Perfect edge lines are possible with a little extra work. If you don’t have a steady hand like a pro, blue or green tape has let you down, and you like straight edge lines, here are a few tricks we’ve learned along the way.
Option 1: Paint the Tape
Run your blue tape to set your edge line. Now paint a very thin coat of the paint the tape is covering. This will seal your blue tape and you won’t get the paint seeping under it. In the photo below, I used a thin coat of the trim paint (White Dove), let it dry, then was able to follow up with our new paint (Pale Oak).
Option 2: Use Caulk
Run a very thin line of clear fast drying caulk and wipe it down with water so it goes on thin. Wait the appropriate time to paint – the fast drying is paintable in 20 minutes. For ceilings, white works great as well.
Tip for Ceiling Edge Lines
I have found that trying to cram the tape into the joint doesn’t end up with fantastic results for me. I end up with a wobbly paint line – some on the wall and some on the ceiling. Instead, I set the tape about a 1/16th-inch (2 mm) or less below the ceiling effectively bringing the ceiling paint down slightly onto the wall. The end result looks great though.
Have any tips or tricks, let us know!
