Painting Question (Interior)

[tallpines]

NOT one of my favorite jobs!

This is sort of a "Who's on first" question.



As far as the crease right where the wall meets the ceiling.
Which comes first? The wall or the ceiling?

Yes, I know about the blue tape but it seems I even manage to mess that up.

How long do you need to let the paint dry before you can apply the tape to paint the opposite surface (without pulling off the paint from the first surface)?

[DAVID In Wisconsin]

I'm a painter. I find it easier to paint ceilings first then walls. There are different painters' tapes. It's hard to tell how long to wait before applying blue tape. I can just look and know but that won't be much help for you.
Good Luck!

[Maura]

I think the ceiling paint is easier to cover when it gets dabbed on the walls.

[canfossi]

The painters that did my house painted the ceiling first then the walls. The guy who did the cutting in/edges had a very steady hand and did the top of the wall freehand. It looks fine, oh and they sprayed the ceilings (it's smooth and a flat white finish then used a roller and brush for the walls and edges. This was a new house so furniture and carpeting wasn't in yet. Chris

[uncle Will in In.]

The last bedroom we done, we painted the ceiling with a roller being careful to get it covered out to the walls. Then we painted the walls with a roller, being very careful not to touch the ceiling. After it dried well, we put wallpaper border at the top of the wall. Really looks great.

The easiest way to handle the problem is to paint the whole shebang the same color.

[Jennifer Brewer]

Always do the ceiling first, weither you roll or spray it. If you spray, you could get over spray EVERYWHERE, and if you roll, you will fling little tiny droplets all over the place.

I used to cut in by hand, a wide enough band so you can get the roller up to it without accidently dabbing the ceiling. Now they make this little pad, and you just slide it along the crease, it takes a little practice, but it is VERY much faster. If you do accidently dab the ceiling with your roller (and you probably will at least once if you don't paint often) let it dry, and then touch it up with your ceiling paint using a hand brush.

Good Luck!

[mistletoad]

It is so much easier if you paint the ceilings the same colour as the walls!

[Farmerwilly2]

Ceilings first, cut in by hand. The only tape I use in on top of baseboards, door knobs, ect.---anything that can catch spray from the roller. A steady hand is the ticket.

[clovis]

Like everyone said, ceilings first, then walls.

Make sure you paint during the day, with the natural sunlight as an aid. I try to avoid painting after or near dark.

Wanna know the real trick to cutting in walls and ceilings?

1. Buy a GOOD, expensive brush...I am really partial to Wooster brushes, but Purdy and Sherwin Williams make good brushes too. A good brush about 2 1/2 angled sash brush should do great, and will cost less than $17. Kept clean, it will last a lifetime for a home owner.

1a. A good brush holds paint wet VERY well, will drip less, has fibers developed to apply the paint well, and will enable you to cut a line as straight as an arrow with a little practice. You get what you pay for when it comes to brushes!!!!!!

2. Buy good paint. If you aren't spending $25 a gallon, you aren't getting a good paint, IMHO. Good paint is thicker, and applies and covers better. Forget that cheap JUNK that Walmart and the home centers sell. Cheap paint is thin, drips and splatters, covers poorly, has a short open span before it dries, doesn't clean well, etc.

2a. Reread the above...you get what you pay for with paint.

3. Just have a steady hand, and take your time. I work left to right. You will be cutting in like a pro in "no time flat".

Example:

2 gallons of cheap wall paint to cover well @ $16 gallon= $32
Package of el cheapo throwaway brushes= $6
Roll of blue tape= $6 or more
Total spent, not including extra time spent taping, & aggrevation of cheap paint= $44

1 gallon of $30 paint (it covers well)= $30
1 GOOD Wooster brush= $17 (and will last a lifetime)
Total= $47, plus saved time from blue tape, and good paint is a joy to use.

For this, the $3 more is well worth the money....and the paint will be more durable and easier to clean!!!!!

Clove

[clovis]

I forgot to mention roller covers...I really like Wooster covers...cost about $3-4 each. Very little splatter...if any...with good paint.
No lint or shedding problems that you would have with cheapie covers.
Can be cleaned and used again.

Did I mention that you get what you pay for with paint and related tools?

(I have been painting on the side for years.)

Clove

[clovis]

Originally Posted by tallpines

NOT one of my favorite jobs!

The good paint and good tools I talked about will indeed the job more enjoyable!!!! Less mess, drips, splatter, easier to apply, better feeling of a good job when you are done.

Clove

[culpeper]

I've painted several homes over the years, and have always found that doing the ceilings first is the best way to go. For the cutting in, I use a flat pad, such as the one seen in the pic at the site below - you'll see it on the left hand side at the front. Sorry, it's the only pic I could find which showed something similar. You can get these pads big enough to paint entire wall surfaces - they are really easy to use and last for ages - easy to clean, too. You get a really neat finish with them.

http://www.easipaint.com.au/home-decorating-r-9.html

[Macybaby]

I always paint the ceiling first. That way I won't get spatters on the wall. I never use tape along the ceiling, just a ladder and a good brush and a lot of patience. I've been lucky - most of my recent painting has been before the baseboards/trim has been installed. I hate taping, and it can take as long as the painting! I also remove everything I can, and tape up everything I can't. Also, clean up any paint on woodwork (if it seeped under the tape) right away. It will harden after a few days, and be much harder to remove. I've found a fingernail does a pretty good job while the paint is dry but not hard yet. And always wait to wash it until it's fully cured.

I always put on two coats of paint - I just prefer the way it looks. I will cover the roller with cellophane wrap taped tight so it does not dry between coats. I have not found a roller yet that really holds up to being cleaned. And even at $4 a roller, I don't feel it's worth the effort to clean them up. I also buy rather expensive paint, I don't like the results with any of the cheaper stuff I've purchased. For a drop cloth I bought about 15 yds of 60" wide cotton misprinted heavy fabric (about $1 a yard) been using that for about 10 years now.

Now if I could just get good enough with our electric sprayer to feel comfortable using that in the house - works great for the outbuildings! When I use it - the noise reminds me of "War of the Worlds"

Another way to deal with paint is how my husband does it. Just be so darn bad that after one time, others won't let you near a paint brush! I don't even let him prime any more LOL!! He is really great at a lot of stuff, but has poor manual dexterity - his handwriting is about illegible also.

Cathy

[Clifton73]

I'm a professional painter. While I agree with some of the info shared by clovis I disagree with other.

1. Good quality tools a must.

2. Paint...No Wal Mart, but the "home centers" sell paint made by the same manufacturer as the High Dollar paint stores. I use Glidden quiet often sold by Home Depot.

3. Ceiling first without a doubt.

4. Here's a trick...after painting the ceiling letting it dry for at least 6 hours (depending on how much paint gets on the walls...more paint more dry time.)
take a pencil lay it in the corner at the spot it just naturally wants to fall, let the pencil draw a line....that will give u something to paint to. If your hand is still too shakey...use a screwdriver or a 5n1 just like the pencil it makes a small groove and your extra paint will flow into it but your line will still be straight.

Good Luck

[tallpines]

Thanks for all the advice.

I guess I've already messed up.
I've got 2 walls painted and I let myself go onto the ceiling a tad...so I will need to work an extra bit to get that right.

When I do the other 2 walls I will do it the correct way.

The paint I am using for this project is Pittsburgh Grand Distinction.

So, it seems you think I could have done better with my paint quality?
Next time I'll ask first

Thanks again for the lessons.

[clovis]

Originally Posted by Clifton73

I'm a professional painter. While I agree with some of the info shared by clovis I disagree with other.

1. Good quality tools a must.

2. Paint...No Wal Mart, but the "home centers" sell paint made by the same manufacturer as the High Dollar paint stores. I use Glidden quiet often sold by Home Depot.

3. Ceiling first without a doubt.

4. Here's a trick...after painting the ceiling letting it dry for at least 6 hours (depending on how much paint gets on the walls...more paint more dry time.)
take a pencil lay it in the corner at the spot it just naturally wants to fall, let the pencil draw a line....that will give u something to paint to. If your hand is still too shakey...use a screwdriver or a 5n1 just like the pencil it makes a small groove and your extra paint will flow into it but your line will still be straight.

Good Luck

Good point about the paint. While I have used Behr paints sold by Home Ripoff, I still don't like it as well as Sherwin, or Porter. In my opinion, SW is taking some extra profit from the customer with their higher priced paints, but the home centers have to be taking something out of the paint to sell at $18 or so.

I also like the added value that the paint stores have when mixing paint. I can call them, tell them I need the same purple that I used 5 years ago, and they will have it ready in one hour.

They are also professionals with mixing. I have had alot of customers give me a 1 inch fabric sample, and ask me to match it. SW hits the color perfectly every time.

I also believe that the paint cost is marginal at best when figuring a job for a customer. The paint might be $80 for a repaint, but my time is going to be a ton more than that, especially if I am moving furniture, etc.

So, with that in mind, I find the value of the extra money spent at SW well worth the value. I can call in my order, and it is right, and ready. No dealing with a college student trying to mix paint for the first time at a home center.

Just my 2 cents.

Clove

[Columbia,SC.]

I agree with the best of each, paint and tools!
Also remember painting is one of the only jobs that you start at the Top, and work your way down. LOL