How to Paint Baseboards without Painting Your Carpets?
You have a nice, carpeted floor in your room. And, you want to spice up the room with a brand new paint job. However, you are paranoid about getting paint on your newly laid carpet. It can be tricky to paint baseboards (or Paint Doors and Trim) next to the carpet and not get paint on it, in particular the baseboard trim.
So, how do you paint baseboards without getting them on the carpet? Well, there are a few ways to do this, including carpet shields for painting baseboards.
Carpet shields are tools that protect the carpet from paint splatter and stains. They’re made of plastic or fabric and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on what type of baseboard you want to protect.
The Most Common Types of Carpet Shields Are:
- Invisible shields: These are made from clear plastic, making them nearly invisible after they’re installed.
They’ll protect your carpet from paint splatters. - Felt shields: Felt shields have a layer of thick felt attached to a backing sheet that allows you to install them directly onto your baseboards and enables you how to paint baseboards without tape or nails. They’re a good option on hardwood floors or want to protect your baseboards from scratches.
Here Are Some Other Steps to Get This Job Done Right:
STEP 1: Drop sheeting the Carpeted floor
As with any House Interior Painting job, you want to use a drop sheet to protect the main areas of the carpet, before painting baseboards around the carpet:
• Always before Interior Painting, take a cloth drop sheet. And spread it out over the section of the room that you are painting first. Leave about an inch or 2 away from the baseboard trim. So you can use your wall edger/spatula to slip in underneath the baseboard.
• For details, see our blog/video on How to set up your room before interior painting in Toronto.
STEP 2: Tuck Your Painters Tape Underneath the Baseboard
Once you have laid down your drop sheets, you’re ready to start using the stir stick/edger underneath the carpet.
• Get your painter’s tape and try to tuck it underneath the baseboard trim.
• If this doesn’t work, another way to do this is to get a strong putty knife. Or better, use a 5 in1 multi-purpose paint tool. Apply the painter’s tape onto the carpet and right up against the baseboard. But leave about half an inch or so extra to tuck it in underneath the baseboard. Once you have done this, using your 5 and 1 tool, press down firmly on the tape/rug. And carefully tuck the painter’s tape underneath the baseboard.
• Make sure when doing this you do not damage the baseboard or gouge it when trying to work it underneath the baseboard.
STEP 3: Paint the Baseboard, Protect the Carpet
All right! The carpet has been drop sheet. Your painter’s tape is underneath the baseboard bottom protecting your carpet. And your baseboard is now ready to be painted!
• Dip your paintbrush into your paint and wipe all excess paint off. It is very important that the paintbrush doesn’t drip and that there isn’t too much paint on it. Better too little than too much.
• Against the middle of the baseboard it’s ok to have excessive paint. But against the bottom, it’s crucial to only have a bit of paint on it. So it doesn’t build up and bleed onto the rug.
• Using small strokes, run the paintbrush along the bottom of the baseboard trim. While checking periodically to make sure that there is no excess or drippage. See our Interior Wall Painting Techniques with paintbrush tutorial and video for details.
• Hold the cloth in your other hand. So that you can immediately fix any mistakes that you may make along the way when you want to paint baseboard trim next to the carpet.
• Do your baseboard in sections. Apply two more coats or as needed.
And you’re done! You’ve successfully painted your baseboards over the carpet and your room is looking better than ever.
Home Painters Toronto Pro Tip For Interior Painting:
What Color to Paint Baseboards? Assuming you are using latex paint, once you have finished painting the baseboard, it is very important you wait about 15-20 min and for the paint to dry a bit before removing it. If you don’t, if the carpet is really tight against the baseboard it can potentially push back up against the baseboard getting paint on it.
As always, if you would like to take a load off, you can call Home Painters Toronto to do the job for you!
At Home Painters Toronto we are one of the top-rated interior painters in Toronto and the GTA. The reason why we are rated so high is because of our commitment to quality, giving the client full value for home improvement dollars, and our dedication to being the friendliest, courteous, and professional painters in the GTA.
Our Home painters Professionals complete Toronto painting projects everywhere in the GTA; Lawrence Park, Riverdale, The Beaches, Rosedale, The Annex, Bloor West Village, The Kingsway, Forest Hill, Little Italy, Roncesvalles, The Junction, Leaside, East York, North York and everywhere in between! Whatever Toronto painting project you need for your home or business, our Toronto painting contractors can complete it for you.
Are you still not sure, just go visit our HomeStars review page on GTA Interior Painting Contractors Section and see first-hand what our clients have to say about us.
Call us now at 416 494 9095 OR email us at Brian@HomePaintersToronto.com and we will be happy to assist you in any way possible! And don’t forget to follow us on all our social channels below as well!
