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Painter's tape is an important tool in any DIYer's arsenal, but it's a bummer when your paint bleeds underneath it — exactly what you were trying to avoid. This simple trick from Porch.com can ensure that never happens again.
Step 1
Apply the tape over spots you want to block from the paint. Creating a stripe or chevron pattern? We remind you to measure twice, paint once!
Step 2
Here's the trick. Paint over the edge of the tape with the color already on the wall (or whatever you're painting). So, if you're creating yellow stripes on a white wall, reach for the white paint first. When you brush the original shade over the edge of the tape, it seals it, and any paint that bleeds under will match what you've already painted.
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Step 3
After that coat dries, apply your new color (in this case, the yellow) on top.
Step 4
Peel away the tape, and voilà! You should have crisp, clean paint lines — and not wobbly, ugly ones.
[via Porch.com]
Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and dreams of the day Northwestern will go back to the Rose Bowl.
