{Tutorial} Painting Stripes

When we first moved into our house a little over a year ago we choose to go with a neutral paint color throughout the house; BEHR’s Tuscan Beige. We both agreed that once we were living in the house and if we wanted to add color we could do so then. Well it’s been a year now, and I’m not going to lie. I’m ready to really change up the colors in our house! So one Sunday morning I some how convinced my husband to go to the hardware store and pick up the supplies (this was prior to looking at all sorts of examples and tips online. Some websites suggested using a matte and satin or semi-gloss paint of the same color. Other’s suggested a few shades up or down of the same color, some did two totally different colors. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to do this project. We choose to go two shades darker than the Tuscan Beige> Indulgent Mocha. Since the Tuscan Beige was an eggshell we decided to go one sheen higher and used a satin. This gives a little extra gloss to the darker portion of the walls.I honestly can say I had everyintention of painting. I just needed him to tape out everything since I knew I would not do a good job of that! After he spent 3 hours taping out the stripes I was ready to start painting… Well not so fast. He refused to let me pick up a paint roller. He didn’t want me to “ruin” his hard work. Fine by me! Instead I just managed the project (and I think I did a satisfactory job doing so)! The walls turned out exactly how I wanted them too!

First you will want to measure out the walls you will be striping. In our case. I wanted the darker color to end on each of the two walls. For us it was simply 18 stripes 12inches wide. We choose to run the stripes like it was one consistent wall instead of two walls.

Supplies Needed:

Paint brush & roller
1 roll of ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape
paint of your choice (We used BEHR Indulgent Mocha, Satin)
measuring tape
Pencil
Calculator
Ladder

You will want to start by measuring the walls and adding “guide” tape. This will help you dictate your width between stripes.

You will want to measure at the bottom, middle, and top of your walls. This takes time and lots of patience!!!

Next, you will start using your pencil markings and taping your walls. Not only do you have to be very precise (and patient), but you need to make sure that the tap sits in the inner stripes that will not be painted. In our case the Tuscan Beige that already exist on the walls. You will also want to use a credit card to smooth out any and all bubbles from the tape. You want to make sure that the tape has absolutely no air pockets!

This is what it will look like once your done taping the room. *Excuse the mess*

Now you can begin to start painting your stripes!

Last panel to paint!

We scoured the internet trying to find the “right” answer as to when to remove the tape. Some forums said 24 hours others said 30 minutes after painting. By the time Jon was finished painting it had definitely been past 30 minutes from where he started, so he slowly and carefully started removing the tape off. Making sure that if there was still wet paint on the tape that he would not get it on the walls.