Protecting carpet and skirting boards when painting

[Nanako]

Hi all, my hall carpet has gottten terribly stained with paint already, i will eventually be replacing it but id like to not make it worse for now

In addition, i have also recently painted some, but not all of the skirting boards, before painting the wall. yes dumb i know, i realise that now, but when i started i hadnt even planned to do the walls!

So in a few weeks ill have my hallway all replastered and ready for new paint, and i will want to protect the carpet in all places, and the existing skirting boards in some of them. I will ALSO be painting the ceiling, so i really need some kind of total solution here

I've seen people say that i should put down masking tape, and honestly that solution is only good for detail work. When painting a huge area like this, it is no good. There will be splatters, there will be moments when i roll a too-wet roller across a wall and it sprays everywhere a little bit. And when paint is wet enough, masking tape is inadequate protection eve on the areas it DOES cover, as that stuff seeps through

i'm looking for better ideas

 

[SithLordHood]

Wickes Multi Purpose Tarpaulin - 1.8 X 2.4m | Wickes.co.uk

Wickes Multi Purpose Tarpaulin - 1.8 X 2.4m

www.wickes.co.uk

 

[Nanako]

Wickes Multi Purpose Tarpaulin - 1.8 X 2.4m | Wickes.co.uk

Wickes Multi Purpose Tarpaulin - 1.8 X 2.4m

www.wickes.co.uk

but wet paint drips down the walls and gets under the edges ofa tarp

also this would only protect floor not skirting

good for the general purpose area but not enough on its own i think

 

[endecotp]

Remove the carpet temporarily.

 

[diyfun123]

https://www.decoratingsuppliesdirec...protection/hippo-carpet-protector-600mm-x-25m you could use some thing like this and extend it up to the skirting board

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I normally just use masking tape and then an old throw or similar on the carpet/furniture, I don't ever recall paint seeping though onto the carpet from any drips or splatters. But then if I do get any drips I try to wipe them up with a paper towel immediately as I don't want to be traipsing that round the place.

 

[Alec_t]

Newspaper, polythene, almost any sheet material... held in place along the skirting boards with masking tape.

 

[opps]

When working in houses where the customer is keeping the carpet, and I need to paint both the walls and skirtings, I tuck regular 25mm masking tape into the gap between the carpet and skirting. I run a section of tape on the carpet, allowing about 6mm of the tape to run onto the skirting. Then I use a rigid dusting brush to push the excess into the gap. The rest of the carpet, I just use dust sheets.

I am not a fan of using tarpaulins. There is the risk of stepping in minor splatters and walking the wet paint around. I prefer cotton dusts sheets. Ideally ones with polythene backing.

If you find that rolling leaves lots of splatters, consider buying a better roller and sleeve. 90% of the time, I use a Purdy roller and their Colossus sleeves. You will pay a little more but they are worth the extra. They also have the advantage of fitting to the Purdy extension poles without needing to twist the frame on. They accept threaded roller frames but when used with their frames, they have a button you can use to attach and detach the frame. Sounds silly, but it saves a lot of time throughout each day.

Oh... and when you apply the mist coat, for the love of Mike, ignore the BS on the internet about doing a 50-50 water/paint mix. Follow the instructions on the tin. Dulux Trade emulsion is normally one part water to 5 parts paint (16% water). The thinner the paint, the more it will splatter.

 

[Nanako]

When working in houses where the customer is keeping the carpet, and I need to paint both the walls and skirtings, I tuck regular 25mm masking tape into the gap between the carpet and skirting. I run a section of tape on the carpet, allowing about 6mm of the tape to run onto the skirting. Then I use a rigid dusting brush to push the excess into the gap. The rest of the carpet, I just use dust sheets.

I am not a fan of using tarpaulins. There is the risk of stepping in minor splatters and walking the wet paint around. I prefer cotton dusts sheets. Ideally ones with polythene backing.

If you find that rolling leaves lots of splatters, consider buying a better roller and sleeve. 90% of the time, I use a Purdy roller and their Colossus sleeves. You will pay a little more but they are worth the extra. They also have the advantage of fitting to the Purdy extension poles without needing to twist the frame on. They accept threaded roller frames but when used with their frames, they have a button you can use to attach and detach the frame. Sounds silly, but it saves a lot of time throughout each day.

Oh... and when you apply the mist coat, for the love of Mike, ignore the BS on the internet about doing a 50-50 water/paint mix. Follow the instructions on the tin. Dulux Trade emulsion is normally one part water to 5 parts paint (16% water). The thinner the paint, the more it will splatter.

this makes sense, and im definitely guilty of watering down my paint a bit much

but there is also the problem that paint in a tray dries out over time while you're working, and if you're not regularly adding a bit of water and giving it a stir, it can dry onto the tray and be wasted. This is a far bigger problem with matte paints which seem to dry in nanoseconds! and unfortunately matte black is exactly what i plan to use in this room

i think i'm not very skilled at painting in general, tips are welcome, and i will look into the roller/sleeves you mention

 

[opps]

I use a water spray bottle to mist the tray throughout the day. If taking a break for a while, I put the tray and roller in a large bin bag or rubble sack.