The Perfect Paint Line

[rmichael]

The Perfect Paint Line
This technique was first posted by Eric The Paintsmith. Eric is the moderator for the pro board. A great tip!
I have put together an example for DIY Homeowners.

For this example I will use the color Red and Blue.
Paint the first color (Red) and lap slightly onto the designated area for the second color (Blue)
Allow the paint to dry.
Use a tape that is intended for use on delicate or freshly painted surfaces and tape the line where you want the Blue color to begin. You should be taping over the Red.
Press down the tape's edge.
Paint over the tape's edge ( where the Blue color will begin ) with the Red color.
Allow to dry
Paint over the tape's edge with the Blue color and continue to fill in the area.
Allow to dry and remove tape.

By painting over the tape's edge with the first color any bleed under the tape will not show, it will also seal the tape's edge.

[BrushJockey]

Excellent sticky!   

Now on to further refinements. When taping on woodwork to paint walls, you can use a similar idea. If the ww is painted, use that color ( after "knifing " tape tight" ) to paint on tape edge. Also you can use a clear low sheen acrylic , works particularly well on varnished surfaces or when painting to a laminate. I keep a small wide mouth jar with XIM "Peel Bond " - a clear product- and a touch up 1' brush for just this. The thick body of peel bond seals up any irregularities in old paint jobs that I'm taping over.

[DecorativeWalls]

If I am not imposing, I would also like to add or include some tips from another painter's point of view when it comes to painting different colors ;    If you are not using a base paint from the beginning , then you don't have that same color to paint a guide line down your tape edge.  In this instance you can use:

1.  using a clear matte acrylic sealer works great.
2.  using a clear acrylic glaze with driers already in it works great.
3.  using a non glare matte or low sheen varnish works great.
4.  using the correct or "my" correct tape works great (scotch 3m delicate blue painter's tape 2080).
5.  burnish the tape really good.  I use my index finger and press really hard.  Using tape knives, etc. need to be careful- may accidentally get a nick or gouge in the tape . Popsicle sticks, old credit cards you get in the mail are good to burnish with also.
6.  don't brush or roll the sealer (or your paint) up against and into the taped edge line.   Just takes a little thin line down the middle of the tape edge.  Brushing or rolling up to and against the tape line could cause seepage and force paint under the tape edge.  Brush or roll down over it ;  doesn't need a lot of pressure to seal or even painting with your selected color.
7.  works best on smooth surfaces.   If you have textured surfaces,  you can also do the above, but may need to have an artist brush handy for touch ups.

[Stever]

Another shortcut method that works almost as well does not use the base color or clear coat to seal the tape first.

Once the tape is in place, press down hard, rubbing back and forth, with your thumb or finger along the edge of the tape that is going to form the line. On long stretches be sure to double check the tape and rub it down again as you move along as it may looses its stick in places.

Use a brush with the new color but very little paint on it. Remove the excess paint by brushing it onto the wall but not along the tape. Then lay a very very thin layer of the paint along the edge of the tape. As thin as you can get it. Dip your brush into the excess you placed onto the wall to pick up more paint when you need it.

With it very thin there will be far less bleed under the edge of the tape. It will also dry faster, further minimizing bleed. Once its good and dry, your edge is sealed, you can lay paint as normal with a brush or roller.

This wont produce as crisp a line as the above methods as you may still get a few jagged bleed spots here and there. But it works pretty good.

[rretter]

The Perfect Paint Line
For this example I will use the color Red and Blue.
Paint the first color (Red) and lap slightly onto the designated area for the second color (Blue)
Tape the line where you want the Blue color to begin. You should be taping over the Red.
 
Press down the tape's edge.
etc, etc....

Please forgive me for asking what may be a very foolish question, but I'm just a DIYer, not a professional painter.  At the point where I placed the marker, didn't you just stick tape onto wet paint in the step above, causing a helluva mess?  What am I misunderstanding about the directions?

[BrushJockey]

You do have to let the first color dry. and if you are going over recently painted paint, use delicate surface tape.

[rmichael]

I modified the post to make it a bit more clear.
Thanks for pointing it out... 

rmichael

[rretter]

Ah, good, thank you for clarifying it.  And for providing your knowledge of a method to do something that's driven me up a wall (argh, horrible pun) for some time.

The only thing I'm left wondering is whether there's any trouble with removing tape after two layers of paint have dried across an edge of it.  In my experience (quite limited, comparatively), it's advisable to remove tape as soon as possible, preferably while the paint is still at least a bit wet.  Otherwise, I find that the tape takes the edge of the paint up with it.  That is, the layer of latex paint just peels up off the wall rather than the desired splitting at the tape edge.  When I have to remove been-there-past-drying-point tape, it seems like I pretty much have to use a utility knife to cut along the tape edge.

Do you folks experience this, and if not, what am I doing wrong?

[jrabbit]

I would also like to know how to remove the tape after the paint has dried.  I have noticed the same thing about accidentally peeling up the edge.  Right now, I have only taped along baseboards and windows - which will have to be scored with a utility knife before removing ....

but I might be daring enough to try a stripe in one of our rooms ...

thanks
--janis

[BrushJockey]

For paint on paint taping definitely use the low tack delicate surface tape, and use the edge tip above. Then the removal, I like to wait until the paint has set up, but before it is really hard- a few hours. Then the tape is pulled so it rolls away from the edge at a 45degree angle.
 You would be surprised how fast you learn what works when you start to do it!

[TxDot]

Using michael's instructions as the baseline, here is another variation that works particularly well for cutting in baseboards and door trim;

For this example I will use the color Red and Blue.
Paint the first color (Red) and lap slightly onto the designated area for the second color (Blue)
Allow the paint to dry.
Use a tape that is intended for use on delicate or freshly painted surfaces and tape the line where you want the Blue color to begin. You should be taping over the Red.
Press down the tape's edge.
Run a very thin bead of caulk along the edge of the tape (on the side where the Blue paint will go).
Run your finger over the caulk to make sure it covers any gaps between the tape and the surface.
Paint over the tape's edge with the Blue color and continue to fill in the area.
Remove tape before the caulk has time to harden.

[Rick Anderson]

The Perfect Paint Line
This technique was first posted by Eric The Paintsmith. Eric is the moderator for the pro board. A great tip!
I have put together an example for DIY Homeowners.

For this example I will use the color Red and Blue.
Paint the first color (Red) and lap slightly onto the designated area for the second color (Blue)
Allow the paint to dry.
Use a tape that is intended for use on delicate or freshly painted surfaces and tape the line where you want the Blue color to begin. You should be taping over the Red.
Press down the tape's edge.
Paint over the tape's edge ( where the Blue color will begin ) with the Red color.
Allow to dry
Paint over the tape's edge with the Blue color and continue to fill in the area.
Allow to dry and remove tape.

By painting over the tape's edge with the first color any bleed under the tape will not show, it will also seal the tape's edge.

Hi Michael

Thought you might like to see this.  As per your technique with a slight variation.  The bottom line doesn't look straight unless you max the pic.



Regards
Rick

[rmichael]

Proving Eric's technique once more...     Great looking lines Rick !

[movado]

AWsome tip!

[the PAINTSMITH]

As much as I'd like to take credit for the masking technique described above, it's been around longer than I've been in the business...It was shown to me by aircraft painters, specifically model aircraft, where fine, straight cuts are integral to a good look. I simply adapted it for full-scale house painting, and though somewhat more time consuming, for those without the steady hand that comes from years of experience, it does make for very professional lines...