How to Paint Edges (and Do it Well)

I am kind of obsessed with straight edge lines when painting. Here is what I do to get those crisp lines. I like to freehand paint, but I’ll share some other edging methods and tools, too.

*This goes without saying, but before you edge anything, you need to make sure the area you are painting is thoroughly cleaned. I do this for wherever (or whatever) I’m painting, but some places need more deep cleaning than others. Think about how dirty a baseboard gets. It makes me cringe thinking about painting over dust or dog hair…yuck!. And once you paint over, let’s say a hair, it will take extra effort to remove it and then repaint. So back to my main point: thoroughly clean the area. My first step is to use a microfiber sponge or cloth to wipe the area clean with a TSP water mixture (make sure to use the correct ratio). I wipe the area once with the TSP/water (more for dirtier areas) and once with clean water, making sure to ring out the sponge or cloth so that water isn’t dripping off. Then I go over the area a third time with a dry microfiber cloth to remove any dripping water or remaining dust.

After the area is clean, it’s gametime!

Choose Your Brush Wisely

First and foremost, the brush matters, and it’s all about personal preference. Use whatever you feel gives you the most control. I like to use a 1 inch angled brush. Using anything bigger doesn’t give me the agility to move around corners and get into the creases. I also like shorter bristle brushes (shorter than the one I have pictured). I find that they are a little stiffer which I think gives me more control.

I’ve tried using smaller brushes too, but the coverage is too light and causes too many streaks. Full disclosure: I will sometimes use my children’s watercolor brushes (the teeny tiny ones) when I truly need to get into small spaces.

(I obviously took this opportunity to touch up the baseboard, too!)

Some of my brushes are older and after being washed several times, the bristles jet out a bit. In those cases, I simply cut them! I don’t want one or two stray bristles to accidentally draw a line on my ceiling or wall when I’m edging.

Get Up Close and Personal

Get your eyes and arms closer to your paint job. When painting ceilings or higher trim, I like using a ladder or high step stool. I don’t like my arm extending too much when I edge. Extending my arm for too long causes arm fatigue, which causes me to lose some control, which leads to my arch nemesis: wobbly lines. When painting near the ground, make yourself comfortable. If you are uncomfortable, your lines won’t be straight. Use a kneeling pad to help your knees!

Use a Small Cup

This may be obvious, but put your paint in a smaller cup. It isn’t realistic to carry a heavy paint can while trying to concentrate on painting. I use Solo cups. There are also “Handy Paint Cups” you can buy with a handle on them. I reuse my red solo cups, but if you want a hardier reusable cup, then this would be a good option for you. I put a small amount of paint in my cup, maybe 2 inches in the bottom. I refill when needed, but adding too much in the beginning just leads to clumpy dried paint in your cup and on your paintbrush.

Get Your Paintbrush Prepared

Get your paint brush saturated with paint by gently working the paint into the bristles. You don’t want the paint to only be on the surface of the brush. The paint needs it to be inside the brush, as well. I find that the lines are straighter when the bristles all stick together (when they are saturated with paint). I do this by dipping the paintbrush into the paint and then wiping it off on the lip of the cup (repeat as necessary) or painting the corner of a wall (if I have to paint the corner anyway). Once the brush is saturated, dip a small amount of paint and remove any excessive paint on the lip of the cup and then the wall before going close to the edge. I always do a few strokes on the wall first to remove the excess paint. I want my brush to be wet, but not dripping. If there is too much paint, the excess paint will push up and your line will not be straight.

Breathe

Take a deep breath – I know this may sound weird, but my hand is steadier when I take a breath first and then begin. I run my paint brush along the edge as I breathe out. I also try not to talk until I am done with my brush stroke.

Prepare for Rolling

After you paint the initial thin straight line at the edge, continue painting with your brush to fill in the space from the edge to about two to three inches down/in. You want the roller to get as close to the edge as possible so you don’t see brush strokes. You should go over the edged section (as much as possible) again with the roller.

Quick Note: When I use a roller, I use the classic “Y” or “W” painting method. In this situation, I was dealing with a wall that was not flat and had a lot of nooks and crannies. In this video, I was simply blending in my brush strokes. What you didn’t see was me immediately going back over the entire space again with more fluid rolls (while the paint was still completely wet) and then starting the “Y”/”W” stroke method.

Quickly Wipe Up Mistakes

Have a damp paper towel ready. If you accidentally get some on the ceiling or wall, you can just rub it off immediately.

Touch Up When Needed

Make sure you have some extra ceiling paint or wall paint – listen, mistakes happen! You want to make sure you have the other color in case you need to touch anything up. TIP: Either save your color swatches that you get from the store or write down the names of your colors. If you don’t have either of those, that’s ok! I keep paint cans because I paint a lot, but if you don’t, make sure to keep at least a one inch square sample of the color in case you need it in the future. (You can paint a white notecard.) If you are in a pinch, you can collect a sample of the painted drywall with a utility blade (but you should try to be proactive and save yourself the trouble). Once you have the color (however you get it), then you can simply take it to the store to get it color matched.

Gizmos and Gadgets to Help

If you aren’t comfortable with edging by hand, there are tools to help! A simple Google search of “trim paint edger” shoots out tons of gizmos and gadgets that are supposed to make edging easier. I have tried some before, but I can’t personally recommend any because I like freehand better. Walls are not always straight, so just beware of this when using any of these products. Below I posted some of the products I’ve heard about that people seem to like and trust.

Use Painter's Tape

Painter’s tape is your friend. In the past I didn’t use tape, but I have found some useful times that it definitely comes in handy! I especially find it useful when painting near baseboards or carpets. I personally like Frogger Painter’s Tape the best. I have used the green medium adhesion tape, but I have also found that I like the yellow light adhesion tape. The yellow tape is supposed to be used on new paint or delicate surfaces, but I feel like it sticks just as well as the green tape. (I have had the green tape take up my carpet when I remove it, and I needed to push the carpet back on the tacks). I can personally say though that I like both of those types of tape. They get the job done!