Peerfect line between colors

12635 Views 39 Replies 26 Participants Last post by NuView Painting, Dec 29, 2007

OC ZOOM

Discussion Starter · Aug 25, 2007

How do I get that perfect line between two colors? The wall is flat plaster as well as the ceiling.I am using an interior flat paint. How do you get that perfect line between colors. The wall is dark and the ceiling is white. The ceiling and wall meet at 90 degrees.I don't want to use masking tape. Is there a trick you can share?

1 - 20 of 40 Posts

ProWallGuy

· #2 · Aug 25, 2007

When cutting a wall to the ceiling, I wrap the paint up onto the ceiling just a hair.

Make sure to keep the overlap very thin and consistent. If you stand up against the wall and look up, you will see a tiny overlap. But if you step back a foot or two, it will look sharp and straight.

Try it, you'll like it.

Nathan

· #3 · Aug 26, 2007

I used to be razor sharp before moving to Florida and Texas where everything has textured walls. It's almost impossible here to get prefect lines.

PWG, I'm trying to wrap my brain around what your suggesting and why. Got a photo?

OC ZOOM

Discussion Starter · #4 · Aug 26, 2007

ProWallGuy said:
When cutting a wall to the ceiling, I wrap the paint up onto the ceiling just a hair.

Make sure to keep the overlap very thin and consistent. If you stand up against the wall and look up, you will see a tiny overlap. But if you step back a foot or two, it will look sharp and straight.

.

PWG, I don't completely understand what you mean. Could you explain the procedure, and what brush you use.? A picture would be helpful if not too much trouble.

Bushdude

· #5 · Aug 26, 2007

Many people won't accept cutting onto the ceiling, even if it is uniform. Try standing as close to the top of the wall on your ladder as possible, so you are not looking up at your cut line. Another trick is to run a light pencil line on the crack between wall and ceiling, this gives you something to cut to.

Paintwerks

· #6 · Aug 26, 2007

For tricky corners, I to prefer to cut alittle onto the ceiling.
I like to stand in the middle of the room looking at all 4 walls and see no ceiling white coming onto the walls.
Hope that makes sense.

Thanks Dan

painterman

· #7 · Aug 27, 2007

Cutting onto the ceiling works good if it is a big room. When doing a narrow hall you have to be real careful with that method. I usually just "cut"(score) the ceiling /wall juction with a utility knife...just enough to make a line that you can follow. Oh ya make two passes at the ceiling/wall. Brush up to the ceiling to about an 1/8 away from the ceiling and then cut to the ceiling again while the wall is still wet. Brush moves alot easier. Love my Coronas for cutting in.

ProWallGuy

· #8 · Aug 27, 2007

I have been doing this style for almost 20 years now. Never once have had a customer complain, or question the line. I have, in fact, taught several customers how to do it, as they commented that the lines look great. It looks good in big or small rooms, hallways, wherever.

I use a Wooster 3" sash brush. I just cut in the wall, and gradually move the brush closer and closer until it hits the ceiling ever so slightly, and keep moving down the wall. Its important that the overlap is tiny and consistent.

I couldn't really find any jobsite pics where I took a pic of the line close up, so I just went into my son's room that I painted myself 2 years ago. It might be kinda hard to see, as he was asleep in there, and I had a night light to deal with, so I used the flash.

This is an extreme close-up of the line:

Here is what it looks like when you take one step back. This is probably the closest a customer will ever get, unless they are bumping their nose on the wall:

Another view from the same distance:

Step back a couple feet, and look at it from a normal viewing angle, and it looks tight and sharp:

I'll try to take some pics in there tomorrow in the normal light.

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4

Runamuk

· #9 · Aug 27, 2007

ProWallGuy said:
I have been doing this style for almost 20 years now. Never once have had a customer complain, or question the line. I have, in fact, taught several customers how to do it, as they commented that the lines look great. It looks good in big or small rooms, hallways, wherever.

I use a Wooster 3" sash brush. I just cut in the wall, and gradually move the brush closer and closer until it hits the ceiling ever so slightly, and keep moving down the wall. Its important that the overlap is tiny and consistent.

I couldn't really find any jobsite pics where I took a pic of the line close up, so I just went into my son's room that I painted myself 2 years ago. It might be kinda hard to see, as he was asleep in there, and I had a night light to deal with, so I used the flash.

This is an extreme close-up of the line:

Here is what it looks like when you take one step back. This is probably the closest a customer will ever get, unless they are bumping their nose on the wall:

Another view from the same distance:

Step back a couple feet, and look at it from a normal viewing angle, and it looks tight and sharp:

I'll try to take some pics in there tomorrow in the normal light.

Nice job. Now lets see some rounded corners that you have done free hand. LOL! I've had customers with their jaw wide open watching me do it. LOL!

Rick

welovepainting

· #10 · Aug 27, 2007

Bushdude said:
Many people won't accept cutting onto the ceiling, even if it is uniform. Try standing as close to the top of the wall on your ladder as possible, so you are not looking up at your cut line. Another trick is to run a light pencil line on the crack between wall and ceiling, this gives you something to cut to.

The corner of a 5 in 1 works just as good or if not better than a pencil IMO. For dark colors we scribe a line with the 5 in 1 it makes somewhat of an indentation and it makes a little gray line. Your paint should stop at the indentation. As far as a certain brush thats up to you. Every painter is different me personally I like a 3" block brush.

Painter James

· #11 · Sep 12, 2007

If the customer is nit-picky, I'd tape and then dry-brush up to it.

Since you don't wanna tape...

I get as close to the cut-in area as I can, and then with a semi-dry brush I'll quickly move the brush along the corner, starting away from the corner at first until I have found the right spot, and as soon as that happens I'm running with it. I get up close to it and then move as quickly as I can once I've found the right angle. Go too slowly and the line wiggles--I use long strokes for cutting in.

I'll have to try this scoring business everyone's mentioned! Sounds like a plan.

As to the textured walls--

Being from Cali, yeah, that's all we had out there too! Texture texture texture. Hard to get a cut line.

So:

You'd make one! With caulking. Get a nice bead to cut into. If you're going to do that, make sure you have the lid/trim paint for touch up, paint that first, and then move to the body.

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Dutchman Painting

· #12 · Oct 7, 2007

Same for me...i use a sharp pencil and then run it along the cut-in line and follow this with the brush...also have used a steel putty knife that creases the cut-in line and leaves a grey line...after my cut-ins i still find i need to adjust a few places to get the correct line. this doesn't take long and really perfects the job

NuView Painting

· #13 · Oct 7, 2007

I use the very end tip of my brush and set it in the corner of the ceiling and wall and let the brush do the work no paint on the ceiling it goes right up to the end of the wall...unless you run across some bad texture job...opps it aint fault!!

Kelly Painting

· #14 · Oct 7, 2007

I just cut a straight line..... Haven't found too many guys who can just cut a straight line..... even guys who have been painting for a while. I guess when the customer doesn't complain... people just leave it as.. they did a good job.
I strive to be better than most guys..... and cut my lines perfect.

Now If I'm hung over.. than thats a different story.

Tmrrptr

· #15 · Oct 8, 2007

We are sometimes amazed at how critical people wish to be...

Standing up on a chair within inches of a wall is discouraged!
r

NuView Painting

· #16 · Oct 8, 2007

Tmrrptr said:
We are sometimes amazed at how critical people wish to be...

Standing up on a chair within inches of a wall is discouraged!
r

...LOL YE FAREAL

painttofish

· #17 · Oct 10, 2007

Long strokes, steady hand, not hung over, not to much coffee, practice:thumbsup:

DelW

· #18 · Oct 11, 2007

painttofish said:
Long strokes, steady hand, not hung over, not to much coffee, practice:thumbsup:

NOT TO MUCH COFFEE, hell, I can't paint without coffee.:laughing:

Workaholic

· #19 · Oct 11, 2007

Practice will get you the steady lines that you are looking for. I myself have no problems cutting a straight line.
Yet perfect is a word you should stay away from to many varibles to haunt you.

aaron61

· #20 · Oct 27, 2007

I cut the ceiling line same as pwg. Here in Tampa Everything is Textured !!!
Popcorn ceilings Orange peel or Splatter on walls. We've been doing alot of multi colored interiors with accent walls like back in the 80's. Just Finished red accent walls against white in kitchen and dinning room. Inside corners I do like driving a car, you have to look ahead of where you are to keep straight, too close and it gets shakey also a second cut really helps straighten out any bad areas. Outside corners I,ll tape and dry brush pull tape then tighten it up. Just got a nice bonus for this one

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