Cutting in tops of walls

[DrWashout]

Would anyone like to share their cutting in method for the tops of walls, where there's no coving? I've never really mastered it, and I'm about to paint a room burgundy so there will be nowhere to hide!

With coving I just do it freehand but without, I can't get a crisp straight line that way and my masking tape placement is not as clean as I'd like. I've seen edging gizmos on Amazon but reviews are awful mixed.

I have tried youtube but it seems to be full of people showing how easy it is freehand, or being suspiciously fulsome in their praise of the edging gizmos.

Frog tape. And lots of patience!

Pic is with frog tape in situ before peeling and tarting up afterwards with a child’s paint brush (cheap set from The Works). Turned out lovely. It’s the only way 😄

A proper edging/angled brush - a good quality one.

Careful not to get too much paint on the brush.

When paint brush has been freshly dipped in paint do a line a little down from top of wall then carefully paint the line at the top.

Practice the edging technique along the bottom first because it can easily be wiped off skirting board if you go wrong.

When doing edging at the top have a clean damp cloth up the ladders with you, just incase you go wrong and get some on ceiling - wipe off immediately and there shouldn't be too much of an issue (if the burgundy colour you're using still leaves a slight pink tinge to the white ceiling, then touch ceiling in with an artist's brush after).

I don't think any tapes really work and free hand is best with the right brush.

Second an angled brush, as small as you can get, but for me, the most important thing is to be as close to the area as poss; firmly settled on a sturdy ladder. I find it hopeless if I am trying to reach up from below, and it makes my arm ache.
I also have a damp cloth to hand, so if any paint gets in the wrong place I can wipe it off straight away.

Thanks everyone. Gobbin that looks great! Do you aim for getting the masking tape right on the join or slightly on the wall side? Our corners are slightly curved and I tend to err on the side of stopping the wall colour short of the ceiling.

Maybe I need to try an angled brush. I have a funny feeling the problem is me not the tools though!!

Honestly a quality angled brush makes it so much easier.
I'm very good at edging, so long as I have a high quality cutting in/ angled brush - Give me a normal brush and my edging is horrific.

If there isn't a sharp corner between wall and ceiling I would definitely err on the side of keeping the line more on the wall part than ceiling.

Thanks LittleBLUEsmurfhouse, I might give that a go.

I just use a decent quality 1inch brush, not too fat. The trick is getting enough paint on so that you can do a smooth run without having to go back over it, but not having too much - that's when you get the smudges going up onto the ceiling.

I've never used tape, but I have a very steady hand and go quite slow. It's not so helpful, but I've found that as I've had more practice, I've got more confident and my cutting in has improved....

Our ceilings are still stippled artex which made straightening it up and bit like dot to dot 😂.

I used a one inch brush carefully with the masking tape as close to the wall as poss and then filled in the little gaps with the child’s paintbrush. The pic above is before I filled in the gaps at the top so it was better after, but I don’t have a pic.

If there is any texture run something blunt but slightly pointed along the join to make a slight indentation or score. This should help keep things looking straight.

I'd really recommend the 1inch Dulux triangle brush - it's designed for cutting in and is brilliant! I'm struggling to get my link to work but go check out the reviews on amazon

I just freehand it much like @amyboo describes, good quality brush, steady hand.

Thanks for the extra replies. The reviews of that Dulux brush are fantastic

I agree get a best quality angled brush, and don't try to put brush straight into the join of wall and ceiling - put the brush onto the wall about 1/2 inch away and smoothly sweep slowly up into the edge and then along. It may help if you put the edge of your brush-holding hand onto the wall, to prevent jiggling.