Painting a sharp clean line between wall and trim

The technique is the same whether you want a sharp line on baseboard, crown, wainscot or really any type of trim

• If the trim/wall junction has not yet had its open seam caulked then do it now (see previous blog on how)

Allow to dry

• If you have just caulked then, with your trim paint, go over the caulking and bring the paint onto the wall surface. Allow to dry. Note: if caulking is not painted over then, over time, it will collect dust that cannot be cleaned off

• Note: if your trim is stain/clear finished then use clear caulk to fill any seams at color transition

• Run a straight line of tape along the transition line and burnish edge

• If trim is stain/clear finished then run a light bead of CLEAR caulk or clear varnish over the edge to bleed under any imperfect tape adhesion

• If trim is paint finish then you can either clear caulk, clear varnish or brush a light coat of trim paint over the edge to bleed under any imperfect tape adhesion. Allow to dry

• Now paint wall or ceiling color and be sure to overlap the transition tape edge. Pull up slowly at a sharp angle and you have professional result with a super clean, sharp edge! You are a “DYI” painter

Click here for more on crisp lines

Click here for Video on baseboard sharp lines