The following describes our process for painting straight lines on a ceiling and using a cut brush around mill work. Every project is different but we’ve outlined a general guideline below to ensure your project will go smoothly.
We’ve created a material list, a step by step guide and a quiz to test your knowledge.
Tools Needed:
- Angle Brush (Detailed corners)
- Straight Edge (Higher production)
- China Bristle (Oil Based)
- Flexible head (Hard to reach spots)
1. Pre-Arrival
Please refer to service standards post for instructions on how to communicate with a client and organize for a job.
2. Room Preparation
Please refer to room preparation post for instructions on how to get ready for drywall repairs and/or interior painting.
3. Drywall Repairs
Please refer to our drywall repair post for further instruction.
4. Masking a room
Please refer to our tips and tricks for taping and masking a room for painting.
5. Cutting Straight lines
After masking/taping is completed you can start cutting the room with a brush. Achieving a clean crisp cut line along un-masked surfaces such as ceilings or accent walls can be done with a little practice. Below are some of the best practices and general rules but you really need to practice to get a system down for cutting straight lines.
Click here for information on paint brushes, types and when to use them.
- Ceilings – Load bottom 1 1/2 inches of your bristles with paint. Do not extend your dip more than 1 1/2 inches because it will be unused paint and will likely gum up your paint brush as it dries while you are working. After your initial dip, shake your brush lightly inside your bucket to remove excess paint. As you bring your paint brush out of the lid, wipe off one side of the brush. The side of the brush that has not been wiped off should be set closest to the ceiling as you begin your cut line. Start your cut line roughly 1/8 inch below the ceiling line so any build up of paint on your brush can be distributed. If you start with a really wet edge right up to your ceiling line you will likely cause build up close to the ceiling line which is difficult to brush out. Brush your line with bristles set at a 20 degree angle to the ceiling line. After you have set your ceiling line brush back your brush marks very lightly to even flatten out any lines from your brush. This is also know is “tipping off”.
- Mill Work – Dip your brush 1 1/2 inches into your paint. Give your brush a quick shake inside your paint can to remove excess. This time you are not wiping off one side of your brush. Brushing mill work is less delicate because you have tape. You want the extra paint so you can move fast. As you fill the edges make sure to “tip off” any lines from your brush flattening out the paint.
- Accent Walls – Overlap the color going into the accent wall 1/8 of an inch. If you feel you have a steady hand and the corner where two colors meet is pretty even than you can cut an accent wall by hand. If not, you’ll need to wait a couple hours for the color adjacent to the accent wall to dry. After its dried, apply yellow frog tape to the adjacent color and run a thin bead of clear caulk along your tape line. Smooth out the caulk and remove excess with your finger. You want to paint your accent wall soon after you’ve caulked because you do not want your caulk to dry. The caulk is there to create a sealed tape edge so you have a nice clean line. If its left to dry the caulk could pull up and cause your line to be jagged. After your caulk is put on lightly brush along your tape line followed with rolling the wall.
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