How To Paint Stripes On A Walls?

Stripes are a great way to add interest to otherwise plain accent walls. Fortunately, painting stripes on your walls can be easier than you might think. Follow the steps below for flawless results.

Plan Your Project

Place painter’s tape around the edges of your windows, doors, ceiling, floor trim, and anything else that’s not being painted.

Choose a base color and apply it to your walls. Your base paint color should be the lightest of your paint shades. Allow your base color to dry as per the manufacturer’s instructions, and apply a second coat if required.

Before measuring and marking your stripes, you’ll need to decide how wide your stripes will be and if they will be vertical or horizontal stripes.

Vertical stripes create the illusion of height; horizontal stripes create the illusion of width. Thin stripes work best in small rooms, while wide stripes work best in large rooms.

Once your base coat is dry, measure the walls and then divide by your stripe width. If your result isn’t a whole number, adjust your stripes’ width until you get a whole number.

Mark Your Stripes

Once you’ve decided on your stripes’ width, begin marking off each stripe with a pencil and ruler. While marking, use a spirit level or laser level to check that your lines are straight. If your walls aren’t straight, your pattern can look asymmetrical. Start your stripes in an inconspicuous corner, such as behind a door, to help hide any imperfections.

Outline every other stripe with painter’s tape. When applying the tape, press it firmly against the wall to ensure a good seal between the tape and the wall.

If your stripes are wide, apply the paint with a roller. If they are more narrow, you can use a brush. Allow the paint to dry as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Then apply a second coat, if required.

When the paint is nearly dry, carefully pull the tape off. If you wait until it’s completely dry, you may find it difficult to remove the tape without damaging the paint.