Before You Begin
Pros recommend using a 2-inch angled brush, often called a sash brush.
But any plastic bucket will work, provided it has straight sides.
Too much paint in the bucket makes it harder to avoid overloading the brush.
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Keep the sides of the bucket clear for wiping off excess paint from your brush.
Load the Brush With Paint
Dip the tip of the brush into the paint.
Drag the bristles against the inside edge of the bucket to remove excess paint.
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The brush should be relatively dry since you’ll only be painting small areas at a time.
Place the bristles on the surface, forming a wedge shape with the bristles.
Use the sharp end of the wedge to start the paint line.
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Draw the bristles along the line you want to paint.
As you begin moving the brush, let the bristles press into a fan shape.
The outermost bristles are drawing the line, not the entire bristle surface.
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Tip
Draw flat crescent shapes with the paint.
Create a long straight line by applying several flat crescents in a row.
This may be time to call in a professional painter.
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Uneven and bumpy surfaces are particularly difficult for cutting in paint; even taping the surface might be difficult.
That’s another reason you may want to have a professional do the job.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
