Baseboard Painting Clean and Sharp!

People often ask me, “How do you get such sharp, clean lines when you paint base and other trim?” Here is how professional painters do it (but don’t tell anybody….it is a special secret)!

1. Clean base and protect wood or tile flooring with a smooth “clean edge tape”; caulk the top edge of base.
2. If flooring is wood or tile, use clear caulk to seal the seam at the floor/base seam. You can caulk right onto the tape. Allow this to dry.
3. Paint the baseboard…go up onto the wall and down onto the tape over the caulking you have done. Allow to dry.
4. Score the seam at the floor where tape meets baseboard with a putty knife or sharp razor blade and pull up tape at an angle. Success! You should have a sharp line at the floor with no bleed through.
5. Tape the top of the base with “clean edge tape” and again, paint the wall/tape junction with the baseboard paint. Allow to dry.
6. Paint the wall color on down over the taped edge and allow to dry.
7. Pull the tape and you will have a sharp, clean line. Good Job!