A 5-in-1 painter's tool is a single tool that serves the purpose of five different tools. It serves as a spreader, a scraper, a putty knife, a crack-patcher, and a paint remover. It is an inexpensive and simple tool, yet virtually indispensable when painting a home.
The primary advantage of a 5-in-1 painter's tool is the fact that it is so small that it can easily be placed in one’s pocket. Although each of the tools that it represents are also small, it is cumbersome and inconvenient for a painter to carry all five tools separately. This makes the combination tool a welcome alternative.
A 5-in-1 painter's tool may be made from plastic, wood, or metal. Those made of metal are generally higher quality and more durable than those made of plastic or wood. Metal ones are also much easier to clean than those made from wood. Due to its many advantages, a metal painter's tool tends to be more expensive then those made of other materials. Nonetheless, it can usually be purchased relatively inexpensively.
This tool has a long, easy to hold handle. A series of teeth, much like a comb, runs along one side. This portion is used for spreading paint. On the opposite side, a semi-circle is cut into the tool. This is meant for running along a paint roller in order to remove excess paint.
At the end opposite the handle of the 5-in-1 painter's tool, there is a flat edge with a point that faces the same direction as the teeth. The flat edge serves as both a putty knife and a scraper. This makes it possible to easily spread putty, glue, paint, or any other substance that may require spreading. The point at this end is used to spread cracks that are in need of patching.