Cutting in paint: what’s your method?
Biff_Loman
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
It seems like there’s more than one to way to skin a cat. And my approach feels slow. I don’t really paint professionally, so it’s not vital, but I feel it’s important to be efficient.
How do you control the brush? I typically use a 2.5″ sash brush, parallel to the ceiling. I use my index finger to kinda flare it out and push the paint up to the target, just ever-so-slightly wiggling it so the paint flows out nice. I move from the shoulder, but more or less push along with my finger to actually propel the brush.
But I just read an FHB article in which Brian Doherty uses a 3″ brush perpendicular to the ceiling. I’m struggling to imagine how I could control that.
Edit: I use a Purdy brush.
Edited 4/12/2008 7:19 pm ET by Biff_Loman
Replies
I was watching my painter cut in clear poly on new woodwork up to painted walls. He's a 25-year man in the trade. It looked so easy and was so well done it almost looks like he sprayed the trim before we installed it. I've done quite a bit of it myself and it's always a struggle to feel good at it. My only advice is to put in another couple hundred hours of practice. Or maybe a couple thousand...
Pretty much everyone here uses Purdy brushes, usually 1-1/2" or 2" angled tip.
Right now, I'm doing a brand comparison between Purdy and Corona. They feel really different; it's been an interesting comparison.Cost is similar.
Purdy has some good brushes, but the big box stores have been carrying the cheaper "thin" line. They don't hold as much paint.
Old Woosters are nice too, but hard to find.
Personally......Coronas hands down. I have used the 2.5" sash exclusively now for about 5 years. Love em.
Introduced my son (a professional painter) to them some years back. They are all he uses now......but he uses 3" and 3.5". He particularily like a 3.5" that has an oval shaped ferrule instead of the usual rectangle.
PS neither one of us uses any tape, ever.
I think Corona is mucn better, and they seem to clean a lot easier.
Usually a 3", pretty much like you said. I've gotten to prefer the feel of the Purdy angled brushes but I've seen just as many guys do it with a straight. After that, gallons and gallons of practice. I dont think I move my shoulder hardly at all. I'm all hinged at the elbow here.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
Biff,
Practice, practice, practice.
I really liked the Purdy brushes. But, the last few I have purchased I really don't like. They do not hold enough paint. I am going to switch brands. I do not care for the Purdy white roller covers either.
Russell
"Welcome to my world"
Masking tape ??? :)
My Dad taught me to do the trim first, then the walls. It is a lot easier to cut in to the trim when you have the large surface of the wall to support the brush. My favorite brush is a 2 1/2" Martin Senor that I bought back in probably 1973 or 74. Also along the ceiling - wall joint .... take a blue colored pencil and pull it along the joint. The blue line gives you a reference to cut to and makes it a lot easier .... another tip from Dad. Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
The trouble is Purdy does not make a brush.They make 1000's of different brushes.This is one series of nylon/polyester brushes.http://www.purdycorp.com/catalog/brushes/list/9And within it there is 2 different angled styles.And this is anohter series of nylon/polyester brushes.and 4 styles of angled brushes.http://www.purdycorp.com/catalog/brushes/list/12.
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Bill,
You are correct. But the new brushes I bought are the same model of the older ones but not made the same. I still think Purdy makes a good product. I am looking for a different feel for both brush and roller covers. And yes I do alot of painting and drywall repair and finishing.
Russell
"Welcome to my world"
I'll be the odd man out. I don't like Purdy brushes for cutting in. They're very good brushes, but I like them better for trim. They feel too soft to cut a nice straight line. Right now I'm using the Gen X brush by Muralo. I've also used E&J brushes.
I hold the brush like a pencil at almost a 45 degree angle between the wall and ceiling, but slightly closer the wall than the ceiling. I use a 2" sash brush. It may be a little small, but the cut bucket is in my other hand so I don't really care if I can travel 10" or 12" before reloading. I do care if my hand gets tired and a smaller brush is easier on the finger muscles.
I don't "wiggle" the brush as I cut. I load it with enough paint that it should pretty much flow as if using a fountain pen. I liken it to writing on the wall with paint. The key is a fully loaded brush that doesn't have too much paint at the end of the bristles. After loading with paint and tapping off the excess (I do not squeegee it off), I take a few dabs against the wall (which I will smooth over a moment or two later) to clear the very end of the brush. And now I start writing a line. Easier said than done, but nothing beats practice.
When everything falls into place, which is rare, I feel like the brush almost guides itself with just a few of the bristles just barely whisking along on the ceiling. Those are joyful, Zen-like moments.
I use 2.5 to 4" Purdys, depending on what I'm cutting, and what product I'm using.
Practice,practice,practice.
Load the brush well.
I have Wooster brushes, as well.
There are two kinds of people who never amount to much:
those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else.
Title: "Cutting in paint"
Maybe I'm not getting this but I picture you trying to cut a piece of wood in a bucket of paint. For instance, say you want to cut 1" off the end of a 1 X 2. So you stick that end in a gallon of yellow paint. The you grab your backsaw and try to cut off that 1" while it is submergerged in the paint. How are you going to see the line?
Your saw blade will now be covered with paint. I'll admit that this operation will automatically paint and seal the cut end of the wood but overall I don't think it is worth I. Don't cut in paint!
~Peter
I can tell you have watched me at work...
There are two kinds of people who never amount to much:those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else.
Purdy is an excellent brush. I hear Sherwin Williams has bought them. I see no change in quality.
Like others have said. Skills and speed comes with lots of practice.
When I saw your other post about masking tape, I thought, painters don't use masking tape, cut it in! Years ago, I stopped using brushes to cut in, except in tight spots. I've been using the pad style edgers. You have to learn to load them just right and keep things clean but you can cut in a room in no time. I use a roller pan and lightly drop the pad on the surface of the paint. I use a roller grid, the kind you hang in a bucket to remove the excess. It all has to be done with care but loaded properly, you can take a 10' pass in seconds. The line is arrow straight, no drips or runs. The trick is in loading the pad, but if you learn to keep the wheels clean, you won't go back to a brush, masking tape or any thing else.
I like Purdy brushes. I'm not very good with taking care of them. Sometimes I have to use brush cleaner to un-harden them. Purdys are the only ones that stand up to my abuse. Woosters, Best Liebco, SW and others disintegrate when I leave them in the brush cleaner. It's my fault, I'm not doing what I should but that's me. When I have delicate work to do, I use artist brushes. A #10 flat is great for muntins and sash work. The better ones are expensive but they are a big improvement over standard house painting brushes. Many styles and sizes.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
It was all cherry trim. I don't care to cut in against all that wood; you can't just paint over your goofs.
I generally avoid masking tape because it's one more step, but I'm not dogmatic about it either. I will mask shoe mold when it abuts a hardwood floor and I will mask stained trim, as you apparently did also.
Since the edge of the trim is perpendicular to the wall, I find that it's very rare for paint to leak underneath the tape. To be extra sure, I use a slightly less loaded brush when painting against the tape. I load it just as I always do (dip and tap), but I remove more from the edges of the bristles when I swipe it on the wall near, but not up to, where I want to cut in.
1. Use whatever type of brush feels comfortable to you
2.Dip it in the paint, then tap it against the side of the can.This will load the brush yet not leave too much on it where it could drip
3. Start by brushing a heavy line close to the edge you are cutting in (within a half inch)
4.When most of the excess is off the brush, go back to beginning of your line (probably about 8"-12" long by now.
5.Flare out the bristles by pushing them at an angle against the wall, and work a small bead of paint up to your cut line. As you move forward
spin the leading edge of the bristles away from the edge. This will keep you from snowplowing too much paint into the corner.
6.Repeat this about 97 times,... more for two coats. Then take Advil for hand cramps
I think #5 is the step I've been missing out on. I think I load my brush too lightly to avoid pushing excess paint onto the ceiling. That's why I try to pulse it a little to keep the paint flowing out.
Not loading the brush well is the main mistake most non pros make.
There are two kinds of people who never amount to much:those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else.
I think we all would agree with that Heck! Now for the bigger question: Does a right handed person work right to left, or left to right? And: Do you pull or push or do both? And: Ceilings first, then cut the walls, or walls first, then cut the ceiling? Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
If I work right handed, I work left to right. If
I work left handed I work the other way. Most
painters can do fairly well with whichever is their
"other" hand.
I do ceiling first, then wall. Ceiling is usually white
and tiny spatters will show on the wall.
As for cutting trim first, maybe it is faster cutting
the wall to the trim. But the spatter can also hit
it, not that there should be any!
Good questions Blue. I might add another one:
Does it change the way you paint if the walls were finished with D-mix?
Billy (stirring it up a bit)
LOL! A thread always goes to the top of the chart once the D Mix question is invoked! Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
Right handed, usually left-to-right.
Both.
Ceilings first.
There are two kinds of people who never amount to much:those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else.
At the ceiling, I work left to right. Since I'm right-handed, that means I'm working wet to dry.
At the floor (cutting in against the baseboard), I keep the wall to my left and cut in as I move backwards. Again, wet to dry.
Other than pushing lightly to flare the bristles to cut in at a corner, I don't push brushes. I can't even imagine how it's possible.
Here's my typical sequence (assuming no crown):
Cut in the ceiling - slight overlap onto wall
Roller the ceiling
Paint the trim - slight overlap onto wall
Cut in the wall at the ceiling (the ceiling paint is dry by now)
Cut in the wall at the baseboard (they trim is USUALLY dry dry now)
Roller the walls
I don't think I meant push. I think I was trying to figure out how often the ladder is moved but didn't know how to word it. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
At the ceiling, I work left to right. Since I'm right-handed, that means I'm working wet to dry. It doesn't matter what direction you go-it's still wet to dry.
"It doesn't matter what direction you go-it's still wet to dry."
Not necessarily. You could start in the left corner about 12" out and paint toward the corner. Then, on the second stroke you would start 24" out and paint back to the wet spot. The third cycle would start you at 36" out and you'd paint back to the wet stuff.
In essence, each stroke would be right to left, but you'd be moving around the room left to right.
So, thinking in reverse, if you care to argue my syntax, you could start at the reverse corner moving around the room right to left, but painting left to right from the dry paint to the wet.
Rolling, we normally work the paint from the dry to the wet...right? So, in theory, we would do the same with cutting and the key would be to know the stroke length. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
But we wouldn't do that would we.
Listen I gotta go the attachment police are on to me. PS
The blade is fast but you inevitably end up dragging a bead
of paint when you pull the blade away before your done.
How you describe cutting in is how I was taught ( and
do it), with some subtle changes. I dip they brush 1 1/4" then tap both sides of the brush. One
side seams as though you'd still have drip potential.
I do brush off excess close to the line, but it's more of a quick
and dirty stroke. You have to come back and lay it off at the
end so I don't waist time with initial stroke.
No. 5 is right on and well said.
To me proper loading of the brush, no. 5, and taking long
strokes are the key.
Two and half angle sash is my choice. Any smaller and you waste
time when your rolling. I'm a lefty so I'm probably used to having to switch back
and forth any way, but I push and pull depending on the situation.
Mostly how I can see well.
Two and half angle sash is my choice. Any smaller and you waste time when your rolling.
I assume you mean because you don't need to roller cross-wise at the top of the wall since the cut line is wide enough to just roller up and down. I agree with that, but when I'm painting with eggshell or higher sheen, I like to make that cross-wise roll anyway. It ensures that the wall has the same texture all over. Or at least as close to the ceiling as I can get with a roller.
Yeah, and this Pollock tends to hit the ceiling.
You're a fish? Well, no wonder then!
But don't worry, a couple of million years from now and you'll have hands.
(P.S. I knew what you meant)
Never turn your back on spell check!!
You know one thing that did save me time was this
bench. Assuming your working on an 8' ceiling it's
just the right height. Plus you can work on almost 8'
before you have to move.
Home Despot, like $40.00 sorry about the size.
Benches? I hear ya... great minds and all that.
Here's a picture of the back of my van. That's where my benches live. I actually have 3 of them. 2 are "stock" and 1 has a wooden top. It's a little low for most work, but it's just right for a portable table saw.
View Image
Congratulations!
Henley receives the much despised
'Henley's Attempt At An Attachment Award'.
Saaalute!View ImageView Image
be totally large and out of focus
Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern
Click here to visit the beginning of Breaktime
Big and fuzzy is better?
There are two kinds of people who never amount to much:those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else.
Hope he's not offended by that.
Heck Heck, heck of a post number at 470 since Jan. 4 of this year.
Poor guys got it bad.
be a BT addict
Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern
Click here to visit the beginning of Breaktime
He's from NY, how could he be offended?
There are two kinds of people who never amount to much:those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else.
1. Load the brush.
The best way is to dip and hit the brush to the side of a 5 gallon bucket.
You want to hit the brush 2 times, dip again and hit again 2 times.
At the max. angle. This is why a 5 gallon bucket is better.
By doing that you load the inside of the brush. No dripping.
2. Make the first stroke from right to left. Fast and 1" away from the corner.
(You're unloading the paint with the first stroke)
3. The second stroke. Left to right and push the wet paint closer to the corner. 1/2"
Last stroke from right to left and...STAY AWAY FROM THE CEILING BY 1/8" +- 1/16.
The secret is: DON'T TOUCH THE CORNERS.
david.
I got to be me.
A sharp knife ... seriously!
That is, I use a plastering knife, with a sharp, straight, clean edge, as a shield in tight spaces. I try not to ever lift the blade from the surface; rather, I slide it along as I paint. Any paint that slips past the edge than tends to be drawn along in a straight line, rather than making a smear that needs repair.
Another technique is to flatten the wet brush to a narrow edge, place the edge close to the area you want to paint ... then push down in a manner that causes a small amount of paint to come out of the brush, and ooze into the area.
I've cut a lot of ceilings and base and casing trim using a 10 or 12" drywall blade too! I forgot how fast that really is! I can almost instantly do the entire length of a casing on one stroke! It all depends on how well the brush is loading and unloading.
The downside is cleaning the blade so I found that I could cover more ground by going a bit slower with a less full load on the brush. It's still the fastest way I've ever worked though.
I can't believe I forgot all about that technique! Bob's next test date: 12/10/07