Masking ceiling when painting

[JackOfDiamonds]

I'm going with a white ceiling and gray walls. I've got the white ceiling done but now I don't know how to make a nice pretty edge where the ceiling and walls meet.

Masking tape in the ceiling and paint the walls last?
Masking tape on the walls and paint the ceiling last?
Use one of those metal blade things and don't use masking tape at all?
Use one of those little 2-wheeled paint edger pads?
Just a steady hand (fat chance)?

 

[The Cobbler]

it's called cutting. a steady hand and a good angled 2" or 2-1/2" sash brush. it's not that hard .

 

[67carl]

I use this and it works great, once you figure out how to use it. Biggest thing is to keep paint off the wheels, or wipe it off before you roll it on the surface. Put it on the wall just below the ceiling and a few inches away from the corner, then move it up until the wheels contact the ceiling. Move to the corner then back the other way until the paint thins out. Reload and go. I never use tape now, works on walls around moulding and trim.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Warner-...=REC-_-pipinstock-_-312065060-_-205053072-_-N

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

How do you load that thing...in a normal roller tray?

 

[Git]

I find it easier to paint the ceiling color down on to the wall a little bit. Then get a roll of blue painter's tape, and holding it flat against the wall as you go, tape off the ceiling. If you really want a razer sharp line, go over the edge of the tape with ceiling paint, it will seal the tape to the wall and prevent any bleed through under the tape when you paint the wall

 

[Shiftless]

it's called cutting. a steady hand and a good angled 2" or 2-1/2" sash brush. it's not that hard .

I agree with the Cobbler on this. I’m certainly no pro, but if you get a good angled sashbrush you can cut in with no masking tape.

 

[PSDEng]

I just got done painting my entire house that I’m currently building. I tried many products to get s good cut in, including what 67carl used, and the best I found was s good 2 1/2” brush. Start about 3” away from the ceiling and work the brush steadily up until you’re at your mark then go until the brush runs out of paint. Try to get the paint about 1/8” onto the ceiling. It’ll actually trick the eye into thinking it’s a straighter line than if the paint line were below the ceiling. Check out some videos from theidahopainter.com, that guy is amazing and has a lot of great advice.

 

[ssdave]

The guys with the cutting brush advice are spot on. There's a dozen amateur tricks to try to get out of doing it the easiest way. Far better to just practice the easiest way, the cutting brush. One odd thing: Do it in two or 3 coats. The first time through, it will be real rough. Concentrate on not getting it on the ceiling, instead of concentrating on full coverage. The next coat will go on easier, the brush will slide along the corner easier. You might have to do 3 coats. If you pre-paint the corner when you are doing the ceiling, it will help you get started down that road. Paint the corner the same direction you are going to cut it in. I use my right hand, and go left to right. Although I do use my left when I get tired, but I'm pretty ambidextrous.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Watch a couple of YouTube videos on cutting in. You will be a pro in no time. That wheeled applicator looks interesting

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I use a plastic shield when cutting in. Helps me see the corner better. Try to not get any paint on the shield but it may save you.

 

[glentre]

Another vote for just using an angled sash brush. Beginners are usually timid and go too slow. Doing it that way makes it difficult to get a straight line. Load the brush and paint the line with confidence and with steady pressure in a long sweeping stroke.

Glen

 

[nadogail]

Ceiling paint on the wall is more noticeable than wall paint on the ceiling.

 

[mjeff87]

I use a stubby 2.5" angle sash brush and cut in. Great tips in this thread....cut in 2-3 coats, using a moderate/steady speed. Let the brush "push" the paint to the cut line, don't go too slow and concentrate too hard. Also, as mentioned, bring your ceiling paint a little down the wall, then do the wall. Nothing worse than having a little spot that has NO new paint on it at all, either ceiling or wall color. I'm also right handed and cut left to right (most times), and use a couple different ladders and step stools to get my working level just below the ceiling line. I don't love to paint, but I don't hate it either. I find it mildly relaxing, especially when there's noone else around.

 

[rlitman]

it's called cutting. a steady hand and a good angled 2" or 2-1/2" sash brush. it's not that hard .

+1

For those not familiar with the process, you might erroneously think it should be done twice. Cutting in the ceiling is far more difficult than cutting in the walls. Knowing this, always paint the ceiling first, sloppily overlapping the walls as much as is needed to complete the ceiling. Only then do you cut in the walls up to the ceiling.

I like to use a 2-1/2" Purdy angled brush called a "Clear cut" made just for cutting in. It's basically a regular 2-1/2" synthetic brush without flagging on the bristle ends and that comes to a sharper end as well, so it gets into the corner more easily without touching the ceiling.

You don't need to brush too far down, but you do need to brush at least enough to cover the gap your roller cannot reach. A little overlap with the roller zone is fine. Experts may have one guy cutting in just ahead of the guy rolling. That way, the roller can roll over the wet edge for a cleaner look. Alternatively, if the cut in edge is at that unpaintable in-between zone of drying, they may speed it along with a hair dryer (usually in vertical wall-to-wall corners).

 

[egdede]

^^ Tape leaves a 'curb' in the paint that will be more likely to flake. It's a small curb, but it is there. When you cut in the paint flows thin at the edges.

 

[LeonardY]

Cutting in is the quickest. You'll get the hang of it and once you do you'll never need tape.

My friend's dad hired me and his son when we were 16 to paint 6 apartments in San Francisco. He said it would be good training. All the windows were multi-pane. We started taping all the windows. Ran out of tape and called his dad. He showed up and just looked at us and started to yell. He stopped and realized he had not taught us how to paint. He took the next couple of hours to show us. I learned how to cut in a window and anything else that needed it.

Some of his tips and rules.

Setup good lighting.
No coffee.
Dampen your brush first.
Pour paint into a smaller bucket that you can carry easily.
Set up low scaffold on long runs.

It took a day to paint the first apartment. 3 days more to paint the other 5.
What I learned.
I don't want to be a painter.

 

[frankd]

Ceiling paint on the wall is more noticeable than wall paint on the ceiling.

^ This. you're not going to get good results with tape. Paint the ceiling first and make sure the ceiling paint also covers the top 1/2 of the wall. Clean up any drips or overly thick paint on the wall.
Once it's tried, start "cutting". Use a good quality brush and try to move quickly and smoothly. Some will say its easy but I find it very hard and it takes lots of practice to do it well. If you're going with a darker color, a bad cutting job will look worse. The trick is to not try to follow the corner exactly, you actually want to paint just past the corner and slightly onto the ceiling (maybe 1/8th of an inch). This way, when you're looking straight at the wall you wont see any white ceiling paint on the wall. If you walk up to the wall and look straight up you may see a bit of gray on the ceiling but if done right its not noticeable. Also, corners are rarely straight and so if you follow the corner exactly it might end up looking a little wavy.