Which method takes longer to do and which one produces the best results? Is it possible to learn how to freehand your paint edges, avoiding tape altogether, even if you think you are not a born artist? Yes, it is possible, but it does take some practice to get it perfect.
Painting With Painter’s Tape
With this method, a special painter’s tape ranging from 1-inch to 3 inches wide is applied to one side of two adjacent areas, where one side will be painted and the other side will not. The tape is applied to the non-painted area. Low-tack painter’s tape removes with no sticky residue and is the only kind of tape you should use. Paint lightly against the tape. Let this first coat dry, then paint a second coat. Remove the tape after the paint has thoroughly dried. One aspect of using painter’s tape that is rarely mentioned: Though cutting-in has a learning curve, applying painter’s tape does, as well. Laying painter’s tape at the junction between walls and ceilings can be difficult, more so when one of the surfaces is not straight. Painter’s tape is not fool-proof, either. Failure to press down all sections of the tape will result in paint bleed-through.
Painting Without Tape or Cutting-In
Favored by professional painters, the cut-in method is pure freehand painting. No tape is used. Metal or plastic masking guards are not used, either. Using an angled sash brush and a special cut bucket (a small paint can without a lip), draw wide sweeps of paint close to but not touching the excluded area.
Should You Paint Without Tape or Not?
Generally, most do-it-yourselfers can expect to see the cleanest results by using painter’s masking tape rather than cutting-in the paint. While the painter’s tape method loads you up with more work on the front end, it delivers less aggravation and mess on the back end. As an added benefit to the masking method, when you use 2-inch wide or greater painter’s tape, you protect excluded areas from paint rollers. Two inches is approximately the width of the zone where the side of your paint roller cover might accidentally touch. Using painter’s tape, though, is not a guarantee that you will end up with perfect, razor-sharp paint lines. A few things can go wrong. Paint bleed-through is, by far, the most common reason why your masked paint lines are blurry or drippy. Make sure that when you apply the tape, you press firmly down with your fingertip to prevent paint seepage. The bleed-through problem is exacerbated when the tape is applied to surfaces that are not flat, such as stipple, cottage cheese, orange peel, or knock-down textures. Angles are straight Cost is less of an issue (tape is expensive) Often, wall-to-wall or wall-to-ceiling angles are not perfectly 90 degrees. For problem areas like these, the best solution is often to step back the line by 1/8-inch or so. The ceiling white may extend 1/8-inch down the wall or, conversely, the wall color may extend slightly into the ceiling white area.
Tips For Painting Without Tape
Short touch-ups of less than 4 inches or so can be cut in relatively cleanly, even by amateur painters.If the excluded area is glossy and will not stain from the paint pigment, you can accidentally slop over into that area and still wipe it relatively clean. Smaller brushes are easier to control than large ones.Use a good quality angled brush.Have a cotton cloth in your pocket so you can quickly mop up drips.
Items to Remove or Not Remove Before Painting
Always Remove
It is always best to remove these items rather than masking them off or cutting around them.
Sconce lightsThermostat boxesMini-blinds and curtain fixturesLight switch platesOutlet platesDoor hinges aloneCeiling light fixtures
Sometimes Remove
Some items can be removed with moderate ease. Removal depends on your personal inclination and how much time you want to put into the project.
Doors removed from hingesTrim around interior doorsTrim around interior windowsBaseboards
Never Remove
Some items or room elements are too difficult to warrant removal or they cannot be removed at all.
Crown molding Ceiling medallions Adjacent walls or support beams Built-in furniture such as bookcases Baseboards heavily stuck onto the walls with older paint
