girls, women, student, classmate, teacher. For using in school, travel or used in the home and office.
Features described by the Luminary case study
A Luminary case study gives a more detailed description of the PGH Brick Visualiser. It says users can choose brick style, bond pattern and mortar colour, then add roofs, gutters, fascia, garage doors, pavers and feature walls. It also describes real-time 3D, browser-based virtual reality, a generated code and URL for moving a design between devices, and the ability to create a PDF containing product information, availability, a local Selection Centre and a custom moodboard. The case study says designs can be shared through Pinterest and Instagram.
Those details are vendor-case-study information, not an independent hands-on test, and they may not describe every current market or release. Use the functions you actually see in the live tool. If a control or product is missing, do not infer that the physical product is discontinued; ask PGH or the selection centre.
What the visualiser can—and cannot—tell you about colour
Digital imagery is valuable for relationships: relative lightness, roof-to-wall contrast, trim emphasis and the visual effect of a bond pattern. It is weak evidence for an exact installed colour. PGH says screen images can affect colour tones and finishes, and that manufacturing processes and raw materials can create variation between products and samples. Monitor calibration, room lighting and the visualiser’s rendering also influence what you perceive.
For each finalist, request or collect a physical sample and inspect it outdoors, in shade and beside the materials already chosen. Look at it from normal viewing distance as well as close up. Compare mortar colour and joint size at the same time; a light mortar can make a brick field appear brighter, while a dark mortar can increase the apparent pattern. If you are also painting trims or rendered areas, place the paint swatch beside the brick rather than judging either item in isolation.
Keep the visualiser image with the sample notes, but label it clearly as a concept. The final product decision should use the supplier’s current sample and written product information, not a screenshot.
Rank #3
- 【All sizes of art brushes】: The 10 sizes of multi-functional brushes have various shapes, making the mixing color easier, which is very suitable for artists, students, teenagers, children and painters at all levels. Wonderful Present ideas for friends and family who like painting!
- 【general brush set】: Professional paint brush can meet all your needs. Multifunctional brush is very suitable for watercolor, oil, gouache, acrylic painting, body, nail, face painting, miniature, model, ceramics, arts and crafts painting, etc.
- 【high quality process】: It is designed with anti falling bristles, anti-rust nickel ferrule and solid wood handle. You can use the brush to focus on the painting and always be creative.
- 【easy to maintain】: After using the brush, it is very convenient to clean the brush with warm soapy water and reshape the tip of the brush. Air dry the brush and place it on top of the top for long use.
- 【100% satisfaction guarantee - buy now】1 packs of set brushes, you can also get friendly customer service, any questions feel free to contact us, within 24 hours to help you! There is no risk in buying our paint brush kit.
Prepare for the Australian selection-centre appointment
PGH describes a free, one-hour Australian selection-centre consultation. Its design team reviews constraints and preferences, helps coordinate bricks and other exterior colours, and records selections for the builder. The page displays online appointment links for New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, plus a phone option; coverage and booking logistics can change, so confirm the current local option on the consultation page.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →- Gather the project documents. Bring the house plans and a facade drawing. A simple elevation with window and door locations helps the team judge how much brick will be visible and where feature areas will fall.
- Bring restrictions. Include land covenants and any design or colour restrictions from the developer, council or estate. A visually preferred brick is not a practical shortlist if the site rules exclude it.
- Show the visual evidence. Take inspiration photos and screenshots or PDF moodboards from the visualiser. Use them to explain the atmosphere and combinations you are trying to achieve, not to claim that the render is an exact colour match.
- Bring your style result. PGH asks for the style selected in its quiz. This gives the consultation a starting point even if your taste has evolved after seeing samples.
- Bring the shortlist and swatches. Include the shortlisted bricks and any paint, roof, gutter, fascia, window or garage-door swatches you already have. PGH specifically recommends bringing swatches or samples where available.
- Leave with a recorded specification. Confirm the exact product names, colours, bond or laying pattern, mortar choice and any associated exterior selections. Ask how the selections will be passed to the builder and what must be rechecked before ordering.
A one-hour appointment is enough for a prepared shortlist; it is not a reason to arrive with an entirely open-ended search. If a critical sample is unavailable, record that as an unresolved decision rather than substituting a screen colour.
Compare shortlisted options using the conditions that matter
PGH’s published material does not provide a technical performance ranking of individual bricks. Your comparison should therefore separate appearance decisions from questions that require product-specific advice.
| Check | How to compare it | Who should confirm it |
|---|---|---|
| Colour and texture | Use physical samples in the project’s daylight and beside the intended mortar. | Homeowner with PGH or the supplier for sample identification. |
| Whole-palette compatibility | View the brick with roof, gutters, fascia, window frames, garage door and paint or render. | Homeowner, designer and selection-centre consultant. |
| Pattern and scale | Check bond, joint colour and the proportion of feature walls to the main field. | Designer or architect, using the facade drawing. |
| Restrictions | Compare each candidate with covenants, planning conditions and estate guidelines. | Homeowner, builder or relevant planning professional. |
| Suitability and compliance | Confirm the product’s installation, exposure, structural and regulatory requirements for the site. | Builder, architect, engineer or other appropriately qualified professional. |
This workflow avoids a common mistake: selecting the most attractive render and only later discovering that the colour, product, installation method or site condition requires a change.
How architects and designers should use the BIM path
For professional work, the Australian PGH homepage provides a BIM-download route intended for designers and architects. BIM content can help coordinate a brick selection with elevations, schedules and other building elements, but the current download page is the authority for file type, object data and software compatibility.
Rank #4
- Bates paint brushes come in a convenient 6 pieces with 3 flat and 3 angled bristle styles, including (1”, 1.5”, 2”) flat and (1.5”, 2”, 2.5”) angled bristles, perfect for tackling any surface painting or staining job.
- The sturdy natural bristles of each brush are designed to hold more paint, creating a smoother finish with fewer streaks and saving you time on the job.
- The lightweight wooden handles provide extra comfort and ease during long painting processes like walls, trims, cabinets, and doors.
- These versatile brushes are ready-to-use, easy to clean, and can be reused multiple times, making them economical as well as reliable tools for any painting project.
- Bates paint brushes can be used for both oil-based paints as well as latex stains and are ideal for home or commercial projects such as decks, fences or DIY painting jobs.
A trade article published on 22 August 2018 reports that PGH partnered with UNIFI Labs to create brick content natively for Revit and Archicad and supplied user guides. That is useful historical context, not a guarantee that a current library still uses those formats or supports your version. Download the present files, test them in a copy of the project and check whether product names, dimensions and appearance data are current before issuing documentation.
Do not treat a BIM object as proof of physical performance. Model geometry and appearance support coordination; technical compliance, detailing, installation and product suitability still need the current PGH documentation and advice from the project team.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A practical path from inspiration to sign-off
- Define the brief. Note the home style, desired contrast, maintenance expectations and any estate restrictions.
- Take the style quiz. Save the result and use it to narrow the product range.
- Build three to five digital schemes. Change brick, mortar, roof and trim combinations rather than producing dozens of minor variations.
- Export or save the useful evidence. Keep screenshots, generated codes, URLs or PDFs if those functions are available in your version of the visualiser.
- Order or request physical samples. Mark the date and product name on each sample so later substitutions are obvious.
- Test in real conditions. View samples at different times of day and beside confirmed roof, window and paint choices.
- Book the consultation if your project is in Australia. Send the requested plans and restrictions ahead of the one-hour appointment.
- Record the final selection. Give the builder the confirmed product and colour details, and keep the sample that represents the decision.
Common problems and how to recover
The render looks right but the sample does not
Stop treating the render as the authority. Recheck the sample’s product name, view it in outdoor light and ask PGH whether the sample represents a current batch or finish. If the difference is unacceptable, return to the visualiser only to find a new candidate, then repeat the physical check.
A desired colour is restricted by the site
Read the covenant or planning condition before investing more time in a scheme. Ask the builder or design professional which parts are mandatory and shortlist compliant alternatives that preserve the intended contrast or warmth.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The online tool lacks a product or feature
Record the tool version or page you used and contact PGH through the relevant Australian or New Zealand channel. Product availability, tool links and feature sets can change; do not assume that an absent tile, brick or control means the physical option is unavailable.
Best Value
- 2 Inch Angled Paint Brush for Precision Cutting-In – Designed for clean, sharp lines around trim, baseboards, ceilings, corners, and detailed edge work. The perfect size for control and coverage.
- Value 3-Pack for Pros & DIY Projects – Includes three professional 2-inch angled sash brushes — ideal for contractors, remodelers, and homeowners tackling multiple rooms or repeat paint jobs.
- Smooth Results on Walls, Trim & Cabinets – Great for interior wall painting, cabinet edges, furniture projects, and trim work where a smooth finish and crisp control matter most.
- Works with Latex Paint, Oil-Based Paint & Stains – Premium synthetic filaments hold more paint, reduce streaks, and provide a clean finish with latex paints, oil coatings, and wood stains.
- Works with Latex Paint, Oil-Based Paint & Stains – Premium synthetic filaments hold more paint, reduce streaks, and provide a clean finish with latex paints, oil coatings, and wood stains.
The BIM file will not load
Check the current download notes and supported software version, then test a fresh file in a blank project. The Revit and Archicad description in the 2018 trade article is historical, so request current compatibility information rather than forcing an outdated object into a live model.
What PGH’s visualiser is really good for
The strongest use is reducing uncertainty about combinations. A homeowner can see whether a warm brick fights with a cool roof, whether a dark garage door becomes a focal point and whether a feature wall is proportionate before ordering samples. The tool can also create a shared visual language for a homeowner, designer and builder.
Luminary reproduces a testimonial from Loren Consiglio, Digital Marketing Manager at PGH Bricks & Pavers, saying the aim was to build a tool that could be maintained and developed as future needs changed, with functionality, usability and a “WOW” factor. Luminary also quotes the 2020 Good Design Awards jury calling the visualiser a clever, intuitive browser-based way to explore bricks and finishes, including mortar colour. Those are attributed statements about the project and award commentary, not independent measurements of sales or a guarantee of current performance. Read the case study
Use the tool for ideas, communication and a disciplined shortlist. Use samples, current technical information and qualified project advice for the decision that will be built.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
