Exper t advice

Marcus Jarvis, In House Painter & Decorator at decorating tools brand, Harris, explains how to paint super-neat edges with ease.

Along with great coverage and a smooth finish, neat edges are vital if you want to feel satisfied with your DIY painting and decorating. The most important thing is to use a paint brush that’s been specifically designed for ‘cutting in’ (painting edges). Look for a brush with tapered bristles that create a thin, blade-like edge. This will give you more control and an improved finish.

01 Start painting by placing the wide tip of the brush against the edge and pulling the paint along in segments around a metre at a time. Then, using the brush as you normally would, thicken the edge by another 5–10cm.

02 With the edge complete, switch to a roller to fill in the outlined block. Start about a foot from where you’ve cut in and apply the paint in a W motion. Overlap as much of the brush-painted area as you dare, remembering to avoid painting over the actual edge. This technique will blend the brush-painted edges in, preventing a ‘framed’ look.