Cutting-in means painting at the dividing line between two surfaces – usually the ceiling and walls.                                                

A 9” or 18” roller will not be able to cover right into the edge between the ceiling and the wall so switch to the mini-roller if the distance between the ceiling and wall is an inch or more. CAREFULLY roll out the paint as close to the ceiling as you can get without getting paint on it!

 

You have two choices here.  Either use a 2” synthetic no-loss brush or, if you are not so confident, a sash brush. The synthetic brush holds plenty of paint and lays it down over a broader are than the sash brush but being larger you may find it a little more difficult to work with.

 

Technique

Dip either brush into the paint to about half its depth so as to load sufficient paint for a good run. Slowly apply the paint using the ceiling line as your guide – it helps if you go as close to the line as you can on the first pass without trying to get the finished line immediately. By doing this you will essentially lay down a reservoir of paint that can be picked up by the brush on its final finishing pass. It does require a steady hand and some confidence.

 

 

Take a deep breath and slowly breathe out moving the brush as you exhale. This helps relax the muscles and allows a more even movement. Sure it’s tricky, but with a little practice you’ll find it gets easier!

 

 

Cutting in at the join between two walls using a synthetic brush

 

 

 

                

 

Cutting in at the join between ceiling and walls using a sash or oval brush

 

 

The plastered line you have to follow will inevitably be not 100% straight. There will be protrusions and indents along the way. You can use either the ceiling or the adjoining-wall as a guide to help you follow the exact course of the line. Place the brush as close to the line as you can, then place your finger against the adjoining ceiling, cornice or wall to give you support and slowly draw your brush across the surface.

 

The same applies when painting a skirting board...

 

         

 

Make sure your finger or glove is dry and free of paint!

 

Pressure!

 

The right-angle corner join can be quite difficult to get to and here is where a little pressure combined with gradual movement of the brush works. Increasing or decreasing the pressure you apply to the brush will cause the bristles to splay out. The synthetic brush in particular is ideal for this work as, with a little practice, you can almost get one filament directly into the angle. With this as your starting point you can then pull the brush across the ceiling-line for a short distance to get your cutting-in started. Then proceed as described. With practice and growing confidence there should be no reason why you cannot achieve a sharp definition between wall and ceiling.