A Painting Trick To Cover Brush Marks

By now, chances are most of us are pros at cutting in around trim and ceilings with our paintbrushes. Even though the rest of the spaces can be tackled with a roller, making your brush and roller marks match up can be a little tricky — but not any more!

When you slide your roller brush onto the frame, the end of the frame pokes out at the end... preventing you from rolling up close to the edges. Instead, before you dip your roller in the paint, slide the brush cover off the roller frame, 1-2 inches should do the trick.

Now when you roll, the brush cover can roll right up against and over your brush strokes from where you had cut in previously. Just like that, your wall has a flawless paint coverage that looks like it's been done by the pros!

Do you have a trick when it comes to painting? Let us know in the comments below!

(via: This Old House)
(Image: Narda Lebo for This Old House)

Comments (12)

My roller fits flush with the roll anyways, so this wouldn't help keep my clumsy smudges off the ceiling. :-)

@SwedishChef: Professionals don't need to "carefully tape" and would consider that as a waste of time...... as would I.

@SwedishChef --

I'm no pro, but I've done it both ways...

You go ahead and do your cutting in w/ a brush...
...and I'll have the second coat rolled onto the walls by the time you're ready to start with the roller on the first coat.

Love the painting pad! (as long as I don't drip paint onto the wheels or submerge the pad accidentally!)

I second daily nuance. It wasn't until I became a professional house painter that I realized taping is unnecessary in most ordinary circumstances.

I agree. Taping is unneeded and wasteful! Think of all the painters tape tossed out each year....eek! Try using a smaller artists flat brush for the very edge of your trim. Apply paint to NEAR the edge with a reg trim brush, then use the artist brush to create the perfect line along the top. You'll get a cleaner line and a cleaner earth!

I cut with a mini spongey roller.

I just cut in with a 3" angled brush - no need for a tiny brush at all. Paint over it with a roller as described, and that's it.

I just painted three bedrooms and a living room and loved using a painting pad.

Or, you could just buy....the AccuBrush!

Conveniently advertised twice in the middle of this post about painting, and demonstrating a solution to the "problem" described in the post!

@heather77 Hi Ho Hilarity!