I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

Any help appreciated

Chris.

"chris" wrote in message
m...
I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

If you do nothing else, yes! Use a quality used brush. Do the best you can
and then touch up (laboriously) using a artists paint brush.

Alternatively, fit coving. Even better is picture rail, which is why I have
kept mine and added more in a new extension.


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

In article ,
chris wrote:
The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

A steady hand is best. The problem with using masking tape is that it's
very likely to remove the paint it's stuck to, and emulsion can soak into
the edge anyway.

--
*I'm not your type. I'm not inflatable.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

chris wrote:
I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

Any help appreciated

Chris.

Apparently you could try masking tape (make sure it's the very low tack
stuff, and put on to very dry paint, not stuff that might still be fully
drying) - though I've never tried it cos I'm not convinced it wouldn't
take the paint back off with it ;-)

Other than that, practice and a steady hand. What you see as terrible
wiggles in the painted line while you're doing it aren't anywhere near
as noticeable from the bottom of the ladder too. Try and position the
ladder not too far but not too close when you're doing that bit - I find
myself moving the ladder far more frequently when cutting in around the
ceiling than anywhere else, because if you're reaching for it, you'll
lose the stability of the arm (and end up with a very wriggly line!).

Using a smaller brush, making sure it's a well-cared for one, and (if
you're using emulsion) wrapping it in kitchen paper between uses (after
washing out) can help - wrap it quite tightly so the bristles lie flat
and together rather than drying splayed out will help keep the shape of
the brush better for cutting in. I also tend to keep the brush with a
reasonable amount of paint on it, and try to get the edge done in one
stroke, rather than having to go back over it - it's very hard to
explain but having enough paint for the brush to glide over helps keep
it smooth too.

Practice practice practice :-) Try practicing (if you're painting the
walls a different colour to previously) between wall to wall too, before
you get to the ceiling join...

Velvet

"chris" wrote in message
m...
I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

Any help appreciated


Ah, cutting in.

Afraid that there's not much more to it than practise and a steady hand.
You need to load the brush so that there is just enough to create a small
"bead" as you're painting - not too little so that you dont have sufficient
to cover up to the join, and not too much so that it bleeds and catches on
the ceiling.

A slightly used brush is best for this - new brushes often need the stray
bristles trimming.

If you use masking tape to stop you catching the ceiling then either use the
expensive low-tack stuff, or alternatively pull off the desired length from
the roll and push it onto some fabric first to reduce the adhesion.
Otherwise you end up pulling off the ceiling emulsion. Don't try and rely
on the edge of the tape to produce the nice clean edge because it never
works perfectly IME.

Finally, it helps to paint using a steady motion - too slow and it's
difficult to get a nice straight edge. When things have dried and if there
are small areas of white on the walls still, then be prepared to go round
and touch up carefully with a small artists brush.

--
Richard Sampson

email me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

In article ,
Bob Mannix wrote:
The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

snip

Alternatively, fit coving. Even better is picture rail, which is why I
have kept mine and added more in a new extension.

Well, coving is often in a contrasting colour, so you've then got two
lines to deal with. ;-)

--
*Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

"chris" wrote in message
m...
I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

Any help appreciated

Chris.

Just one thing to add to what everyone else has said...

Get yourself a "cutting in" brush! Thats one where the bristles are cut at
an angle, or cut one yourself (easier to buy one). I've seen them in most
diy shed labeled "windows frame" brushes but if you go to a trade paint
place like a dulux centre you'll get a propper 1.5 or 2" cutting in brush
for a couple of quid. Makes life sooo much easier!

Tony

"chris" wrote in message
m...
I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

Any help appreciated

Chris.



I have the same problem as you. I have had some success using a piece of
thin plastic (A B&Q drilling guide for handles for instance) against one
edge as a shield, but you must wipe it every time or it just spreads the
paint around. I have found, as mentioned by others, the easiest way is to
fit coving. Takes longer, but you only need to do it once.

"chris" wrote in message
m...
I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

Any help appreciated

Chris.

A sheet of cardboard with a straight edge, and run this along with your
brush. Make sure to put enough paint on the brush and do little runs to
begin with until you get used to using both hands in sync' with each other.
Also, wipe the edge of cardboard with a dry cloth to remove the excess paint
if you're going to leave it lying around, or moving it over to another part
of the room.

I don't know if you've seen paint rollers with a guard that flaps down on
edge to stop it touching woodwork etc. Well the cardboard can be used in
the same way, and is much cheaper to obtain.


---
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Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release Date: 11/12/03

On 15 Dec 2003 01:09:49 -0800, (chris) wrote:

I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

Any help appreciated

Having tried a device to do this (which didn't work very well), have
watched how the professionals do this job, and I think I have worked
out a couple of tips...

Use quite a wide brush as you will effectively be running the end
along the line, and the longer it is, the easier it is to get a
straight line.

It seems to actually help not to try and get the line exactly in the
corner, especially if this is a bit uneven. The pros actually seem to
overlap the line slightly onto the ceiling, which seems to make it
easier to get an even line.


--
Colin Swan

chris wrote:

I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?


Steady hand, and not too much paint on a small brush.

Operating at a decent height on a platform of planks over e.g. beer
crates helps.



Any help appreciated

Chris.

Well, coving is often in a contrasting colour, so you've then got
two lines to deal with. ;-)

Nah. Coving is white, like the ceiling. You still need to cut into the wall,
but at least it is 10cm lower with gravity on your side wrt runs (and often
on a smoother surface).

Christian.

"gaz" posted the correct method in:


I have had some success using a piece of
thin plastic (A B&Q drilling guide for handles for instance) against one
edge as a shield, but you must wipe it every time or it just spreads the
paint around.

Break the handle off a saw or buy a painters thingie. They have a sort
of edging tool/spreader made of plastic with a wooden edge the length of
one side for an handle. A steel ruler will do but is a little on the
thin side.

The problem is uneveness in the surface in the angle. Have you tried a
paint pad?


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

In article ,
Christian McArdle wrote:
Well, coving is often in a contrasting colour, so you've then got
two lines to deal with. ;-)

Nah. Coving is white, like the ceiling. You still need to cut into the
wall, but at least it is 10cm lower with gravity on your side wrt runs
(and often on a smoother surface).

Ornamental stuff may be white (casting plaster) but the normal 'half
round' is covered in off white cardboard, like plasterboard.

--
*A backward poet writes inverse.*

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

On 15 Dec 2003 01:09:49 -0800, (chris) wrote:

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

One thing you can do is after you've painted stick up some dado (the
paper stuff). It depends on your personal taste but it can look quite
attractive - and is available in different widths.

Usually used with wallpaper, but just as good (and neat) with
paintwork.

Then you overpaint the ceiling edge, and not quite up to the wall top,
and the dado masks the join quite nicely.

PoP

On 15 Dec 2003 01:09:49 -0800, (chris) wrote:

I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

Any help appreciated

Get yourself a paint lining wheel. This is a device shaped like a fat
pen with a wheel at one end (about the size of a five pence piece) and
a tube to contain the paint. The one I've got came with three wheels
of different widths from 1/16 to 3/32 - yes, I bought it about 25
years ago!

However, its use and the efficacy thereof is dependent to a degree on
the surface you're painting. If smooth, you can obtain a dead straight
line with practice. You then paint up to the line with the fill-in
colour.

Here's a link:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/zebracolor/index36.html

MM

Nah. Coving is white, like the ceiling. You still need to cut into the
wall, but at least it is 10cm lower with gravity on your side wrt runs
(and often on a smoother surface).

Ornamental stuff may be white (casting plaster) but the normal 'half
round' is covered in off white cardboard, like plasterboard.

I meant it is white after I've painted it!

Christian.