b'Hold the brush with your firstHow to cut in skirting boards. Essentially,two fingers and thumb, not tooCutting in is the technique thatcutting in creates a border.tight or too loose. Dip one-thirdis used for painting around the Aim for long, smooth, even to one-half the length of theedges of your project. This oftenstrokes, making sure that you cut bristles into your paint container,means the tight areas of a room,in on every coat of paint that you removing excess paint bysuch as the edges of walls, theapply to ensure an even finish. tapping the brush on the side ofceiling line, corners, around When youre happy with the Dip one-third towindow and door frames, skirting one-half of the lengththe container. Avoid dipping theboards and architraves. Cuttingcut-in line, apply a neater finish by of the bristles in yourentire length of the bristles in thefeathering or thinning the edge. paint container, thenin should be used in these areas remove excess paint bypaint as this will push paint intobefore you move to a roller forWithout reloading the brush, drag tapping the brush onthe ferrule of the paintbrush,the rest of the job. Practice makesthe tips of the bristles lightly over the side of the paintthe outside edge to spread the pot. Paint colour iswhich can cause it to clog up.perfect when it comes to cutting paint in a thin layer and get rid Resene Double Stack. Plus, youll likely end up within, but these steps will help you of any ridges or excess build-up. paint drips making it harder toget the best finish.This feathering step ensures that get a smooth finish.Invest in the best-qualitythe cut-in line wont show up as a How to use aColorShop or reseller and try Paint with the tip of yourbrushes you can afford. Not onlystripe after rolling the walls.do premium paintbrushes make paintbrush a few out. Ask for help if you paintbrush, not the sides. the job easier for you, but they need it, because there are someHold the paintbrush at about aproduce a much higher qualityTop tip: If youre nervous Using a paintbrush might lookimportant things to consider when45-degree angle to the surfacefinish. An oval brush will holdabout cutting in, you can use easy, but DIYers know there are youre choosing paintbrushes.and work mostly with your wristplenty of paint and will createmasking tape to protect the a few tips and tricks that makeThink about your strength andrather than your arms anda smooth finish with minimaladjacent wall or frame. That all the difference when it comesexperience, the type of brush youshoulders. For the best results, brushstrokes, while an angledway if your paintbrush goes to getting a professional finish. need, the size of the project, thetry and get a good flowingbrush has a longer handle a bit wide or in less than a It takes time to becomesurfaces youre painting and themotion with long brushstrokes. and is slimmer, so can be morestraight line than youd like, good, accurate and fast with atype of paint or stain youre using.A smaller brush is better forcomfortable if you have you wont damage the paintbrush. Have patience withA smaller brush is recommendedmore detailed areas and finersmaller hands.painted surface. Make sure yourself if youre just starting out.for those who have smaller handscutting inpainting areas where You only need a small amountyou remove the tape before Work on your quality first, thenor who are new to painting asrollers cant reach, such as whereof paint for the cutting-in process,the paint fully dries.on speed. This will save you fromlarger brushes can be heavy. walls meet the ceiling or floor.around half a litre, so use a Resene learning bad habits and havingWhen youre ready to startWhen cutting in, use the brush paint pot and paint out of that to redo sloppy work. painting, and while youron its vertical edge. When yourerather than dipping your brush into the largerLearn moreThe most popular brush sizespaintbrush is still clean, work thepainting larger areas, use yourtin. Start with a damp are 50-63mm. Its a good idea bristles back and forth acrossbrush horizontally. If yourbrush and dip it into to pop into your local Reseneyour fingers to removebrushstrokes become stiff,the pot. Tap the brush any dust, dirt or loosesticky or non-flowing,on the side of the More tips paint pot to remove bristles. If youre usingyou may need to thinany excess paint.waterborne paints,the paint. Use the you can lightlythinner recommended Start cutting in from moisten a naturalon your paintthe top of your wall and bristle brush with watercontainer or Resene work your way down the edges first to help you applyHot Weather Additive of doors, around door frames, window frames, light switches and the paint more evenly. for most waterborne paints. finally, around the edges of the Watch a how-to video, visit www.masterstrokebyresene.com/how-to/use-a-paintbrushWatch a how-to video, visit www.masterstrokebyresene.com/ask-an-expert/cutting-in4 masterstrokebyresene.com'