How To Use The Shur Line Paint Edger

Our Playroom One Room Challenge has just begun!

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That means that for the past 2 days I've been covered in pigment, unshowered and hungry. Really hungry.

Today, I thought it would be helpful to show you guys how to use a paint edger. When you are trying to pigment a room neatly and quickly – this thing is a godsend.

Our playroom is fairly large with two large windows on two walls. This means that I would accept been taping these window casings and the baseboards for days – that is – if I wasn't using my Shur-Line Paint Edger!

Please tell me I'yard non the only one who is a lazy painter and hates to tape things off.

With a paint edger, equally long as you follow the tips I'chiliad about to requite you – yous can throw that blue tape correct in the garbage.

(Actually please don't, because that would be wasteful and it can exist used for other things.)

Here's a little rundown on Paint Edgers for you.

What's a Paint Edger?

A paint edger is a little tool that helps you paint around trimwork, casings, baseboards and ceilings. It is a foursquare tool, with wheels on one side and a gripper on the dorsum for property. Y'all take a paint pad and adhere to the paint edger and then pigment with information technology.

a paint edger and paint pads -how to use a paint edger

Have you lot e'er heard the painting term cutting in?

Cut in refers to painting areas besides tight or bad-mannered for a pigment roller – areas such as around casings and baseboards and ceilings! Instead of using your paintbrush and steady hand to cutting in, you use this edger tool instead.

I don't know well-nigh you but I can simply concentrate for and so long. My encephalon gets tired.

You can pretty much discover pigment edgers in most hardware and paint stores and online, (hi, Amazon).

A lot of companies make them but my favorite is Shur-Line. I'm withal using the onetime ane but at present Shur-Line has improved PRO paint edgers with LED lights, flip-up wheels, and more sophisticated paint pads. Yea, they're pretty tricked out nowadays.

Paint Edgers are a really quick manner to get a nice, clean edge when painting your rooms (and you can skip all that prep tape work!)

How Does a Paint Edger Work?

It's very piece of cake!

The paint pad holds the pigment. The edger with the wheels glides forth with the trim (or ceiling or baseboard).

It's almost like you're driving around a piffling matchbox car. Tin can you tell I have a 5 yr old boy?

There are a few tricks to using one which is why I thought this postal service would exist helpful. While I started painting our playroom for the One Room Challenge, I quickly grabbed my photographic camera so I could take a few photos for you lot.

Let'due south assemble upwards what we demand then permit's get to the tips!

Things You lot'll Demand

Paint Edger – I dear the Shur-Line Pigment Edger
Pigment Edger Paint Pads
Paint Tray
Paint (obviously)
Damp paper towel or fabric (at the fix for mistakes)

How to Use a Paint Edger

ane. Place a Clean Paint Pad on the Edger

Hither's something helpful to know (because I made this mistake at offset!)

Shur-Line Paint pads are made to piece of work with Shur-Line Pigment Edgers. Y'all can't go to Sherwin Williams and pick upwards a replacement paint pad there considering those are meant to work on Sherwin Williams pigment edgers.

Merely make certain you accept the correct one for the particular edger you are using.

The paint pads kind of "click" into identify on the edger. At that place are two slots on the sides where the paint pad clicks in.

You lot want to make certain you take the pigment pad lined up correctly on the edger – if you see a space and then you installed information technology upside down.

The pad should cover the entirety of the paint edger.

two. Load Up Paint Pad with Paint

Have some of your paint and pour a bit in your paint tray.

Lay your paint pad on elevation of the paint tray, and then roll off some of the excess paint on the roller part of the tray. You desire the entire pad covered with pigment but not DRIPPING.

Yous also want to check that the wheels and wheel edge are completely clear of paint.

a paint edger in a paint tray -how to use a paint edger - tips in post!

If you happen to go whatsoever paint on the wheels part, just take a damp paper towel or cloth and wipe it away.

iii. Start Rolling Your Paint Edger

We are set up to go!

Line upwards your pigment edger with the border of the casing or ceiling. The wheels should be facing the molding or ceiling part. Apply a bit of pressure and start rolling the edger upwards and downwardly as you make your way around the trim.

If you lot utilise too much pressure – you will have a noticeable line where you stopped and started. And then simply go on things moving and rolling as smoothly as you can.

You tin ever take your paint roller afterward and blur the line. Reload your paint edger as needed.

There is a bit of a learning curve with a pigment edger but I promise that you will pick it up afterwards doing information technology a little while. Mistakes might happen, simply it's all good.

Tips for Using a Paint Edger on Baseboards

I found that using a paint edger on our baseboards was a bit awkward. Our baseboards are thin at the acme – and then there wasn't enough of a "ledge" for the pigment edger to roll on. If you accept thick baseboards – this probably won't be an issue.

Here's the workaround I found for this.

If yous hold the pigment edger at a slight angle along the baseboard, the wheels will glide meliorate and you'll avoid getting pigment on the baseboard top. It leaves a dainty, well-baked paint line.

I also found that if your pigment pad "missed" some spots – meaning, the paint was as well light, you tin run over it quickly with a paintbrush and make full in these areas. Trust me, it'southward notwithstanding much quicker than taping everything off and "cut in".

If you lot practice end up getting a little paint on the baseboard, you tin take your clammy paper towel and wipe information technology make clean.

That'south it! Yous tin can have a whole room edged out in under an 60 minutes which is saves yous soooo much time!

If you lot are a sloppy painter (like me), or a lazy painter (like me), or just hate painting (like me) – then yous demand to try one of these paint edgers.