# Painting Bullnose Corners



## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

How do you guys marry one wall color with another at a bullnose corner? On a square corner it's easy to end one color and start another, how do you handle bullnose transitions with different colors?

I'm asking because I'm curious how you guys handle situations like this, it's not for the newly formed Craigslist company I've started, honest!:blink::laughing:

Seriously, I'm only asking - no ulterior motives.


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

My painter uses SW Transitional paint. I think he said flat was the best for a smooth segue.


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

angus242 said:


> My painter uses SW Transitional paint. I think he said flat was the best for a smooth segue.


My painter only uses Behr 2-in-1.:sad:


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

A. Spruce said:


> My painter only uses Behr 2-in-1.:sad:


Crap. is that what the 2-1 stands for; 2 transitions, 1 paint.

Damn, _now _I get it :clap:


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:clap::clap::clap:


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

A few years ago, I think it was Slick (not sure) that showed a piece of bull-nosed bead that he drilled a hole in the center of for a pencil and slid it down the corner to mark a line.


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## mc handyman (May 17, 2009)

Regardless of what paint we are using we will paint both walls their own colorand join them on the center of the bullnose. While both colors are still wet we then mix the two colors together in small container and blend them to an equally dominant shade. Then we take a 1" artist brush and blend the two colors. It may be necesarry to redo this a time or two until you find the right color fade.

If the HO wants a solid transition then you can simply paint he dominant color wall, tape the bullnose and then do the other color. I have found that this is not the best way in most cases because sometimes those bullnoses are not perfect and the different profiles up and down the corner really show when you see two different colors meeting up.


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## aptpupil (Jun 12, 2010)

mc handyman said:


> Regardless of what paint we are using we will paint both walls their own colorand join them on the center of the bullnose. While both colors are still wet we then mix the two colors together in small container and blend them to an equally dominant shade. Then we take a 1" artist brush and blend the two colors. It may be necesarry to redo this a time or two until you find the right color fade.


got any pictures?


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

Thank you all for your input.



mc handyman said:


> Regardless of what paint we are using we will paint both walls their own colorand join them on the center of the bullnose. While both colors are still wet we then mix the two colors together in small container and blend them to an equally dominant shade. Then we take a 1" artist brush and blend the two colors. It may be necesarry to redo this a time or two until you find the right color fade.


The method that I've heard about, but not tried, is to paint both colors to the corner and leave a wet bead down the centerline of the corner, then use a "dry" roller and run it down the center of the corner, mixing the two colors together. This seems like a fast and good way to go about it. Thoughts?


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

Choose the direction of the dominant room/color, drop roll of tape like a plumb line, paint. I've never considered "blending" colors on a bullnose, I like sharp lines and the wow factor expressed by my clients.
Not that it's wrong but crisp lines are the one thing a pro has over a H.O. paint job.


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## jkfox624 (Jun 20, 2009)

I dunno i kinda like the blended idea. As long as the colors aren't really drastic i think it could look neat if done right.


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## mc handyman (May 17, 2009)

A. Spruce said:


> Thank you all for your input.
> 
> 
> 
> The method that I've heard about, but not tried, is to paint both colors to the corner and leave a wet bead down the centerline of the corner, then use a "dry" roller and run it down the center of the corner, mixing the two colors together. This seems like a fast and good way to go about it. Thoughts?


I have seen guys do it a few times and it seems to work out well for them. I have tried it once but was unsattisfied with the results because the new roller didnt saturate right off the bat so it gave me kind of a un-even vertical comformity (if that makes sense?). Hell give it a try. I wonder if you could use that same technique but with a light brush to feather in the color?


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## mc handyman (May 17, 2009)

aptpupil said:


> got any pictures?


I do have some pictures but they are on my flashdrive that I can not find... maybe there is a thread for office organization???
I will post them once I find the flash.


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

mc handyman said:


> I have seen guys do it a few times and it seems to work out well for them. I have tried it once but was unsattisfied with the results because the new roller didnt saturate right off the bat so it gave me kind of a un-even vertical comformity (if that makes sense?). Hell give it a try. I wonder if you could use that same technique but with a light brush to feather in the color?


If my brain is looking at it right, a roller has a random pattern to it, so as it smudges the two paints together, it's also giving an erratic pattern, not a straight line as a brush would. I suspect that mixing the two paints as mentioned earlier to wet the roller before making the smudge would produce a more even smudging from top to bottom.

I would think that using stark contrasting colors, a sharp demarcation line where one ends and the other begins would be best, but for similar colors such as an off white and an antique or Navajo white or beige come together a smudged line would be best.


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## Ohiobuilder (Feb 16, 2007)

We tape our corners with blue painters tape, leaves a nice crisp line with no bleed thru. I would like to see th mixing of the paints as well, that is being very creative!


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## mc handyman (May 17, 2009)

WisePainter said:


> Choose the direction of the dominant room/color, drop roll of tape like a plumb line, paint. I've never considered "blending" colors on a bullnose, I like sharp lines and the wow factor expressed by my clients.
> Not that it's wrong but crisp lines are the one thing a pro has over a H.O. paint job.


 
I always ask the homeowner what they would like to see. If the want a crisp line they get a crisp line. If they like the idea of blending the two colors that is what the get-unless the colors are two contrasting. Personally I see a bullnose as creating a continuation of a wall due to its radius unlike sharp corners where I see those as being stopping points.

Does anyone know around what time the use of the bullnose corner came into play? In my area I see allot of them in what was high end homes back in the 60's and 70's


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

Bullnose started becoming popular around here in the 90's, maybe slightly earlier. I don't generally like it, but it can look nice in some homes.


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## CCCo. (Jul 19, 2009)

Well,
Here's step one!






Looks like someone finally found a use for these things :laughing:


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## RCPainting (Jan 29, 2006)

We do a lot of them. Tape a straight line and spray it.

Here are some photos.


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## Remodelor (Nov 5, 2010)

I would be very interested to see a transition on a bullnose corner. I think I've seen bullnose corners in one home in my entire life, and that was in Wichita. Been in over 200 homes in KC and haven't seen one yet.


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## CCCo. (Jul 19, 2009)

Sorry Spruce, you know I gotta take the road less traveled.

Watch this video, its pretty awesome.

I bet these guys could paint a bull's nose :blink:

http://vimeo.com/8955445

-


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

CCCo. said:


> Sorry Spruce, you know I gotta take the road less traveled.
> 
> Watch this video, its pretty awesome.
> 
> ...


Sure, you could paint a bull's nose, but why would you want to? :laughing:


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

I've always' used the blue 3M tape, dry brushed to seal tape edge, then rolled or sprayed to make a straight line. I'll try the blending on the next job that has bullnose. Sounds interesting.:detective:


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## CCCo. (Jul 19, 2009)

A. Spruce said:


> Sure, you could paint a bull's nose, but why would you want to? :laughing:


I'd paint it red :shifty:

:w00t:


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

Sir Mixalot said:


> I've always' used the blue 3M tape, dry brushed to seal tape edge, then rolled or sprayed to make a straight line. I'll try the blending on the next job that has bullnose. Sounds interesting.:detective:


Please report back if you do, hopefully with some pictures.


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

CCCo. said:


> I'd paint it red :shifty:
> 
> :w00t:


And probably call him Rudolph too, eh? :blink:


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## Gough (May 1, 2010)

WisePainter said:


> Choose the direction of the dominant room/color, drop roll of tape like a plumb line, paint. I've never considered "blending" colors on a bullnose, I like sharp lines and the wow factor expressed by my clients.
> Not that it's wrong but crisp lines are the one thing a pro has over a H.O. paint job.


We have had to do this with a number of arches, so the plumb line part doesn't really work. We cobbled together a stack of staggered stir-sticks and taped a pencil to it so we could draw a consistent line around the arch. Then we cut to the line.

The "direction of the dominant color" idea is a good tip and looks better than splitting the bullnose down the middle, IMHO. If the transition is between a more public and private space, for instance, we go around the curve from the public side.


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

Gough said:


> We have had to do this with a number of arches, so the plumb line part doesn't really work. We cobbled together a stack of staggered stir-sticks and taped a pencil to it so we could draw a consistent line around the arch. Then we cut to the line.
> 
> The "direction of the dominant color" idea is a good tip and looks better than splitting the bullnose down the middle, IMHO. If the transition is between a more public and private space, for instance, we go around the curve from the public side.



Arches are never fun but a great challenge, I freehand and eyeball the tape along the arch. With choosing the dominant color choice I've spent HOURS debating hundreds of options and possible reasons for both directions.
I never involve the client, it tends to muddy the waters and I am after all the color expert hired to do my job.

Turning on Oprah or some Dr. Phil always distracts most of my clients.


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

Remodelor said:


> I would be very interested to see a transition on a bullnose corner. I think I've seen bullnose corners in one home in my entire life, and that was in Wichita. Been in over 200 homes in KC and haven't seen one yet.




you apparently haven't been to Stilwell KS. suburb of KC., south end of Nall rd. 158th to 166th.

the houses look like Olive Garden attacked them...bullnose all day long.


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## JHC (Jun 4, 2010)

As long as it isn't a textured wall any decent painter should be able to free hand them. If not just use frog tape.


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

JHC said:


> As long as it isn't a textured wall any decent painter should be able to free hand them. If not just use frog tape.


freehand?

pics of some of your freehand bullnose skills or gtfo with that "decent painter" yap...



and frogtape, like it for some things but too pricey for bullnose.



EDIT: oops, just realized you are a remodeler and not a painter...just plain gtfo...


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## JHC (Jun 4, 2010)

Wisey I paint you in a corner and not even throw you a sammich, pics. pfft. Is it lunch time in KC? Why are you at work?


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

JHC said:


> Wisey I paint you in a corner and not even throw you a sammich, pics. pfft. Is it lunch time in KC? Why are you at work?



smartphone, winmo htc hd2 leo to be exact.

you must be sitting in front of a computer at home on a Wed. afternoon...bummer.


 <----- you.


$ <----- me!


this post was freehanded.


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

well remodeler?


lunch is almost over...for me.

pics?


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## Dorman Painting (May 2, 2006)

Freehand?? Yeah right, I tried that in my macho days and it looked like crap. We just did some bullnose patio homes last year and we had to use the blue tape. Our drywallers were just crudy enough that they didn't flush the bullnose, therefore leaving a perfect line for us to use as a tape guide. I even thought we would be able to freehand those because of the line the drywallers created by not using enough mud, but freehanding is much more difficult than most can imagine. The crisp line created by the blue tape is the only way I would/will do it, nothing else is acceptable to me. 

Bullnose is not real popular here in the Louisville area, I've always seen lots of it in Florida. I kind of thought it originated down there.


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## WisePainter (Sep 16, 2008)

Dorman Painting said:


> Freehand?? Yeah right, I tried that in my macho days and it looked like crap. We just did some bullnose patio homes last year and we had to use the blue tape. Our drywallers were just crudy enough that they didn't flush the bullnose, therefore leaving a perfect line for us to use as a tape guide. I even thought we would be able to freehand those because of the line the drywallers created by not using enough mud, but freehanding is much more difficult than most can imagine. The crisp line created by the blue tape is the only way I would/will do it, nothing else is acceptable to me.
> 
> Bullnose is not real popular here in the Louisville area, I've always seen lots of it in Florida. I kind of thought it originated down there.


did a bunch in florida. i sort of like it if done right.


they is no way to successfully freehand it, but a few pics sure would help to change my mind...

still waiting.


but i already know the remodeler is full of talk...


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## JHC (Jun 4, 2010)

Here ya go wisey, until you learn how to use a brush..:turned:

http://www.blendmate.com/video.html


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## Workaholic (Feb 3, 2007)

boman47k said:


> A few years ago, I think it was Slick (not sure) that showed a piece of bull-nosed bead that he drilled a hole in the center of for a pencil and slid it down the corner to mark a line.


I think you are thinking of Tim, here is Tim's tip from PT


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## ewingpainting (Jun 2, 2008)

Just use a bull nose brush.


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