Tape is the best way if you can't freehand it. Tape is also the best way if the corners are poorly built, meaning the actual line of the corner is not straight or the buildup of mud makes it actually round in some spots.

Thanks, Paintguy. I was hoping there was a silver bullet I just didn't know about. I guess I will try to be more careful in the tape application. Last time the overall line was straight, but there were some bobbles. Nothing you'd walk in and notice right away, but they bugged me as the painter.

I might suggest using 3m - 2080 delicate blue painter's tape and if you wanted to , you could run a clear matte glaze or sealer down the edge line to complete that flawless line. I guess you are working with smooth walls.

I might suggest using 3m - 2080 delicate blue painter's tape and if you wanted to , you could run a clear matte glaze or sealer down the edge line to complete that flawless line. I guess you are working with smooth walls.

Gardz works well for this if you have some around.

I'm lurking here. Not understanding the purpose of the clear matte glaze or sealer down the edge line.

Can you explain? I don't have ANY luck with painters tape. When I've tried it, it bleeds, and then when I try to pull it off, half of it dries onto the wall. Then I was told to pull it when paint is still wet, but if you have to wait for the first coat to dry, and paint a second coat, what's a girl to do? Tape again a second time? Sorry, painting isn't my forte, and due to my handicaps (lack of skills), it takes me forever to cut in corners and edges..not a steady hand. Same thing with stencils. I can't figure out how people do it without getting it to bleed.

Thanks

kimcoco-I found a website that mentions using caulk instead of gardz. The caulk must be paintable!

From what I understand, you apply a very thin amount of sealer (caulk) along the line of where your tape meets the wall and let it dry thoroughly. When you paint, you will be painting over this layer, making it impossible for any paint to bleed under the tape. Genius!

Everything I've read about gardz mentions using a primer over it and I've already primed, sanded and primed again.

Should I apply the gardz, prime it and then paint or can I paint right over it? Using paintable caulk would eliminate the primer step but my caulk gun skills stink.

Here is a link that might be useful: painting tip

kimcoco - I am not a pro painter, but here are some tips that I have found helpful:

Use fresh, name brand blue painters tape or the green frog tape. By fresh, I mean not having sat around your house since you painted five years ago.

Press down on the edge as you apply the tape. Some people use a putty knife to press it in.

For perfect results, apply a light layer of the opposite color on the tape and let it dry. If you are putting the tape on a yellow wall in order to add a blue stripe, you would paint the edge with the yellow tape, then when it is completely dry, apply your blue paint. The underlayer of paint will prevent the top color from bleeding under the tape. I only did the two color thing once because it is more work. I usually just try not to overload my paint brush when I am cutting in at the tape line.

Finally, take your time when removing the tape. Do it slowly, with your hand close to the wall, peeling it back against itself. Avoid standing some distance away and pulling it at an angle. I try to get both coats of paint on within 48 hours, so that is the longest blue tape stays on my walls.

You wait until the end to pull the tape. Don't tape for each coat. The best time to pull tape is really about 15 minutes or so after you are done painting. If you pull it right away when the paint is still wet, there is a chance the paint that isnt' dry can sag into places you don't want it to be. I like to run a sharp putty knife down the tape edge to break that seal as well. If you don't do that, you run the risk of actually pulling paint off your walls.

Applying caulk, Gardz, a clear sealer, etc all accomplish the same thing which is sealing that line between the tape and the wall where the bleed occurs. This is only necessary if you don't blade down your tape properly, which is really the #1 problem that DIY painters have and the reason most DIY painters have paint bleeding under their tape every time they paint. Get yourself a thin flexible putty knife for blading down tape. Aim it at the back edge of the tape and push it down hard. Most people just tape and push it down with their finger and because their fingers are shaped concave, the back edge of the tape never gets touched and the paint can easily seep behind there. If you are taping off corners, just press down the edge of the tape very well. For extra protection, you can run some Gardz or a clear sealer to seal that edge down. The reason we recommend a clear product is that anything that bleeds under the tape is going to be clear so it won't show. I don't like the caulk method myself because I think sealer works fine and I worry that a DIY'er would apply too much caulk and make a mess.

should you prime the gardz before painting it?

No, it's okay to go over the Gardz with any topcoat.

Thank you soooooooooooo much! Can't wait to try it!

Gardz IS a primer