Configurations include twisted-in wire (e.g. bottle brushes), cylinders and disks (with bristles spread in one face or radially).

A common way of setting the bristle in the brush is the staple or anchor set brush, in which the filament is forced with a staple by the middle into a hole with a special driver and held there by the pressure against all of the walls of the hole and the portions of the staple nailed to the bottom of the hole. The staple can be replaced with a kind of anchor, which is a piece of rectangular profile wire that is anchored to the wall of the hole, like in most toothbrushes. Another way to attach the bristles to the surface can be found in the fused brush, in which instead of being inserted into a hole, a plastic fiber is welded to another plastic surface, giving the option to use different diameters of bristles in the same brush.

The first requirement when manufacturing a cleaning style brush is to start with the brush block. This can vary in wood type, the most commonly used handles comes from maple. Once the wood type is selected it is then cut into planks with in a certain width requirement. Throughout this process workers mark down where the cracks or knots are in the wood and draw a red line across the flaw with a special wax crayon. A laser can read this line as the planks are moved forward, cutting the line with a saw. Shortly after the blocks are cut to the appropriate length, moving on to the shaping of the block known as molding.

Once the wood block is set in place for molding, a series of saws cut the block to the required thickness. A machine called the shaper follows this action. The brush handle is placed in the machine, revolving and slicing away the outside edge. This only cuts away half of the block. To keep in good profile the same actions are done to the opposite side. Each model uses a different shaper machine. The machines must stay sharp for the blocks to remain smooth and accurate. Carbide cutters are used in these machines rather than steel because carbide is much harder and more durable.

Brushes used for cleaning come in various sizes. They vary in size from a that of a toothbrush, to the standard household version accompanied by a dustpan, to 36" deck brushes. There are brushes for cleaning tiny cracks and crevices and brushes for cleaning enormous warehouse floors. Brushes perform a multitude of cleaning tasks. For example, brushes lightly dust the tiniest figurine, they help scrub stains out of clothing and shoes, they remove grime from tires, and they remove the dirt and debris found on floors with the help of a dust pan. Many kinds of specialty brushes are used for cleaning vegetables, cleaning the toilet, washing glass, finishing tiles, and sanding doors.

Paintbrushes are used for applying ink or paint. These brushes are usually made by clamping the bristles to a handle with a ferrule.

The sizes of brushes used for painting and decorating is given in mm or inches, referring to the width of the head.

Common sizes are:

Bristles may be natural or synthetic. If the filaments are synthetic, they could be made of polyester, nylon or a blend of nylon and polyester. Filaments can be hollow or solid and can be tapered or untapered. Brushes with tapered filaments give a smoother finish.

Synthetic filaments last longer than natural bristles. Natural bristles are preferred for oil-based paints and varnishes, while synthetic brushes are better for water-based paints as the bristles do not expand when wetted.