What is the best way of masking off fitted carpet to allow painting the
skirting?

I have Hall, Stairs and landing to paint and I do not want to call the
carpet fitters in.

I was going to try strips of Poly Sheet nearly up to the edge and then
hold it down with Gaffer Tape on the carpet edge butted up to the
skirting.

Will it work and any better ideas?

Bookworm wrote:

What is the best way of masking off fitted carpet to allow painting the
skirting?

I have Hall, Stairs and landing to paint and I do not want to call the
carpet fitters in.

I was going to try strips of Poly Sheet nearly up to the edge and then
hold it down with Gaffer Tape on the carpet edge butted up to the
skirting.

Will it work and any better ideas?

Use masking tape and push it down between the carpet and skirting. leave
it for at least 24 hrs after painting or you might pull the paint off
the skirting.

Malcolm

Bookworm wrote:
What is the best way of masking off fitted carpet to allow painting the
skirting?

I have Hall, Stairs and landing to paint and I do not want to call the
carpet fitters in.

I was going to try strips of Poly Sheet nearly up to the edge and then
hold it down with Gaffer Tape on the carpet edge butted up to the
skirting.

Will it work and any better ideas?

Get a few 2 litre drinks bottles, cut them into strips. Push the strip
down between carpet and skirt, then push it under the skirting. This
holds the carpet well away.

If youre using oil based gloss, be aware that the paint still sticks to
things after its dried. 3 days ensures no sticking.

If its not a small room it'd be quicker to pull the carpet up, as long
as its not stretched its easy to put back. If it is a stretched type,
I'd leave it be.


NT

Bookworm wrote:
What is the best way of masking off fitted carpet to allow painting the
skirting?


In my experience: remove the carpet.
Yes, you'll tell me that removal is not contemplated. In that case, the
best
of british on your endeavours to avoid painting the carpet.
In my experience, removal is the only sure way of doing a good job.
But that could be my incompetence in painting.

Let us know how you got on. I learned to remove the carpet but I
learned
the hard way.

HTH

Mungo

Malcolm Race wrote:
Bookworm wrote:

What is the best way of masking off fitted carpet to allow painting the skirting?

Use masking tape and push it down between the carpet and skirting. leave
it for at least 24 hrs after painting or you might pull the paint off the skirting.

Use a strip of parcel tape or wide masking tape on the carpet as close
to the skirting as you can and then stick some newspaper to that with
yet more masking tape or parcel tape.

You can strip it off as soon as you like. In fact the sooner the
better. It's when the paint is half dry that its skin an be pulled off
with the tape if any runse longe that masking tape is left on the job,
the more difficult it can be to remove.

This is most noticeable on metal surfaces though and only a real
problem if it got damp.

Wash, sand and wipe the skirting, then hoover the guard before
painting. If you are prone to clumsiness that might easily endanger the
carpet, roll it back off fthe grips one wall at a time. But as there is
seldom a need to clart paint all over the skirting, there should be
very little time spent on the job.

Just load the brush, wipe the excess off on the pot and get stuck in.
It's dragging the job out with a mind off picking daisies that causes
problems on any job.

Bookworm wrote:
What is the best way of masking off fitted carpet to allow painting the
skirting?

I have Hall, Stairs and landing to paint and I do not want to call the
carpet fitters in.

I was going to try strips of Poly Sheet nearly up to the edge and then
hold it down with Gaffer Tape on the carpet edge butted up to the
skirting.

Will it work and any better ideas?

If you can get your hands on a piece of light metal about a yard long
by 6 inches to a foot wide you will fly through the job. just slip it
under the skirting as you go.

wrote:

If you can get your hands on a piece of light metal about a yard long
by 6 inches to a foot wide you will fly through the job. just slip it
under the skirting as you go.

Nearly. You need to be careful of capillary action and wipe the blade
each time you move it. You can get a plastic paper hanger's tool that
will do the job splendidly. I have no idea what they are called but I'm
sure someone on here will come along with an educated guess.

Weatherlawyer wrote:
wrote:
If you can get your hands on a piece of light metal about a yard long
by 6 inches to a foot wide you will fly through the job. just slip it
under the skirting as you go.

Nearly. You need to be careful of capillary action and wipe the blade
each time you move it. You can get a plastic paper hanger's tool that
will do the job splendidly. I have no idea what they are called but I'm
sure someone on here will come along with an educated guess.

If you go down the masking tape route be sure that you do not get it wet
whilst it is on, because getting it off after is a nightmare!

Bookworm explained :
What is the best way of masking off fitted carpet to allow painting the
skirting?

I have Hall, Stairs and landing to paint and I do not want to call the
carpet fitters in.

I was going to try strips of Poly Sheet nearly up to the edge and then
hold it down with Gaffer Tape on the carpet edge butted up to the
skirting.

Will it work and any better ideas?

I use what ever I can find to act as a movable mask - a sheet of
semi-rigid plastic or thin springy metal sheet with a straight edge
about 15" long by 6" to 9" wide. Sand the paint, vacuum up thoroughly
down the carpet edge, then push the strip hard down into the gap and
press/bend it almost flat. Paint the skirting, but don't paint too
close to the left and right edges of the strip as paint will creep
around the back of the strip onto the carpet.

You can ease the strip up and move is a bit at a time as you progress.



--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

Weatherlawyer wrote:
wrote:

If you can get your hands on a piece of light metal about a yard long
by 6 inches to a foot wide you will fly through the job. just slip it
under the skirting as you go.

Nearly. You need to be careful of capillary action and wipe the blade
each time you move it.

the other option is not to paint down as far as the strip. When the
carpet goes back it will cover anthing below the top of the pile. Bit
quicker that way.


NT

wrote:
Weatherlawyer wrote:
wrote:

If you can get your hands on a piece of light metal about a yard long
by 6 inches to a foot wide you will fly through the job. just slip it
under the skirting as you go.
Nearly. You need to be careful of capillary action and wipe the blade
each time you move it.

the other option is not to paint down as far as the strip. When the
carpet goes back it will cover anthing below the top of the pile. Bit
quicker that way.


NT


Go round with a scraper and push the edge of the carpet well down. Use a
new 1/2" brush at an angle of about 30 degs and the bristles will go
behind the carpet edge without touching it. Any form of guard or mask is
more likely to make a mess IME

Stuart Noble wrote:

Go round with a scraper and push the edge of the carpet well down. Use a
new 1/2" brush at an angle of about 30 degs and the bristles will go
behind the carpet edge without touching it. Any form of guard or mask is
more likely to make a mess IME

the trouble with that is the carpet pile may then attach itself to the
paint while it dries.Depends on the carpet really.

NT

Have a look in the sheds, they do a purpose made pack of thin plastic
shields specifically for this purpose. They are nothing more than half a
dozen, 2 foot strips that slide between the skirting and carpet (pretty
similar to the drinks bottle idea) but they work well and just need a wipe
after you've doen each section. I bought mine a few years back and they only
cost a couple of quid

HTH

Jim