What makes a good push broom, and are all broom handles the same? Street brooms and palmyra, fine and rough-surface bristles, felt brooms, broom braces, threaded and tapered handles, wood vs fiberglass vs steel, broken handles, and extension poles
A push broom is chosen by bristle and width: flagged (split-tip) synthetic bristles sweep fine dust and sawdust off smooth floors and decks; stiff synthetic, palmyra or tampico bristles move gravel, mud and wet debris off rough concrete, roofs and streets (the street broom); a combination broom with stiff inner and soft outer bristles does both; 24 inches is the shop size, 30 and 36 inches the warehouse and roof sizes. A felt broom is the roofer’s broom for sweeping a deck clean and brooming felt and underlayment flat, and the corn broom does the ridge and the details. Broom handles are not all the same: they are threaded (the 3/4 inch ACME thread most brooms and squeegees take) or tapered (driven into a tapered socket), 60 inches long, in wood, fiberglass or steel, 15/16 or 1-1/8 inch diameter, and a broom brace bolts the handle to the block so it does not snap at the thread. A telescoping extension pole with a threaded tip takes brushes, dusters, hooks, saws and bulb changers for gutter and soffit work from the ground.
C&R B-1624S Push Broom, 24 in, Stiff Inner/Soft OuterThe product data lists the B-1636S as a 36 in synthetic floor broom with stiff inner and soft outer bristlesBrooms are consumables and handles are the part that breaks. A crew sweeps a deck before dry-in, a shop floor at the end of the day and a street after a tear-off, and the questions follow: what makes a good push broom, whether a dust mop beats it, which bristle for what, what tampico and palmyra are, why the handle snapped and what size replacement fits, what wood the handle is, and how to reach a gutter or a soffit without a ladder. The cards below take them in that order and end with the telescoping pole and its attachments.
Brooms, handles and poles, question by question
Widths, fibers and handle sizes are from the product data on this site; the thread standard is the 3/4 inch ACME thread the broom trade uses.
Brooms and poles in plain words
- Flagged synthetic for fine dust on smooth floors; stiff synthetic or palmyra for rough concrete, gravel and streets; stiff/soft combination for both.
- 24 inch for shops, 30 and 36 inch for warehouses, roofs and lots.
- Felt broom: wide stiff roofer’s broom for sweeping the deck and brooming underlayment flat.
- Tampico scrubs hold water and soap; palmyra is the stiff street-broom fiber.
- Handles are threaded (3/4 inch ACME) or tapered, 15/16 or 1-1/8 inch, 60 inches; match the block.
- A broom brace stops the handle snapping at the thread.
- Replace a snapped handle; re-thread one that broke mid-length.
- Telescoping poles take any threaded head: hook, duster, brush, camera, bulb changer, saw. Not near power lines.
Questions people ask
What makes a good push broom?
Bristles matched to the surface, width matched to the space, a block that takes a handle from either side, and a brace.
Is a dust mop better than a broom?
On smooth sealed floors, yes; on rough slabs, decks, roofs and debris, the broom.
Where can I find a replacement broom handle?
On this site by the dozen in threaded and tapered, 15/16 and 1-1/8 inch, 60 inches; hardware stores sell them singly.
Are all broom handles the same?
No: threaded or tapered, 15/16 or 1-1/8 inch diameter, 48 to 60 inches, in wood, fiberglass or steel.
How can I fix a broken broom handle?
Replace one snapped at the thread; cut square and re-thread one that broke mid-length; add a brace.
What wood are broom handles made of?
Lacquered hardwood: ramin, ash, beech or hickory.
What is a tampico brush?
A scrub brush or broom with soft, water-holding natural agave fiber for scrubbing slabs, decks and membrane.
What were old fashioned brooms made of?
Broomcorn (a sorghum) for flat brooms, and palmyra, tampico, bassine and horsehair for push brooms.
What is a gutter cleaning tool?
A hook, scoop or brush on a telescoping pole, with a camera attachment to look first.
What is a wall duster?
A wide soft head on a pole for cobwebs and dust on soffits, ceilings, beams and walls.
What is a light bulb changer pole?
A suction or basket head on an extension pole that grips a bulb so it can be changed from the floor.
What is a pole saw attachment?
A pruning saw head that screws onto a threaded extension pole for limbs over a roof or gutter; never near power lines.
Does mopping the floor help with dust?
A damp mop after dust-mopping or sweeping, yes; a wet mop on an unswept dusty floor makes mud.
What is a street broom?
A short-trim stiff push broom in palmyra or stiff plastic for pavement, gravel, mud and wet leaves.
Related guides
Dust mops and mop headsCleaning a dust mop and when it beats a broomSqueegeesRubber vs silicone, notched and floor squeegeesRoller covers and napFor roof coatings, walls and rough surfacesMagnet sweepersNail cleanup after a roof jobRoof tear-off toolsShingle shovels, spud bars and how long it takesThe ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.