In curling, the brushes are used to control how far the stone travels and how much it curls (curves) on the ice.

Quick Scoop

  • Brushing slightly warms and polishes the ice in front of the moving stone, which reduces friction.
  • With less friction, the stone travels farther down the sheet.
  • Depending on how and where players brush (straight, angled, high-side/low-side), they can also influence how much the stone curls.
  • Two sweepers brush hard and fast in front of the stone to “hold the line” (make it curl less) or help it curl a bit more, based on the skip’s call.

Imagine the ice in front of the stone turning from rough to very slightly melted and smooth for just a moment. That tiny change is enough to let the stone glide longer and tweak its path, which is why sweeping looks frantic but is actually very controlled and strategic.