# rubber base moulding



## spraygunn (Nov 14, 2010)

Hey KAK,
The trick is to tape the base with just a fraction of the tape up on the wall, we're only talking about 1/16". The amount up on the wall is so small that you would have to get on your knees to see it. If the existing color of the wall is drastically different from the color your putting on, be very careful not to go up too high.


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Brush on to the edge of the cove molding lightly, about a 1/16th. Then, take a rag wrapped around your thumb and use your thumbnail to run along the top edge of the cove. Keep resetting a clean portion of the rag on your thumb. Works beautifully. When you're cutting lines, no matter where, the biggest fault is inconsistency, not the placement of the line. If you could cut a perfect line 1/16th on the cove, and did the whole room that way, your eye wouldn't notice where the wall ends and the cove begins. Your eye would only notice the on/off wavy inconsistency. I do this on hardwood floors with tight shoe molding. I go on to the floor a sixteenth, around the whole room, and never had anyone be able to notice that I did it. Works everytime. Painting is all about tricking the eye and playing tricks with light.
DiyPaintingGuide.org


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

I agree, a 1/16 overlap can work. If you find this difficult, there is another way that has worked for me.

Tape along the cove leaving some tape sticking loosely above the cove. Use a thin blade of some sort (5 in 1 tool, mud knive, etc.) to push the loose part of the tape down to where the cove meets the wall. Cut the tape at the intersection of the wall and top of cove with a sharp blade and paint. Remove the tape on the cove before the paint dries.

You don't have to worry about the tape being a consistent 1/16 on the wall before you trim it. Wehn you trim the tape, you have your consistent line masked off. Run the thin blade along the trimmed tape a few times to seal it as best you can to avoid the paint getting under the tape.

That 1/16" can be hard to keep consistent with the thin edge of cove when painting free hand.


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Hey Boman,
I think you missed my point. On hardwoods with tight shoe molding, it's nearly impossible to keep paint off the floor, at least in a profitable time frame. Why try? If you can't beat, join it. I've asked people if they can tell I've painted on to the floor, they can't. If it's consistent, you're eye can't tell. On the cove, the 1/16 or 1/8 or whatever isn't staying. The overlap is to be sure the paint covers the edge and will be wiped off. With the rag around your thumb as a wiper, your thumbnail rides perfectly along the top edge of the cove, removes the overage, and leaves a perfect cut line. Use a thin cotton rag, t-shirt stuff. This works on tile bull nose as well. Doesn't work if you're a nail biter though. I never use tape to cut lines, unless i'm striping. I have a tutorial online for painting without tape, check it out.
http://www.diypaintingguide.org/painting-without-using-painters-tape/

Joe


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

Actually, I was thinking of the wall and an inexperienced ho. I seldom use tape myself. I find it a l little time consuming. I have also used the paint on, wipe off method. If my thumb nail does not work, I will use my 5 in 1 wrapped in cotton cloth, t-shirt, etc.., if I can get it clean and not leave a line of unpainted surface. 

Pretty much on the same page. :thumbsup:


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

I hear what you and Steve are saying. I take it from what you're saying you're a pro. As a pro myself, who thinks that tape is a crutch, a weak one at that, we should be teaching non-pros how to be like us. Taping, as you say, is time consuming and very expensive. We should be teaching people how work without it, not work better with it. That is why I put the tutorial together. Cutting lines is not as difficult as people think. Nothing will replace the practice accumulated over the years, but there are some simple basics that help people develop the skill. I explained them to a buddy over the phone one day-- I was driving and he was cutting-- and when I saw it later, he picked up what I was saying. You could see where he started, where he started talking to me, and by the time he got back to start he had it down and did a good job. He never went back over the rough areas though. :thumbup:
Joe
http://www.diypaintingguide.org/painting-without-using-painters-tape/


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

If there is a gap between the shoe moulding and the baseboard, what you also could do is put a bead of caulk down first. Wipe it with a wet rag or wet finger. That will give you a much straighter line to work with. Then cut in right to the edge of the caulk.


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