Painting - Painting A Straight Line Without Using Tape: How ?

Hello:

Will be painting a portion of a ceiling, but not the whole thing.

So, I am faced with the problem of painting a nice, straight (junction) line.

I thought I would just use the 3M Blue tape, but have read that this is really only good for large "splatters" and protection, and not really good for trying to define a line.

Reason apparently being, that no matter what one does, a little paint always runs under the tape by capillary action if you paint over the tape in trying to make the straight, smooth line.

So, how does one do this ?

Is there a special brush, or... ?

Special techniques, etc. ?

Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
B.

Well, it's not an easy thing
Practice, good quality tools and materials
A steady hand and good technique
There's no easy how-to you can read that will make you do it well
They'll probably be some people by with some more tips though

Yes, tape is over-used, and many think with some tape you can wave a brush in the general direction and it'll look great when you remove the tape
Tape can be used as a guide (though I don't recommend it)

The best quick read on the subject is ProWallGuy's sticky:
http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=204271

Practice with a quality brush is the best way. You might find using a sash/angle brush helpfull. I would recomend using a 2" prurdy sash brush [or equivilant]

Remember there are few surfaces that the errant paint can't be wiped off or touched up.

You might find using a sash/angle brush helpfull. I would recomend using a 2" prurdy sash brush [or equivilant]

I get good results with an angle brush. You can also draw a light pencil line across the ceiling to help you keep the line straight.

There are also a variety of hand held edging tools that can be helpful and are inexpensive.I also recommend practicing before doing the job.

If Purdy Brushes are not available in your area or where you shop Wooster is also a top quality brush line as long as you purchase their top quality brushes.And price is generally a good way to determine quality in brushes as the really good ones are rarely discounted.

Lots of pros and cons concerning tape.Professionals tend to dislike it amateurs tend to like it.In your case I don't think it would be that helpful.

curiosity is killing me.......i have to know WHY you would be painting only a section of a ceiling?????

Before you give up on tape, give it a try. I think you will be surprised how effective tape can be if used correctly. Pros don't endorse tape because they don't need it, and it takes more time. Unfortunately most of us DIYers don't have the experience and steady hand needed to cut in a straight line.

Assuming you are painting a smooth, not textured surface here's what I recommend -

Get a quality tape
Install the tape just before painting
Use a sash brush to cut in to the edge of the tape, don't overload the brush and don't slop paint on the tape
Burnish the edge of the tape with your brush handle as you go along to make sure you have good adhesion
Remove the tape as soon as the paint is dry to the touch. If you leave the tape on too long, you might pull the paint off.

Practice on a piece of ceiling that will later be covered. Practice until you get the technique.

Use a sash brush to cut in to the edge of the tape, don't overload the brush and don't slop paint on the tape

This is a good way to hone your cut in skills. If you pretend the tape isn't there and try to cut in clean you will get better with a brush and have less likelyhood of paint crawling under the tape.

When possible it is best to remove the tape while the paint is still wet - be sure to use care so you don't hit the wet paint :eek: A wet rag folded over a putty knife can help to remove any paint that has seeped over.

I havent' done it across a whole wall or ceiling but I have used a 14 inch mudding knife, put it where I wanted the line. Tapped it lightly with a hammer to indent the drywall slightly, then painted. I touched it up but the indent was sort of a little barrier and it worked OK. Potential to screw up is high if you hit too hard.

I have also used Marks suggestion of taping, then pretending the tape isnt' there and cutting up to the tape, that worked pretty good too.