cutting in edges with a brush

[mkirsch1]

Here's one that's been bugging me for a while.

When I paint a room, I cut in the edges and corners with a brush. The edges always look streaky and discolored compared to the rest of the wall.

Using name brand paint and a narrow high-dollar brush. I'm not saying which paint because someone will inevitably say, "Well there's your problem right there... Brand XXX paint is no good. Get brand YYY."

You've got this beautiful roller texture up to about 1" from the edge, then spooge. Even cutting in with 5-6 coats vs. 1-2 with the roller on the rest of the wall.

[Malcolm Hoar]

I've seen this problem on my current home but none of the previous houses I have owned. Especially at the ceiling/wall joins.

I think it's either:

1. Accumulated dirt/dust in the corners staining the fresh paint. And/or:
2. Something to do with the materials/technique used on the drywall. Something leaching through?

I suggest:

1. Wiping down any surface dust/dirt before painting pay particular attention to those corners.
2. Apply a initial coat of paint, just to the corners, and let that cure fully before proceeding.
3. In the most extreme cases, apply a coat of Kilz in the corners before painting. If that doesn't fix I think you have to consider the possibility that your brushwork is less than perfect ;-)

[Oren]

Two good points you made here. Both excellent.

- load the brush

- plenty of paint on the roller.

The brush has a "cup" at the metal band and handle, just at the fibers. Many people dip into the paint and wipe if off on the side of the container. That unloads the brush.

Over working a roller in the pan or on the wall is also a problem.

(I say, let's get the paint on the wall first, make it look pretty in a few minutes.)

[Oren]

I bought some of these one day. My helping friend said: "If I knew about these 20 years ago I would've been a Painter".

[Oren]

Hide the brush from the new bride. Save it for later and never, ever let her damage it. Clean it youself.

..the top secret paint brush.. just hide it away for the time being.

[Red Green]

Oren wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Put it in a box and mark it "Used Mouse Traps". She'll probably never touch it.

[SteveB]

Why are women obsessive compulsive about cleaning everything but a paint brush?

Steve

[benick]

So true..I keep my collection of Purdy Brushes hidden on the TOP shelf in the garage...LOL...She's only 5' 2"....I bought her some of her own at HD....

[HeyBub]

Reminds me of a tip:

If at all possible, select the target color from the vast selection of spray paints at the box store. Spray some on a (free) wooden store-proved paint-stirring stick. Give the stick to the clerk and ask for some gallons of paint to match.

Thereafter, when some touch-up is necessary, it's a simple matter to shake and squirt rather than all the fussing necessary with congealed paint, another trip to the paint store, brushes, clean-up etc.

[norminn]

No need to go to all of that trouble...just choose a paint, any kind: latex, alkyd, gloss, flat. Buy a Preval sprayer, cost about $4. The sprayer comes as a kit, and additional air cannisters can be purchased. The jar is 8 oz. and comes with a separate lid for storing paint. Nice for finer work, like louvers, and for craft projects. Need to thin paint slightly to use in the sprayer. I used the Preval when I repainted a very old range hood - Rustoleum enamel, looks like new. Painted in place, with a little bit of aluminum foil and plastic to shield the surrounding cabinets.

[Cindy Hamilton]

Hmpf. I hide my Purdy brushes from my husband.

Cindy Hamilton

[David Nebenzahl]

On 2/4/2009 7:45 PM SteveB spake thus:

Enough with the stupid gender stereotypes.

I have a client who's not only a better painter than I, but also takes better care of her paintbrushes (and I take pretty damn good care of mine).

[mkirsch1]

At least I know what to call it.

As I said earlier in my post, SEVERAL COATS above and beyond the rest of the wall and I still have the effect. I'm slobbering on as much paint as will stick without running.

Dragging the end of the brush lightly through the paint only accentuates the problem. Leaves streaks.

Even at 1/4" I still get the effect, and painting that close I'm too much of a spaz to keep from getting paint on the adjoining wall or ceiling.

[HeyBub]

Stereotypes - gender or otherwise - allow you to see the forest instead of a million individual trees.

If you ask a typical female to describe a "sensuous" experience, high on the list will be a bubble-bath with enough incense and candles to make one think the tub was a religious shrine.

Ask a man the same thing, and he'll say a hunting trip in the woods with no bathing and shaving (or even changing clothes) for a week.

Women are fundamentally CLEAN creatures; Men are genetically dirty, smelly animals.

There are exceptions, such as happily married men.

[HeyBub]

Thanks for the tip -- Neat product.

[HeyBub]

In fact, to get back to the original topic, one could use the Preval device to cut in corners. Simply hold a bit of carboard over the area not to be painted, and spray away!

[SteveB]

That is hilarious. My wife is 5'0". Whenever I want to hide ANYTHING from her, I just put it above eye level. I could sit a pinata on top of the fridge, and she'd NEVER notice it. And I've told her that I hide things up.

Steve

[clare]

Paint pads work pretty good for "cutting in" too, as do foam corner rollers (not so good for edging to the ceiling) When we did the last painting at our place we used an edger pad, which left about 1/16 to 1/8" unpainted next to the (popcorn textured) ceiling - then I just went around with an artist's brush (polyester watercolour brush, not sable) and finished it up. When it was all dry you couldn't see it at all.

[clare]

For half the cost of the air cans to do a relatively small job you can buy a cheap compressor and a decent airbrush. The preval is/was a dissapointment. Ofter putting about 2 or 3 cans of propellant through it I bought a cheap Badger hobby airbrush and a fitting to connect it to a tire. Used my set of snow-tires for most of an afternoon's detail painting.

I now have a compressor with a 15 gallon tank, and a Princess Auto (kinda like Northern Tool) touchup gun. Painted all my shutters, the front door, and the garage door this past summer.

[SteveBell]

Oh. We have a terminology conflict. What you're calling streaks are actually brush marks. Streaks means (to me) that you can still see the old color through the paint. If brush marks don't go away, your paint is too thick. You can thin it a bit (_only_ a bit), or you can add Floetrol (Penetrol for oil paint). Floetrol increases the surface tension, thins the paint, and slows down the drying so the paint lies down flatter, hiding the brush marks.

Well, a thinner paint will help some, but there's no way to completely eliminate the hatbanding without using the same device to apply the entire surface, whether it's a brush, a roller, or a sprayer.