How to Paint Perfect Stripes Every Time
The best tips and tricks for painting perfect stripes on a wall every time
There is nothing worse than working super hard on taping off a space, spending all that time painting it, only to have the paint bleed through the tape or peel off in chunks.
I may have to turn in my DIY card after saying this but, I don’t love to paint…
I do however appreciate all the amazing things paint can do for a space so I do it anyways.
Since it is not my most favorite thing, I make sure that I do it right the first time so I don’t have to do it again.
Painting stripes on the wall can be a little tricky but there are a few tips I have learned to make sure I achieve perfect paint lines the first time!
Check out tips for choosing the perfect paint color first!
Children’s Ministry Room Makeover
If you have been following along with us on Instagram, you know our latest room renovation is the Children’s Ministry room at our church.
It is very outdated and needs a little budget friendly TLC.
Here is what it looked like before we started:
We removed all of the old cabinetry, primed the ceiling, and painted the walls first.
My vision for this wall is to create a fun, colorful rainbow accent wall on the upper half and build a storage unit on the bottom half.
I might also add some open shelving to the top portion, but we will wait and make that decision closer to the end of the room makeover.
Now let’s get to the good part, adding the striped accent wall!
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Painting Perfect Paint Lines
Supplies:
The first step is to tape off your lines, I traced a scrap piece of vinyl floor board to get my stripe width accurate each time.
You can use any space or even a laser level to make sure your strip widths are the same also.
1. Use a Putty Knife
After the tape is applied I go over it with a putty knife, this helps adhere the tape to the wall.
2. Paint Over Tape Lines
Next, I take the base wall color and lightly paint over the tape, I know this sounds crazy but this is the most important tip!
The paint will seal the tape to the wall so that your lines are perfect.
3. Use a Foam Roller
A foam roller holds less paint than a regular nap roller so you are less likely to bleed through the tape and the finish will be super smooth.
I have also seen other DIY experts use velvet rollers, they are a good option for painting striped accent walls as well.
4. Mark your stripes
Okay so this tip is more helpful if you are painting a multicolored striped accent wall and doesn’t really have to do with clean lines but I thought I would share it anyways.
Before I start painting I lightly mark each stripe in pencil with what color it will be.
This saves any confusion once you actually start painting and keeps your pattern consistent.
5. Pull the Tape Wet
Removing the tape while the paint is still wet is very important.
Dried paint will stick the the tape and increase the chance of the paint being pulled off in chunks with the tape.
This is especially true if you chose a new base color that hasn’t cured for 48 hours before you applied the tape (who has time for all that).
Clean Paint Lines
These tips seem like a little extra work but I promise they will save you a ton of “touchup” time in the long run.
Plus there is nothing more satisfying than pulling off the tape to uncover super clear paint lines!
I am in puffy heart love with how this fun and colorful accent wall turned out.
We have a lot more to do in this Children’s Room but this is a really great start!
Next up we will work on adding a super cute wallpaper accent wall and building the bottom storage for this wall.
Let me know what you think of our rainbow accent wall and what color you would paint the bottom storage unit in.
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