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I’ve done a fair amount of painting over the last 12 years inside and out of two different homes that I have owned. I am a fussy and slow painter. And I have come to expect from myself crisp, clean transition lines. I am not capable of cutting anything in freehand, so I mask everything. My current house is 60 years old and had a few sloppy paint jobs done to it before I had gotten to it, and I’m finding getting a clean paint job on this house to be difficult to achieve.
I’ve learned to take a lot of care in my masking job. I seem to get good results if I use the more expensive blue masking tape, and even better results if I double mask every transition point(very time consuming). Despite these efforts, After the paint has dried and I peel the tape away, I still occasionally run into little dribbles of paint that end up under the tape which diminish the crisp lines. I then end up going back to correct those lines with the adjacent paint color, and occasionally have to go back a third time with the first color to re-correct a few final stubborn areas. I try to run the brush over the tape and away from it rather than pushing the brush towards the tape, because it would seem that that brushing inward might push paint under the tape. Also, I’ve been doing some outdoor painting lately, where stucco meets wood, and I’ve been having a heck of a time getting a clean transition lines, because masking off these rough transitions never seems to be quite right, and the masking tape can’t stick well to the rough contours of stucco. Also, I know there is no way that pros are spending the kind of time that I spend. What can I do to shorten up the process, and get cleaner lines the first time around?
Any tips?
Replies
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lap the primer.. caulk all the transitions..
lap the walls onto the caulk... cut in the trim..
throw away your masking tape.. or save it for items that do not get painted at all....
the masking tape is to protect unpainted areas.. not to transition from walls to trim...
*Does the term "OCD" mean anything to you ?
*when I have to transition from a rough celing to a wall I paint the top of the wall first, without masking the celing, then mask the smooth wall and paint the celing. This always gives a smooth line. I know that lots of painters get by with out masking at all, but I know many woodworkers who are much more exacting with their paint. it's a trade off. I've yet to find a really good painter, when I do I'll help put his kids through school. :)
*Seal the masking tape with a quick brush of Laquer. It will dry instantly, seal the tape so no blead happens and paint will stick very well to it, then when you peel the tape, it will flake off the tape, break free very crisply at the tape to paint joint and look excellent. PS..this is a trade super secret that I have given you on my death bed.. you must not tell ANYONE till you are on your death bed also.
*I agree with Mike. Get a good brush (Purdy) with tapered bristles and an angled head, thin your paint, clean your brush frequently as you paint, don't put too much paint on the brush etc. and you will cut in lines much faster and cleaner than you could ever do it with masking tape.
*Mike - the pros do it freehand, are you sure you can't with a little practice? How about using a metal straightedge guard and wiping it off - you can get them as long as you can reach (36" or better). Keep a damp rag (for latex) or a thinner-soaked rag (for oil) handy for slight 'goofs' - wipe them away when still wet. Purdy brushes, yes, also look at Sherwin Williams (Purdy w/stainless ferrule) and E & J (ox hair) for oil.Jeff
*From the "Lazy but Obsessive" camp:I like to spray my trim whenever possible. If you aren't looking to use it over the entire wall, you can do fine work with masking tape using a touch-up air gun and thinned paint: no dribbles and very, very clean. You'll need a small compressor for it, very portable--these can be rented, but aren't expensive to buy and not real large to store, run on 110V. It's so fast and clean, i save money using regular masking tape instead of the blue and can take it off almost immediately before it sticks down tight.
*Maybe your time would be better spent in therapy? Does it really matter, to anyone but you, if you have perfect lines. I expect not, and that should tell you something. I can just see you on your death bed: "Gosh I wish I'd had cleaner lines! If I could do it over, I would." Nah, I don't think so. Probably more along the lines of "I wish I'd spent more time with my wife/kids/parents/siblings/grandkids." :)
*I have to agree with previous post. If you were patient enough to lay the masking tape in a perfect straight line at wall/ceiling intersections, you will be able to freehand with good results using angle brush and some practice.If you insist on using the tape, still lay the paint on as though you're free handing the line. You're applying too much paint in that joint.I hate painting, my hat is off to those that do it for a living.Scott R.
*A nice wide range of advice. Thanks everyone for taking the time.-Mike
*Mark, I have a couple of tips. 1) Make sure you press down the edges of the masking tape. Maybe use a burnisher. 2) This leads to a tip I'e learned from a bood on painting plastic model airplanes. It works best on smooth, for instance metal, surfaces. Use Scotch brand "Magic" tape or generic equivalent. Again press down the edges. Since it changes from translucent to clear when in contact, this helps verify that it is in full contact so that no paint can leak underneathe. Also, you can overlap the line and cut it with an X-Acto knife guided by a straight edge. On smooth materials like glass, metal and plastic, this will produce the sharpest lines. But with stucco, what's a sharp line anyway? 3) This third tip isn't really a tip but a recomendation, as stated above, to practice. Perhaps hold the bruch at an angle near the line and gradually work the paint up to it. Eventually you will get the knack. - Peter
*Instead of masking tape, I've had good luck with white paper tape. It might be available from an art supply place, but I just grabbed it because it was handy. It's a standard expendable in film editing.-- J.S.
*xJohn,Interesting idea. Funny enough I am in sound editing, So I am actually aware of and have access to the kind of tape you are talking about.Mike
*Hey Mike - I would notice your clean lines and would appreciate them, too! Some of us are just like that.I agree with those who have recommended that you improve your freehand skills. Frustrating at first, but it will save you much time in the years of painting to come.The thing that helps me freehand a clean line is not to keep my eye on the spot that's being painted, but to look just ahead of the brush as I move it. Kind of like cutting a loaf of bread straight - your hand follows your eye, so keep your eye ahead of your hand.My favorite brush is my 2 1/2" diagonal cut Wooster. A good brush makes the job a pleasure.
*Freehanding, along with being a heck of a lot faster, is just a lot more enjoyable. Remember to clean one side of the brush against your can, and keep the *wet* part of the brush on the inside of the cut (away from the ceiling if you're cutting a ceiling). I don't know if that's a pro's technique, but it works well for me. Cut in slowly with the edge first, then come back with the full 2 1/2 - 3 width of your brush to smooth out and give yourself a wider cut line. I'm picky about clean lines too, but unless your hands are unusually unsteady (mine are even a little shakey) you'll be up to your own standards in no time.Good luck!Brian
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I've done a fair amount of painting over the last 12 years inside and out of two different homes that I have owned. I am a fussy and slow painter. And I have come to expect from myself crisp, clean transition lines. I am not capable of cutting anything in freehand, so I mask everything. My current house is 60 years old and had a few sloppy paint jobs done to it before I had gotten to it, and I'm finding getting a clean paint job on this house to be difficult to achieve.
I've learned to take a lot of care in my masking job. I seem to get good results if I use the more expensive blue masking tape, and even better results if I double mask every transition point(very time consuming). Despite these efforts, After the paint has dried and I peel the tape away, I still occasionally run into little dribbles of paint that end up under the tape which diminish the crisp lines. I then end up going back to correct those lines with the adjacent paint color, and occasionally have to go back a third time with the first color to re-correct a few final stubborn areas. I try to run the brush over the tape and away from it rather than pushing the brush towards the tape, because it would seem that that brushing inward might push paint under the tape. Also, I've been doing some outdoor painting lately, where stucco meets wood, and I've been having a heck of a time getting a clean transition lines, because masking off these rough transitions never seems to be quite right, and the masking tape can't stick well to the rough contours of stucco. Also, I know there is no way that pros are spending the kind of time that I spend. What can I do to shorten up the process, and get cleaner lines the first time around?
Any tips?