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Painting can be a messy business, even when you are just applying one coat of paint to walls that have already been primed. Conscientious prep work is important when trying to keep the process clean and simple. Here are the basic steps to putting a coat of paint on a wall.
We are using acrylic paint today. It is the most commonly used type of paint for interior house painting. The use of lead based paints was banned in 1978 and oil based paints are used more often in painting exteriors. Acrylic latex paint is also commonly used for exteriors.
In this scenario the walls have been primed (preparatory coating that ensures the paint will adhere to the surface it is applied to). The trim and ceiling are also already done (Note that typically the ceilings will be painted first and the trim will come last).
We are using acrylic paint today. It is the most commonly used type of paint for interior house painting. The use of lead based paints was banned in 1978 and oil based paints are used more often in painting exteriors. Acrylic latex paint is also commonly used for exteriors.
In this scenario the walls have been primed (preparatory coating that ensures the paint will adhere to the surface it is applied to). The trim and ceiling are also already done (Note that typically the ceilings will be painted first and the trim will come last).
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The first step of painting is dressing for the part. This includes shirt, pants and the shoes. Don't wear any article of clothing that you would not risk getting paint on.
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After you've blue taped the ceiling, where it meets the wall, LIGHTLY paint over the edge of the blue tape where it meets the wall. The ceiling color will seep underneath the tape (blue tape ALWAYS seeps!).
After the light coat dries go ahead with painting the walls.
BEFORE the wall paint dries, SLOWLY peel off the blue tape..... and voila and tight line!
You DON'T want a heavy paint line of the ceiling paint just enough to seal off the tape line. You can also do this with the trim.
On old, hacked up, lumpy, multi-painted layers trim you're better off free-handing it, NO TAPE will save you on that.
FOR TEXTURED WALLS, a heavier coat along the tape line is needed but it's not perfect (that's why I HATE texture!!!)
If you can.... SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY on smooth coat walls. The are MUCH easier to paint and/or repair. Using "orange peel" spray cans on texture repairs isn't as easy as it seems... and if you have a heavy texture or a knockdown make sure that if you hire a person to repair the wall they KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING! Most of the time..... you get what you pay for!
I work in the trades, we understand that sometimes our prices/quotes seem high... that's because we take pride in our work, and that means never knowing that repairs have been done