how do you get straight lines when painting?

[SoTiredOfTheWheelsOnTheBus]

We want to paint a room, but using a different colour on one wall. When we've painted before, we've used masking tape along edges (like around the door frames, light switches, etc.), but when we've removed it, it usually takes a bit of the lining paper with it. We want to be able to mark out straight lines where the two colours of paint will meet, but don't know how to do it without using masking tape.

Has anyone tried this, and if so, what did you use? If you did use tape, did you have to go back in with a tiny paintbrush and colour in all the tears?

You need confident brush skills -- paint easily bleeds under masking tape in my experience. A tiny brush is not really better, it can end up wiggling more. If you use a wide brush (long edege creating the line), that usually works better.

This is quite a good description. Like they say, you need to paint with your whole arm, not just from the wrist.

A decent tapered paintbrush and a good steady arm.

Have a plan of action before you put the paintbrush to the wall.

Use a good quality brush, but use it sideways on, so it's the narrow edge leading the line IYSWIM. Long brush strokes too.

You can buy plastic edging things which we used when we were doing the same thing. We tidied up afterwards with a very fine artists brush. We are not pros, I am sure a professional would have a much better technique and would not resort to this type of thing, but we did get a good finish in the end. I agree masking tape will probably do more harm than good in this type of situation.

Just found it on the B&Q website, it is called a paint guard. Harris is the brand.

Paint the lighter colour first! then as the above have said, a steady hand will suffice.

I second the paint guard then touch up with fine brush.

Also i find paint pads allow you to paint much closer to the edge than rollers so you need to "cut-in" less.

Masking tape has to be removed almost immediately you know? Otherwise the adhesive hardens and it will rip off whatever is underneath. Wickes sell 24hr masking tape but still not advisable to leave it on 24hrs imo. Masking tape can bleed though, it's important not to angle the brush over the masking tape so it can push paint underneath the edge of it if you see what I mean.

I have had success with a steady arm and a very good quality brush. Has to be natural bristle or fibre brush, buy the best you can, not a plastic one. Keep your arm straight i.e. don't bend your wrist (paint from your shoulder if that makes sense). Use the angling technique described above - so you are basically painting with the very corner of the brush and this is what will give you a straight line.

I tried with one of those straight edge things too but found it worse than useless. My wall is not completely 100% flat or straight and I doubt many walls are. The straight edge thing wouldn't lie flat and it lets the paint underneath. You might have better luck if you can find a slightly flexible one - mine was hard plastic. Also you have to clean it thoroughly each time you move it down the wall or it transfers paint everywhere.

Sorry for the essay it is obviously something I have thought about a lot.

maybe a bit too late now but...... dulux paintpods come with a triagular brush tis worth the £60 you have to pay for the blardy paintpod for cutting in in straight lines and corners.............. best bit is you can now buy them separatly for 4.95!