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Jeff Ishaq
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff
  #2   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

I use modeling clay. Mark your line faintly press clay against line,cut in,
move clay down and repeat
"Jeff Ishaq" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.592 / Virus Database: 375 - Release Date: 2/18/04


  #3   Report Post  
Tim or Marty Shephard
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

How 'bout square (sharp angle piece of wood) sanding the corned, then a bob
or snap line?


"Jeff Ishaq" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff



  #4   Report Post  
DanG
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

Try this trick:

I assume the walls are all painted and you are just struggling
with the corner.

1. Mask the white wall.
2. Paint a narrow coat of white on top of the mask. Stay off the
red as best you can, trying to only paint an 1/8 - 1/4" on the
red. This coat of white will "bleed" under the tape and seal all
those leak points. Do it twice if you need to. Go do something
else for an hour or two - let this coat of paint dry, at least dry
to the touch.
3. Leave the mask right where it is. Now, paint it red. Allow
to dry. Masking is usually pulled wet, but for this system to
work, allow the paint to dry.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing. . . .
DanG


"Jeff Ishaq" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other

walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having

trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of

the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint

of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes

this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation?

Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea

what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff



  #5   Report Post  
AH#49
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls differentcolors

Jeff Ishaq wrote:

Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.


A very large/wide, and strong putty knife firmly stuffed into the corner
with one hand, while brushing with the other.


  #6   Report Post  
Jeff Ishaq
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

Thanks for the tips, folks. I'll try both the putty knife and the
masking tape approaches, and let you know how it goes!

-Jeff
  #7   Report Post  
Joseph Meehan
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

Jeff Ishaq wrote:
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff



I suggest you don't try to paint in the corner. Move out a little, just
far enough to find a nice smooth surface. Then paint your line there. It
will look like the corner even if it is not. I suggest putting the line on
the light wall so the corner will be the darker color.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math



  #8   Report Post  
AH#49
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls differentcolors

Jeff Ishaq wrote:

Thanks for the tips, folks. I'll try both the putty knife and the
masking tape approaches, and let you know how it goes!



Please do!

After all I was just taking a wild stab at the problem, but it makes
perfectly good sense to me!

After all, with a "spackled wall" (Eww!) I think it would rather
difficult to make even the BEST tape lay flat and keep the paint from
seeping/bleeding under it, so as to leave a nice, CRISP edge!

But, if you WEDGE the Putty Knife into the corner enough (Not enough to
bust the you know what), and carefully apply the paint and PULL the
knife away and INTO the wet surface....Wooo Hooo!

It's "got to work" with some "experimentation"!
  #9   Report Post  
NorMinn
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls differentcolors



Jeff Ishaq wrote:
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff


It would be unusual for any corner to be perfectly straight. Paint the
white walls into the corner. Let dry at least two days. Get a plumb
bob and chalk line and snap a straight line at each corner so the the
corners are in the red area. The line should be as close to the corner
as possible. Put down painters tape on the white, paint your red wall
and remove the tape before the paint dries. If you press the tape on
carefully, you should not get any bleeding under the tape edge.

  #10   Report Post  
ameijers
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors


"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Jeff Ishaq wrote:
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff



I suggest you don't try to paint in the corner. Move out a little,

just
far enough to find a nice smooth surface. Then paint your line there. It
will look like the corner even if it is not. I suggest putting the line

on
the light wall so the corner will be the darker color.

What he said. People who I have watched do this, professional painters or
just artsy-craftsy folks, didn't use tape or guide board, or any of the othe
common tricks. They cut the joint in by hand with a signpainter's brush,
like they used to use for lettering commercial signs back before everything
became computer-generated peel-offs. Looked about an inch or two wide, with
an angled tip so they can keep a clean point. Takes practice and a steady
hand (I couldn't do it), but they made it look easy. Just followed a very
light pencil line with long smooth strokes, and an almost dry brush. They
did contrasting door and window trim the same way, inside and outside.

What the hey- it would only cost you a few bucks to practice, either on the
part of the wall that will be the darker color anyway, or on a scrap board.
Get a sign brush, a small can of the same texture of paint, and draw a few
lines and see if you can color and stay inside the lines. :^)

aem sends...



  #11   Report Post  
Martin
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors


"Jeff Ishaq" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff


A way I've seen that done, if I am remembering correctly, is to do the
lighter colored walls first, overlapping the corner about an inch, and let
them dry. Then put on the masking tape right up to the corner and paint
the edge of the tape at the corner with the same paint and let it dry. This
will seal the edge and keep your red from bleeding under the tape. The red
is then applied right up to the tape, and when it has dried some but is
still tacky pull off the tape.

Marty


  #12   Report Post  
CR
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

FWIW - the local Home Depot has a demo of this on a permanent display.

1. Paint the lighter color, and extend it just over the division
line.
2. Run a strip of masking tape down the line, with the tape on the
lighter color. Wait til it's dry before taping, obviously.
3. Get a paintable white caulk, and run a very small bead right
against the tape on the unpainted part of the wall.
4, Using a finger, smooth the bead of caulk until it's basically
flat. make sure the caulking goes onto the masking tape, and covers
the line completely.
5. Paint the darker color, and overpaint slightly onto the masking
tape.
6. Pull the masking tape. In theory, the caulk will split cleanly at
the edge of the tape, so it will make a perfect line regardless of
bumps and texture on the wall.

I haven't tried this, but it seems logical. If you try it, let us
know how it works!

If it doesn't work, blame my local Home Depot!


AH#49 wrote:

Jeff Ishaq wrote:

Thanks for the tips, folks. I'll try both the putty knife and the
masking tape approaches, and let you know how it goes!



Please do!

After all I was just taking a wild stab at the problem, but it makes
perfectly good sense to me!

After all, with a "spackled wall" (Eww!) I think it would rather
difficult to make even the BEST tape lay flat and keep the paint from
seeping/bleeding under it, so as to leave a nice, CRISP edge!

But, if you WEDGE the Putty Knife into the corner enough (Not enough to
bust the you know what), and carefully apply the paint and PULL the
knife away and INTO the wet surface....Wooo Hooo!

It's "got to work" with some "experimentation"!


email to (remove the "notreal-")
  #13   Report Post  
Marcel
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

I believe he stated the wall is spackled? This would indicate there
walls have been textured. If this is the case tapeing is not an
option.

The two ideas here that would work is the Paintable caulking, I use
Latex Dap. Try to keep the bead thin, never mind taping to get the
dap straight, folks at home depot are working there for a good reason
lol. Then cut in.

The other idea I like it the knife in the corner idea. Though you will
have to follow the corner and perhaps end up looking crooked.

With such a contrast between colors, you don't really want to cut to
the crease of the corner. We usually cut an 1/8 of an inch to either
side, depending of the perspective of the corner from which most
traffic in the room will view it. Even with smooth walls, you rarely
come across a perfect corner. Keeping to one side will allow you to
create the illusion the corner is straighter then it actually is.

Do your red first!

ML Painting


On Sun, 04 Apr 2004 01:28:06 GMT, NorMinn
wrote:



Jeff Ishaq wrote:
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff


It would be unusual for any corner to be perfectly straight. Paint the
white walls into the corner. Let dry at least two days. Get a plumb
bob and chalk line and snap a straight line at each corner so the the
corners are in the red area. The line should be as close to the corner
as possible. Put down painters tape on the white, paint your red wall
and remove the tape before the paint dries. If you press the tape on
carefully, you should not get any bleeding under the tape edge.


  #16   Report Post  
H
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

I am a 25yr Journeyman Painter. Here's what I do (Works for concrete block
too). BTW, Tape seldom gives acceptable results.

The contrasting line is visual. That is it doesn't need to be or precisely
follow the actual corner. You will be creating a visual line. Paint the
lighter colour lapping onto the feature wall. Let it dry. When dry, take an
exacto or Olfa knife and straight edge and score as precise a line as you
can, approx 1/16" to 1/8" in from the actual corner. Whether you score the
line onto the light color or feature colour depends on lighting. With the
scored line in place, carefully brush on your feature colour, thinned
slightly. The thinned paint will flow into the score and stop there. You may
require multiple coats as the paint has been thinned. Always use a good
angular sash brush.

Regards, Brushimus Maximus


"ameijers" wrote in message
...

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Jeff Ishaq wrote:
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff



I suggest you don't try to paint in the corner. Move out a little,


just
far enough to find a nice smooth surface. Then paint your line there.

It
will look like the corner even if it is not. I suggest putting the line

on
the light wall so the corner will be the darker color.

What he said. People who I have watched do this, professional painters or
just artsy-craftsy folks, didn't use tape or guide board, or any of the

othe
common tricks. They cut the joint in by hand with a signpainter's brush,
like they used to use for lettering commercial signs back before

everything
became computer-generated peel-offs. Looked about an inch or two wide,

with
an angled tip so they can keep a clean point. Takes practice and a steady
hand (I couldn't do it), but they made it look easy. Just followed a very
light pencil line with long smooth strokes, and an almost dry brush. They
did contrasting door and window trim the same way, inside and outside.

What the hey- it would only cost you a few bucks to practice, either on

the
part of the wall that will be the darker color anyway, or on a scrap

board.
Get a sign brush, a small can of the same texture of paint, and draw a few
lines and see if you can color and stay inside the lines. :^)

aem sends...



  #17   Report Post  
Toller
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors


exacto or Olfa knife and straight edge and score as precise a line as you
can, approx 1/16" to 1/8" in from the actual corner.


Doesn't that leave you with a damaged corner, or am I misunderstanding
something?

I have found a piece of cardboard works pretty good.


  #18   Report Post  
Richard Taylor
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get a nice vertical line when painting two walls different colors

Mask off with good tape. then brush the bleed-prone edge with clear latex
flat or s/g varnish. what bleeds onto the first color is clear. unmask
promptly. Or, dry-brush the 1st color on the bleeding edge,
then proceed with cutting in the 2nd color directly over your dry-brushed
work. same net result.
"Jeff Ishaq" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I'm painting a square room, and one wall is to be red; the other walls
should be white. All the walls are spackled. I am having trouble
getting a perfectly straight vertical line in the very corner of the
room, where the red paint of one wall ends, and the white paint of
another wall begins. The slight protrusion of the spackle makes this
transition look very jagged, as it also causes paint to bleed
underneath the masking tape when I try to mask off a nice line.

Is there a trick to getting a nice straight vertical line that
transitions from one color to the other in this situation? Someone
suggested to me 'gum arabic', but I haven't the slightest idea what it
is, or what I might do with it.

Thanks!
-Jeff



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