So this week I'm painting some apartment walls in dark contrasting colors. Problem comes where the wall meets the ceiling, which has sprayed-on popcorn texture. I'm having trouble getting a clean line where the dark wall meets the white ceiling, and there's no molding to cover up the junction.

I'm also having a little trouble getting a clean line at the baseboard, which I can't easily remove. I can use blue masking tape there but I sometimes have trouble with paint bleeding under the edge of the tape.

Any hints for the amateur painter?

try painting with a small brush where the wall meets the tape...

I gave up on masking tape and started using a blade held in place at the edge while painting.
It takes some getting used to and I find constantly cleaning the blade helps.
Seems faster.

What color are the ceilings and can you match it?

What condition is the baseboard in?
Is there a lot of calk on the seem where it meets the wall?

Describe it if you can. If it's really messed up then you might consider trying to smooth that first...or, depending on the type of calk that is in the joint, removing it and re-caulking

I always paint with a brush (a good one) and almost never mask. it gives you the nicest line..masked lines only when you are desperate as they are harsh.

Most times, if the trim is not in to bad a condition, you can cut a decent, human, wavy-smooth line.

As for where walls meet ceilings...is this pocorn ceiling a sound absorption product?

If so, In situations like these If i can't cut a good line with a brush, I generally will paint into that corner genrously and not worry about the ceiling to much as Im doing this...

Then, once that has dried WELL..I'll try to mask off the wall section so that you create a line at the uppermost part of the wall, where you can get a continuing, straight line (so it isn't interrupted by the damn popcorn texture)

Next, get a good match of the ceiling color and clean up the overslop you created on the ceiling while you were generously cutting in the top part of the wall.

This will create your line because you have masked the wall off. This can be a problem if you can't get a good match...however, painting the ceiling should be part of a complete paint job...this will guarantee that you have good match.

If the popcorn texture you are describing is just textured ceiling paint, you can probably take decent painters calk..calk the entire corner where walls meet ceilings and create your own surface to cut into...This can work well...you're gonna have to wipe it down with your finger and wet, wrung out rag as you go..to create decent surface for a line.

Oh, when you paint a line using masking tape...take a mud knife and burnish the blue tape down so it seals well, make sure you are applying to a dust free surface...AND, when you actually paint that line to the mask...do not hit that area with a sloppy, oversaturated brush, hit it with a so called dry brush and just be patient in your appliaction, this can greatly reduce bleeding.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2006 03:49PM by Kraniac.

I saw a home improvement show where they recommended beginners "seal" the masking tape with a light coat of clear glaze. It prevented bleed through but still removed easily and didn't seem to impact the wall paint. I've never tried it, though. YMMV.

The popcorn is a texture that's blown onto the concrete ceiling and then painted. I painted the ceiling a couple of years ago and can match the color, but I was concerned about painting white back over dark green or purple "overslop." My apartment design is crisp contemporary, so I want to get a sharp edge to my dark walls. One of my neighbors lets his colored walls end an inch shy of the ceiling to acheive a sharp line.

Mr. D,

That's exactly what I was suggesting. I suspect that his decision to drop that line to 1 inch or so was based on width of tape..Im assuming he masked the wall for that line.

My suggestion allows you to cut that line closer to the ceiling. No, you probably won't be able to cover the overslop on the ceiling in one coat..

If you want that line closer..then you'll have to use several coats to cover the touch up on the ceiling...it won't be that much work.

If you choose to do it the way your neighbor did it then you will still have to go back and mask the new wall color after you cut your line there..so you can fill in that gap of old wall color, with ceiling color....im assuming there is still the existing wall color going up to the ceiling?

whichever way you you do it..you'll still have to go back and make your colors meet the ceiling...another suggestion...you might want to chalk-snap some level guidelines for those tape lines...if you want things crisp and level etc.

also...there is a masking product with light adhesive...i think it's called quik-clean or something. It's basically brown paper with a waxy seal on it to prevent soak through and with an adhesive on it..it will give you a nice sharp line..you should still gently burnish it with a mud knife after you get it in place. It's probably fairly similar to what TLB up there saw on the home improvement show. you will be able to obtain a straighter line with this because it doesn't have the stretching quality of a typical masking tape.



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2006 05:26PM by Kraniac.