How do you stay in the lines when painting moldings on furniture?

Question

I want to paint this curio blue and paint the mullions, moldings and floral dimensional applique white.   As you can see the molding is curved.  How can I get a neat edge?  Also, the glass doesn't come out!

William · Answer

Use blue painters tape, newspaper, and cover the glass an mullions. Paint the cabinet and try not to get any on the moldings. Wipe any off with a rag if you get some on. Let that fully dry. Then use blue painters tape and tape on the painted surface around the moldings, tape on the glass around the mullions and anything you want white. Blue tape flexes a little, so you should be able to form it around the curves. After you paint all the 'trim' remove the tape and you have clean sharp lines. Remember to lightly sand the whole cabinet, prime with BIN or Kilz primer.

Black Hills Rosie · Answer

I have read, not tried, putting vaseline at glass's edge will keep off the paint. Not sure how to keep vaseline off the paint, though.

Shari · Answer

You should be able to slip newspaper or craft paper between the glass and mullions to protect the glass while you paint the mullions. As far as the moldings and applique, I would suggest painting your blue parts first and then come back and paint the white moldings and applique with a small artist brush. In fact, I would pick up a multi-pack of different size artists brushes at the craft store (if you don't already have them) so you have a choice of brushes for the various areas of detail you will be painting. I don't have very much luck (or patience) using painters tape but with a small enough brush, I have a pretty steady hand for detail work like this, so I would just free-hand it. Just be aware, if you are a perfectionist (I am!), this is going to be a very time-consuming and tedious project whether you use painters tape or free-hand it. But I can see your vision and I think it will be beautiful when finished, as long as you take your time! Have you seen the detail work on this amazing cabinet? http://www.hometalk.com/diy/kitchen-dining/kitchen-dining-furniture/old-china-cabinet-makeover-14460305?all_comments=true You might get some helpful tips if you follow the link to her blog at the end of her HT post.

Debi53 · Answer

Paint all of it blue except for the mullions. Then come back using a very good quality stiff, short bristle artist's brush and do the white. For the dimensional area, concentrate on just painting the top and down in the carving white. Don't worry about the edges of the carving. By getting the top white, it will look white but you won't have the white bleeding onto the blue of your cabinet. For the mullions, use blue tape close the the edges and then use a paint scraper razor to clean any paint off the glass. Your paint will come right off and you will not damage the glass if you hold the razor at an angle. For the curved molding and the mullions, use the same artist's brush that you use on the dimensional area. By choosing a brush with very short stiff bristles, you will have control and not have white paint getting all over your blue. Take your time and do not have too much paint on your brush. This will avoid your paint running. Be willing to do a few coats of your white. By painting the dimensional and curved part blue, if you don't get the white perfect, your eye will not be drawn to a brown area from the original color.

Kristy · Answer

Wonderful advice!  I have copied every word and will read and re-read as I start this project.

Flossie · Answer

Probably too late in answering this. When I don't want to paint an area and can't use tape, I use Vaseline (petroleum jelly) any paint you smear onto it will rub off.

Flossie · Answer

Hi Kirsty, the idea of rubbing the Vaseline in is so any paint that does go onto areas where you want to avoid, rubs off easily as opposed to being difficult to remove, personally, I would use a soft small toothbrush to just cut into the apertures on the furniture after you have got as close as you can with your paintbrush. Hope this helps Kirsty, good luck with your project.

How do you stay in the lines when painting moldings on furniture?

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How do you stay in the lines when painting moldings on furniture?

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