Title: Trim Lines on Textured Walls—Tape or No Tape?
Yeah, I hear you on the tape struggle. I’ve flipped a few older places and those textured walls are always a pain. Even with the “fancy” tapes, there’s always some spot where the paint finds its way through. That trick with the wall color over the tape is about as good as it gets, but it’s still not foolproof, especially if the texture’s deep.
Honestly, I’ve started relying more on a steady hand and a good angled brush. It’s not perfect, but after a couple of rentals, I realized most people don’t notice the tiny imperfections unless they’re right up on it. Sometimes I’ll use tape just to keep drips off the trim, but for clean lines? It’s usually just patience and touch-ups.
Don’t beat yourself up over it—those pro-level Instagram shots are usually after a ton of editing or pro crews anyway. If it looks good from a couple feet back, you’re probably doing better than you think.
I’ve tried every tape trick out there and still end up with those little bleeds on heavy texture. Honestly, I switched to using a sash brush and just taking it slow. Sometimes I’ll run a thin bead of clear caulk along the trim before painting—helps seal the edge if you’re patient. Not perfect, but it’s less waste and fewer headaches than peeling off tape and finding surprises. Anyone else ever try that?
Sometimes I’ll run a thin bead of clear caulk along the trim before painting—helps seal the edge if you’re patient.
- Totally get where you’re coming from. Bleeds on textured walls are a pain.
- Caulk trick does work, but I’ve noticed it can get messy fast if you’re not super careful wiping the excess.
- For me, a high-quality angled brush and steady hand usually beats tape on rough surfaces.
- I sometimes use painter’s shield (those little plastic guides) for quick touch-ups instead of taping everything off.
- Curious—has anyone tried the “paint, then score” method? You paint over the tape, let it dry, then run a sharp blade before pulling. Mixed results here, but sometimes it’s cleaner than caulk.
Curious—has anyone tried the “paint, then score” method?
I've done the paint-then-score thing on old baseboards—it's a bit nerve-wracking if your blade's not super sharp. Sometimes I nick the wall, so I stick to caulk for big projects. Those little plastic shields are underrated for quick jobs, though.
I've had those moments where I’m sweating over a line, just hoping I don’t gouge the wall. Honestly, the paint-then-score trick can look super crisp, but like you said, it’s all about that blade—dull and you’re asking for trouble. I’ve started using painter’s tape more, but I totally get the appeal of just caulking and moving on for bigger stuff. Those shields? Saved my bacon more than once, especially when I’m rushing through a flip and need to keep things tidy without fussing for hours. Sometimes “good enough” really is good enough...
