Replies

1. 
   BillHartmann | Dec 27, 2007 08:43pm | #1

   You can use masking tape on the carpet. Use wide tape and slip the edge under the base and then push it down and pull it out at the same time.

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   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
2. 
   BUIC | Dec 28, 2007 07:59am | #2

     The metal slats from vertical blinds are perfect to insert between the carpet and base.

     They're wide and long. A dozen will do a small room.

     Blind shop by me sells me their odd pieces for a buck a piece...buic

1. 
   rez | Dec 28, 2007 08:48am | #4

   Blind shop by me sells me their odd pieces for a buck a piece...buic

   dang man, if they weren't blind I'd say they saw you coming...  

3. 
   billybatts | Dec 28, 2007 08:41am | #3

   there is a steel straight edge about 16" long and 5 inches wide, tapered on the ends with a flat plastic handle that they sell at the paint store, for wallpapering also, and you shove that straight edge under the carpet and paint and then pull it out wipe it off and move to the next

1. 
   DonCanDo | Dec 28, 2007 01:49pm | #5

   This is what I do too.  On my knees, with one hand on the edge guide and the other hand holding the brush... paint a section, slide the guide towards me, move backwards a little, pull the cut bucket and damp rag a little closer, reload the brush, and so on.  With a little care, it's not even necessary to wipe it off after painting each section, but I keep the rag handy because it will be necessary to wipe it off eventually.  At a minimum, it needs to be clean before turning a corner.

   Deep pile carpets, such as shag, don't seem to be too popular anymore (fortunately), but taping it back so it doesn't lay against the the freshly painted baseboard might be necessary in these cases. 

2. 
   xboat | Dec 30, 2007 12:45am | #6

   I have tried that method, but with plush carpeting what happens is as soon as you pull the blade away the fibers go against the wet base and stick to it.  If you later pull them away the base has some of the fibers on it and the carpet shows the paint color.

1. 
   DonCanDo | Dec 30, 2007 12:54am | #7

   Have you tried tape?  I find that 2" painter's tape works pretty good.  I use it along with the paint shield.

1. 
   xboat | Dec 31, 2007 03:11am | #8

   Yes, I did use the tape and it worked quite well.  It was a pain putting it on.

2. 
   Danno | Dec 31, 2007 03:33am | #9

   I've found that once you insert the blade under the base, or as close as you can get it to being under, just keep sliding it along works well--keep the paint off the ends. With plush (not so much shag), I can sometimes get away with sort of loading one side of an angled brush and poking it down along the base at the bottom and the no-paint side of the bristles sort of push the carpet fibers away without getting paint on them; then the fibers come back into place as you remove the brush and you don't see any little drops of paint that are deep in anyway. Easier to show you than to describe in writing! Even with the blade method, if a little paint gets on the carpet, it is at the base of the fibers and when they spring back, no one can see the miniscule amount of paint that may be at their bases.