- Painter’s tape is the ultimate gamble—either it welds itself to your plaster or lets the paint have a party underneath.
- I’ve had better luck with that green “frog” tape, but even then, it’s not foolproof.
- Lately, I’ve been skipping tape altogether and using a short-handled angled sash brush. Bit of a learning curve, but way less waste and no sticky residue.
- If you’re worried about drips, I keep a damp rag in my pocket for quick wipe-ups.
- Those little imperfections? They’re like battle scars for your trim—shows the place has lived a little.
I hear you on the painter’s tape roulette—my old house has that crumbly plaster, and tape just rips it to shreds half the time. I tried the “no tape, steady hand” approach, but my lines looked like they’d been drawn by a caffeinated squirrel. What’s actually worked for me is using a putty knife as a shield, sliding it along the trim as I go. Not perfect, but it saves the walls and my sanity. Those little wobbles do add character though... no one’s ever mistaken my place for a new build, and I kind of like that.
Putty knife trick is a classic, and honestly, it’s way more forgiving than tape on old plaster. Tape just doesn’t play nice with crumbly walls—half the time you’re left patching more than you’re painting. I’ve seen folks try those fancy “edger” gadgets too, but unless your trim is perfectly straight (which, let’s be real, in these older houses it never is), they just make a mess.
One thing I’ll throw out there: a good angled sash brush makes a world of difference. Spend a few extra bucks on a quality one and you’ll get cleaner lines, even if your hand isn’t surgeon-steady. And don’t overload the brush—less paint means less chance for drips or bleed.
Those little wobbles you mention? Honestly, I think they give the place some soul. You can always touch up with a tiny artist’s brush later if something really bugs you, but perfect lines in an old house almost look out of place anyway...
I’ve seen folks try those fancy “edger” gadgets too, but unless your trim is perfectly straight (which, let’s be real, in these older houses it never is), they just make a mess.
I get what you mean about “perfect lines in an old house almost look out of place anyway...” but I gotta admit, my inner perfectionist struggles with that. I’ve spent way too long with a tiny brush trying to fix every little wobble, only to realize the sunlight still finds new ones. At some point, you just have to embrace the quirks and call it character, right? And yes to the angled sash brush—total game changer. The cheap ones just leave bristles everywhere and make things worse.
I swear, I’ve spent more time hunched over my baseboards with a roll of painter’s tape than I care to admit, only to have the paint still sneak under in spots. And don’t even get me started on those edger tools—mine ended up in the junk drawer after one use. The trim in my place is about as straight as a country road, so it was a losing battle from the start.
I used to obsess over every little line, but after a while, I realized nobody’s getting down on their hands and knees to inspect my brushwork except me. Now I just do my best with a decent angled brush (learned that lesson the hard way after picking bristles out of wet paint for an hour), and if there’s a little wobble here or there, I just call it “vintage charm.” Honestly, I think the imperfections kind of fit the house. At least, that’s what I tell myself when I’m tired of touching up the same spot for the third time...
