If you’re painting walls and ceilings for the first time, we are sure that you are facing tons of troubles when cutting in paint. No matter how hard you try, the line seems not to blend with the color of the wall, and you might drop the colors around the floor.

So, how to fix this problem? Scroll down the article, and you will know How to cut in paint like a pro.

Step-by-step Guide on How To Cut In Paint

Cover Your Furniture

Cover Your FurnitureDon’t ever underestimate the importance of covering your furniture. During the decoration, you might drop some paint around your room and on your furniture.

Thus, it would be better to cover and wrap the furniture with plastic sheets that are taped at the bottom before painting.

Pat The Brush

Pat The BrushAlthough it is a common practice to dip your brush into your bucket and then resist the urge to wipe the paint off on edge, it is not efficient at all.

Well, it would be better for you to pat each side of the brush against the container after dipping because this helps to get rid of the excess as well as aids you in making a thick, clean line.

Wiggle Into Corners

Wiggle Into CornersIt is a little bit challenging to cover the surface when you reach into corners. So, what should you do in that case?

You can try to slightly wiggle the brush to release extra and fill in missed areas you have not painted yet. This technique is simple but extremely effective in filling those tight corners.

Give Yourself A Good Set

Give Yourself A Good SetTo cut in paint perfectly, you have to find a position where you can see the line clearly as well as cut in comfortably.

In case you don’t have enough bright light, you can use a headlamp or safety lighted classes to see the line more clearly. We would recommend the latter one as they not only improve the vision but also protect your eyes during the decoration project.

Work Up To The Line

Work Up To The LineIt seems impossible to make the perfect line right away, especially when you cut in along the surface like a ceiling or molding. Instead, start slightly away from the edge and slowly go up to paint along with the trim or corner.

You can use a crescent motion to make the second pass, and then the third pass, to until you complete coverage. Remember not to reload your brush with paint as this may lead to paint excess along woodwork and in corners.

Cut In Quickly

Cut In QuicklyIf you are not interested in masking tape all over the place, you have to cut in fast with steady pressure. The hack to do that is to move your entire arm as you paint rather than moving only your arm.

Cut In Wall By Wall

Cut In Wall By WallIt might be frustrating to cut in all the lines at once. Instead of that, you will have a much better wall by cutting in just one wall and then rolling out the wall immediately. In this way, you will have a much more beautiful wall with color blended perfectly.

Wipe Off Mess-Ups

Wipe Off Mess-UpsEven pros occasionally leave some messes during the painting.

One of the most effective methods for wiping off goofs is to wrap a thin damp rag around the putty knife and then carefully slide the putty knife along any mess-ups to clean it.
Make sure you do it right after the mistake, or else you will need more aggressive measures once the paint starts to dry.

Tools And Supplies You Will Need

Tools And Supplies You Will NeedBefore you get started, let’s make sure you have prepared all the necessary tools and supplies.

Here the ones you will need:

Suitable Paint For Your Home

The right type of paint is the first and most essential supplies to cut in paint. Thus, you should grab a little bit more information about paint ingredients and check the conditions of your home, your ceilings, and more, to get the right paint for you.​​​

High-quality 2-1/2-inch Angled Brush

It is necessary to invest in a high-quality brush, which is easy to control so that you can cover the surface smoothly and perfectly. For most interior room painting, you can use a nice 2-1/2-inch angled brush, but for windows or other small woodwork, a smaller one would be more suitable.

A Paint Pail

If you want to avoid paint excess, a small pail is a must-have supply.

Pouring a small amount of paint into a cut bucket will help to prevent taking too much paint when you accidentally dip your brush too deep.

You can buy either a special plastic pail or a metal one. Or you can reuse your empty paint can.

Paint Conditioner

As you know, the brush hair often becomes tougher after a few minutes of painting. That’s why you will need to add a little bit of paint conditioner or paint extender into the paint pail so you can brush more smoothly and create a nice crisp line.

A screwdriver/ a knife

To avoid smearing color on the ceiling bumps, you can use a screwdriver or a knife to run the blade along the edge of the ceiling and scrape off the texture in order to a tiny ridge in the ceiling.

Due to this ridge, your paint bristles naturally go into it, and you will never even notice the missing texture.

Last Words

Above are some tips about How To Cut In Paint. Let’s apply these tricks into your decorating project, and you will cut in paint easily as a piece of a cake.

If you have any other tips, feel free to leave a comment below as we are here to support each other in all DIY projects.

Last but not least, thanks for reading this article. We hope to see you in our next articles.