Perfectly Crisp Lines

A common question people have is about how to paint crisp lines.

Anyone that has spent hours looking at colors, moving furniture, taping and masking off corners and trim, and finally painting that perfect shade of blue (KM4995 Navy Damask) knows how frustrating it can be to find that after all that work, a large amount of paint has bled under the tape and left jagged, unsightly lines everywhere.

There is a helpful trick, that can insure you won’t have this problem again.

First, tape off the edge you are trying to make a straight line against and run a small bead of paintable caulk along the tape. Next, use a finger to spread the caulk over the edge leaving only a very thin coat along the entire length of tape. Then, use a brush to paint a light coat of paint along the tape edge and peel away the tape while the paint is still wet. If properly executed, the caulk creates a tight seal between the tape and the surface you are painting.  This prevents any bleed-through and leaves a nice, crisp line when the tape is removed.

Warning: You will be asked to help all of your friends on their next painting project!