How do i paint my baseboards with carpet in the way?
Question:I got new carpet and it's kind of tall and fluffy and I didn't have time to paint the baseboard before they installed it, how do I keep from painting my new carpet? I tried pushing down the carpet with painters tape, but it just pops back up.
Answers:
You have a couple of options you might try.
1. Tape the edge of the carpet (just as you tried to do) and then you can use a hard plastic paint edging tool (about 6-9 inches long, found at most hardware stores) to push down and hold the carpet out of the way as you paint. The tape just keeps the wet paint from getting on the edge of the carpet after you move the plastic painter's edging tool.
2. Pull the carpet edge up from the tack board. The tack board is a strip of wood with small "spikes" or nails sticking up that is used to keep the carpet in place. You can just pull up on the edge of the carpet to pull it back out of the way while you paint and leave it back until the baseboard is dry. Then you would just set the carpet back onto the tack board and step on it to keep it in place. In most cases, this is not a problem... however, sometimes you may find that the carpet may not seem to want to go all the way back to the wall and you would need to use a carpet stretcher (can be rented at most rental stores) to stretch the carpet back to the wall to insure it seals to the tack board.
Follow Up: It appears that "Les, the painter" is the only knowledgeable one here, as he flags everyone else's answers with a "thumbs-down" and then answers almost the same way. Actually, I'm not sure I understood his instructions and while I don't consider myself a professional painter, I've certainly done my share of painting rooms and the outside of houses. BTW... painters tape is just another type of masking tape, but usually not quite as "sticky" so it is easier to peel off.
Use whichever works best for you.
use a ten inch knife used to spread mud for sheetrock. They come with a handle. Press the edge down at an angle and it will depress the carpet while you paint the baseboard. The paint from the brush will be applied to the knife and not the carpet.
good luck
Take the base boards off carefully, paint them , and put them back on.
Stretch has the right idea. Most home improvement stores also sell longer blades that are made for this purpose. They are usually pretty cheap to and work pretty well.
If you have a piece of thin scrap wood/plastic you can also probably use that. Just use the straight edge to separate the standing carpet from the baseboard and push the carpet down. Paint the wall and pick up and move along.
I would also recommend having a rag to wipe off excess paint from your tool so you don't accidentally get paint on the carpet ( a mistake I made once...very embarrassing)
use a 10 inch sheetrock knife to push the painters tape under the baseboard.
If you just use the knife alone, once you paint the baseboard and then remove the knife, the carpet will spring back up and hit your freshly painted baseboard.
The best way would be to remove the baseboard entirely and paint it.
They sell what is called a trim guide at any paint or discount store for less than a buck for a plastic one. The bottom has a slight curve on it to hold back the carpet. Just did it my self. Buy a few of them and get the friends to help, you;ll have it done in no time.
Painters tape won't work and all these trim blades and broad knives get messy and very time consuming, the best way is get yourself the plain jane masking tape 11/2 to 2 inches wide and tape your carpet, get about an 1/8 of an inch on the baseboard without actually sticking it to the board and with your finger tips tuck it down to the very bottom of the baseboard it's a little tough at first but you'll get the hang of it. and when ever painting with tape you never slop the paint cut it in like the tape wasn't there this way you'll always end up with a clean edge and no chance of paint getting underneath, Good luck Les the painter
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