The secret to painting without tape

Are you ready?  The secret to painting without tape?

First, let me tell you that, although I make no bones about the fact that I am no DIY expert, painting is something I can actually handle.  It’s kind of a necessity because I change the colors of everything up so much, from the walls to the cabinets.  I can’t even remember how many times I repainted the walls of our last house- five or six in the main level in the 10 years we lived there I know.  And, I actually enjoy painting.  It’s kinda therapeutic.  So painting- I got this. I can actually tell you this DIY secret with a little bit of authority 🙂

The secret is…

It’s this…

A good quality paint brush.  Specifically, a Purdy brush.

Accept no other, and don’t let anyone tell you anything else.

Whew!  That sounded intense.  But can you tell that I love these brushes? 🙂  And no, this is not sponsored.  I really do love these brushes and truly believe they, hands down, make the biggest difference in your ability to paint without tape.

If you use one of these brushes, and with just a little bit of practice, you will no longer have to use tape. You will be able to cut in like a pro.  I haven’t used tape on any paint job in years, and that includes some pretty intricate detail work.

No lie, when I was painting around my ceiling fan in my master bedroom (12 feet high ceilings), I taped a Purdy brush to one of Beau’s toy swords, climbed on a 6 foot ladder, and painted perfect lines around the fan.

What makes a Purdy brush the secret to painting without tape?

Okay, I’m no expert in the company or anything, but there are a few big differences with these brushes that I’ve found over the years:

• The angled bristles give you so much more control than other paintbrush brands.  I’ve worked with some brushes that the bristles “escape” everywhere, and the paint splatters on everything.  That NEVER happens with a Purdy brush! The bristles stay in the line that you are painting- no paint escapes from the line that you are cutting in. This makes a huge difference in how well you are able to stay in the line that you are painting.
• The brush releases the paint in a much more controlled manner than other brushes.  I don’t know how it does it, but it does.  Some brushes, you load it with paint and it all comes out at once, or worse, it drips down the brush on the floor.  Purdy brushes release the paint perfectly, which allows you to cut in perfectly.  You can literally load your brush, and cut in 5 or 6 feet of trim work without stopping.
• The weight of the brush just feels better in your hands, which allows you to keep a steadier hand when you are cutting in.  But at the same time…
• It’s lightweight.  Some other professional quality brushes are so heavy and wear our your hand.  Not a Purdy!
• The quality of materials- some brushes shed bristles while you paint (I HATE that!).  That has never once happened with my Purdy brushes, even the ones that are several years old.

Here’s an example.  Here’s our mudroom door:

There are nine windows in that door, and normally it would be misery taping around those windows.  Not with a Purdy!

Look how easy this Purdy cuts in around this window in the door: (fair warning, these pictures are a little weird looking- it’s really hard to shoot through a window, but I wanted to show you the detail of how well these little brushes work on such a difficult area to paint- so I had to do some funky color and light editing here!)

Y’all, not a bristle out of place.  So, no paint out of place.  And no need to tape. It will take me half the time to paint this door compared to taping, and it will look just as good.  Not to sound braggy 😉

Well, here’s the finished product, actually:

Now, technique.  That will vary quite a bit depending on what you are cutting in.  Ceiling, baseboard, casing, widows- it’s all different angles and techniques.  However, it doesn’t matter what you are painting- the most important thing is to have the right tool.  As many years as I’ve been doing this, if I had to pick up a different brush, I’d probably have to start taping up again.

The cost

I know they’re pricey.  Growing up, our family always bought the least expensive paint brushes, and Michael and I continued that tradition for years.  Until Sarah at  Thrifty Decor Chick convinced me otherwise.  I bought my first Purdy on  her recommendation and I’ve been hooked ever since.  (As an aside, isn’t she just awesome?  I just love her blog!)

Here’s the thing.  When you buy cheap brushes, they’re one and done.  Plus, you’re spending all that money, plus time, on tape. Taping is the worst.

I have some Purdy’s that I’ve had for years.  I know the initial investment was more than the cheap brushes, but I know that I’ve saved tons of money over the years in replacement brushes and tape.

Have I convinced you? I’m not even kidding, these brushes are game changers!

I’m linking my very favorite, the Purdy XL, below (this one, and those below, are affiliate links).  It’s good for interior and exterior (I’ve used it for both), and the price for three brushes is outstanding- way cheaper than I’ve ever found in stores.

Even if you don’t want to use this link, please don’t use a cheap brush anymore!  I promise, you won’t believe the difference!

Do you have any painting tips and tricks?

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Need project gear?  Here’s stuff I use and recommend for your next painting project!