Painting a Room: How to Get a Clean Line

LESLIE: Now we’re going to take a call from our friend Chris in Houston who’s got a painting question.

Chris, what’s your project?

LESLIE: OK.

CHRIS: And the previous owners had painted it yellow …

TOM: Oh no.

CHRIS: … and didn’t do a very good job between the wall and the ceiling.

LESLIE: OK.

CHRIS: And was just kind of trying to figure out how to get a good line. I’ve painted in the past using latex paint and whenever I pull off the tape it leaves a little crooked line there.

LESLIE: OK, well here’s a trick. It’s something that I learned even when you’re painting stripes on walls. Paint your ceiling color and then tape off your ceiling and then roll that paint again over the tape. This way – with the ceiling color. This way, if any paint leaks or seeps underneath the tape, it will be the same color. And when it seeps under, it seals off that edge of the tape so when you roll on your next color, there’s no possible way it can get underneath it.

TOM: Oh, that’s a cool idea. So you paint it once, then you tape it, then you paint on top of the tape.

LESLIE: Correct.

TOM: What a neat idea.

LESLIE: And it works great if you’re doing precise stripes or any sort of place where you’re sort of – especially in those open-plan homes and you’re trying to lineate spaces by saying, “OK, this is where one room ends and this is where another and I’m going to paint a line.” It’s really helpful. Just make sure you do the lighter color.

CHRIS: There you go. Hey. Well, I might try it out and see what happens.

TOM: Alright, Chris. Let us know how you make out.

CHRIS: Alright. Appreciate it.

TOM: Alright, thanks for calling us, Chris in Houston, Texas. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974.