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Original poster

Fucked Up -Help please!

60 replies

StupidUsernameUnavailable · 21/03/2022 17:44

Posting for traffic, but I desperately need advice.

Decided to take the initiative and start cutting in DDs bedroom (against DHs advice) but I've got a whole day off to myself tomorrow and wanted to get cracking....despite being 39 I have never decorated before and as it turns out, I'm no Bob Ross 🙄

It looks so shit I actually cried. I've managed despite being really really careful to get bright turquoise on brilliant white. We have plastic electrical trunking which doubles as coving (it does look good I swear!) so I can't sand it and repaint.

My only option is to now tape over the turquoise and repaint the coving/trunking but after reading some blogs the majority say tape is crap as it just peels off the paint when you remove it and just do it free hand.

Well, yeah I've tried thar and look where it got me! DH won't be angry, but he will be so disappointed because it looks so awful.

Are there any seasoned decorators on here that can help a very upset, desperate and hormonal 39 year old?!

OP posts:
FlamingoQueen · 21/03/2022 18:20

Try a baby wipe - put it over your finger and scrape with your nail (I am not precious with my nails though).

TabithaTittlemouse · 21/03/2022 18:22

It’s not that bad especially if it’s your first try!

I use masking tape but even easier is holding something flat eg a ruler or old book which I use as a guide and slide along as I go which creates a neat line.

Turtlerunner · 21/03/2022 18:23

That'll come off using a razor blade to gently scrape

Grapewrath · 21/03/2022 18:24

Get a razor blade and scrape it off

Gowithme · 21/03/2022 18:26

Frog tape, it might pull of the odd little bit of paint but then just touch up. I've tried all sorts of ways of cutting in and this is the best. Don't leave the tape on longer than needed.

Calandor · 21/03/2022 18:29

We used tape and it didn't peel any paint off. Worked great

HemanOrSheRa · 21/03/2022 18:32

You need something like Frog Tape. The yellow one is for delicate surfaces. The orange one for gloss and satin paint. If I was you, I'd tape off the skirting/trunking and get the turquoise paint on the walls because you're bound to get some drips/splatter. Then tackle the white paint. You could get some plastic decorating sheets too. Tack the tape to the skirting up to the wall, then tack the sheet to the tape on the other edge. I also sometimes use a thin piece of cardboard to hold along the cutting in edge. Also, a proper cutting in brush will help get a clean straight line.

BoldMove · 21/03/2022 18:33

I've seen worse. As others have said Frogtape is your friend here but check the back of the packs as there are 3 different types. At least its salvageable and you didn't drop any on the carpet.

FunnyInjury · 21/03/2022 18:34

I use a piece of plastic that my dad made me as a sort of straight edge template. Means I can hold it easily in place and just slap away! Works well but only if the walls are straight!

SquishySquirmy · 21/03/2022 18:39

Cutting in with a bright or dark colour against white is very difficult! Cream walls against white ceiling are much more forgiving, so its not that you're crap.

I would first try to remove the turquoise paint from the white coving rather than painting over it in white (from experience, you will then get wobbles of white on the turquoise walls, and get stuck in a never ending cycle!)

Baby wipes are weirdly good at removing water based paint from places it shouldn't be. Especially if you can push the paint off with a finger nail behind the baby wipe (if that makes sense). It will be easier to remove if you do it sooner (ie within the next couple of days) rather than later.

If you go over parts of the coving/ceiling with white, you may find that you have to paint the whole ceiling, especially if it has been a while since the ceiling was painted.

Also, it will look way worse to you now because you will be hyper aware of every flaw. Once you've got used to it and stopped looking for mistakes it won't look so bad. It wont be nearly as noticable to others either.

Good luck!

Original poster
StupidUsernameUnavailable · 21/03/2022 18:43

@BoldMove

There is some on the carpet but we are replacing once we have done so not overly concerned!

@FunnyInjury

That's kind of an added problem. The walls aren't perfectly straight. It's a 50's ex council block. Just when you think you are going along nicely...whoops. 😔

OP posts:
WhoWants2Know · 21/03/2022 18:44

@FunnyInjury

I use a piece of plastic that my dad made me as a sort of straight edge template. Means I can hold it easily in place and just slap away! Works well but only if the walls are straight!
They actually sell paint guards in b&q that are essentially the same thing. I used one while cutting in today, and it was great for light switches and door frames. The wall near the coving was a slightly different matter, though, because it turns out the walls are wonky 😁
SquishySquirmy · 21/03/2022 18:45

Sorry just seen the photo- I missed it before posting.

That's really not bad at all!!
I would still try carefully scraping/wiping it off.

Original poster
StupidUsernameUnavailable · 21/03/2022 18:48

@SquishySquirmy

Thank you for your tips. I've just tried baby wipes with a nail and it's a no go (although didn't really persevere as DD due to go to bed soon. The problem is, the parts I've gone over are tiny as per the picture, but because of the colour it looks twice as bad.

I need something thin enough to get in there to remove it. Ceiling and coving were only painted last week so thinking taping all around the top of the wall really close to the coving and just doing another coat (or two).

OP posts:
SpeckledlyHen · 21/03/2022 18:49

You need to use a proper cutting in brush, it is angled and you can (mostly) do a fantastically straight line with paint under a white ceiling or a skirting board.

Flowerpower23 · 21/03/2022 18:51

Earbud with paint stripper on it?

Summersdreaming · 21/03/2022 18:51

White spirit on a cotton bud?

Summersdreaming · 21/03/2022 18:52

@Flowerpower23

Earbud with paint stripper on it?
Ha great minds
LyndaSnellsSniff · 21/03/2022 18:52

When I decorate I always have a tub of decorators wipes to hand. You can get them in B&Q. I always use frog tape but even then I occasionally get paint where it's not meant to be. The wipes can get it off.

SpeckledlyHen · 21/03/2022 18:54

Can you try a razor blade or scraping knife to get rid of the paint?

Goldendeliciousness · 21/03/2022 19:01

Hand sanitiser works wonders

Original poster
StupidUsernameUnavailable · 21/03/2022 19:17

I thought cotton bud too!

DH has just got home, my heart was racing when he walked in the door!!

He was lovely...."Oh that bits really good, oh and look over there" He said for my first attempt it was good and not to worry it can be fixed.

He thinks it will be easier to just paint over so off to B&Q tomorrow for some frog tape 😊

OP posts:
Calmdown14 · 21/03/2022 19:40

Scrape it off. Is the join between the coving and wall uneven? You could run a bead of decorators caulk along it to neaten the join.
It's about two quid and can get a gun for under a fiver.
You are unlikely to be a pro in applying but if you run a very fine line as best you can and then use a baby wipe over your finger to wipe off the excess in a long straight line you can get a good finish (probably not the professional method but very effective!)

lennybruceisnotafraid · 21/03/2022 19:52

So is the trunking/skirting board?

If so, it's very 'in' and stylistically pleasing to the eye to paint skirting the same as the walls but in a wood paint finish. Not sure how that would look?

lennybruceisnotafraid · 21/03/2022 19:54

Also, frog tape is what you need from B&Q to get striggg edges and peels off nicely.