# Problem cutting in bad drywall job



## tripster (Jun 30, 2007)

Hello guys. Have had to paint a lot of rooms in the course of my renos. Not to bad at cutting in. I am in the progress of painting a dry wall job where the inside ceiling to wall corners are not sharp and consistent. I have tried cutting in the walls to the ceiling a couple of times, and am not happy with the results. Purple and white really shows up bad! 

Is it better to cut into the ceiling by a 1/16" or 3/32" all the way around for a consistent cut line?

How do you guys deal with crappy corners?

Trip


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## Rob PA (Aug 30, 2010)

what about tossing a bead of painters caulk to even out the corners...if the ceiling is white....use white caulking and call it a day


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

or, bring your ceiling down the wall 1" - 2". Of course that means tape but it will hide an uneven joint.


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## Bastien1337 (Dec 20, 2010)

Rob PA said:


> what about tossing a bead of painters caulk to even out the corners...if the ceiling is white....use white caulking and call it a day


It is exactly what I would do. just keep the bead low profile and use it just to really fill the inconsistencies then making a fat coved corner. Depending on how good you are a caulking get a super fresh super clean sponge and wipe it down nice. Rinse it after every wipe down to ensure a seamless line with little to no bleed onto the ceiling. 

If you had painted the ceiling first and still have paint left over just touch up the caulking in the corner with a 1" brush or smaller hit it with the heat gun and cut your new line in on wall.

It will come super perfect


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## Young_Buck (Jul 19, 2009)

Put a 12" drywall knife against the ceiling, get a clean line. Anything beyond that is polishing turds.


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## Bastien1337 (Dec 20, 2010)

Young_Buck said:


> Put a 12" drywall knife against the ceiling, get a clean line. Anything beyond that is polishing turds.


welcome to amateur night


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## tripster (Jun 30, 2007)

Thanks for the suggestions. Are we talking Dap when you say painters caulking?


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## Bastien1337 (Dec 20, 2010)

I like this product because it lets me get on top of it quickly and for the application it is most suited. About 1 dollar or so more than the regular kind per bottle


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## Remodelor (Nov 5, 2010)

Rob PA said:


> what about tossing a bead of painters caulk to even out the corners...if the ceiling is white....use white caulking and call it a day


This is what I have done with really messed up drywall. Sure it's not the normal way of things, but it looks nice, and that's all that's important. Make sure you use a high quality caulk that isn't prone to yellowing.


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## Young_Buck (Jul 19, 2009)

Bastien1337 said:


> welcome to amateur night


You're funny.  If the corner is uneven, and he's having trouble painting it, he should use a barrier to create a clean line. If the corner is ragged sure, maybe he can fill it with caulk, or sand it smooth. If the corner is simply uneven, caulking is not a realistic option. Three things to do: fill reasonable holes, use a barrier, or give it back to the drywall finisher.


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## Bastien1337 (Dec 20, 2010)

Young_Buck said:


> You're funny.  If the corner is uneven, and he's having trouble painting it, he should use a barrier to create a clean line. If the corner is ragged sure, maybe he can fill it with caulk, or sand it smooth. If the corner is simply uneven, caulking is not a realistic option. Three things to do: fill reasonable holes, use a barrier, or give it back to the drywall finisher.


if the ceiling is so bad that caulking cant fix, then why even bother trying to cut in with a taping knife, or tape for that matter, the ceiling is still gonna look like puke. At the point you would need to rework the corner with compound.


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## Young_Buck (Jul 19, 2009)

Dude, it's pretty simple. Either it's good enough to paint, or it's not. Fix it, or paint it. It's not the painter's job to fix the drywall finisher's corners. So if it's not paintable, it shouldn't be painted. Whoever is paying the drywall finisher needs to know that they're not leaving a finished product. Doesn't mean the painter gets to be a diva, dropping an "I cant paint this crap!" but reworking the corner may need to be a change order. Why eat hours of taping because of someone else's sloppy work?

What I'm trying to say is that unless reworking the corners is included in the painting bid, there are two options: paint the turd, or pass it back to the *******.


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## Ole34 (Jan 29, 2011)

tripster said:


> Hello guys. Have had to paint a lot of rooms in the course of my renos. Not to bad at cutting in. I am in the progress of painting a dry wall job where the inside ceiling to wall corners are not sharp and consistent. I have tried cutting in the walls to the ceiling a couple of times, and am not happy with the results. Purple and white really shows up bad!
> 
> Is it better to cut into the ceiling by a 1/16" or 3/32" all the way around for a consistent cut line?
> 
> ...


 first of all if your not a pro painter then bad angles are a GOOD thing. gives your bad lines an excuse!! ............now to answer your question! 

if the angles are that bad just run a bead of caulk around the entire perimeter of the ceiling like the other guy here mentioned, this should help you out......putting a knife to the ceiling for a line is like pissing into the wind


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

tripster said:


> I have tried cutting in the walls to the ceiling a couple of times, and am not happy with the results. Purple and white really shows up bad!
> How do you guys deal with crappy corners?
> 
> Trip


Trip, To get Perfect lines everytime.
Paint the ceiling, then tape it off and spray the walls.
or Paint the walls, tape them off and spray the ceiling.:thumbup:

-Paul


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## Ole34 (Jan 29, 2011)

Sir Mixalot said:


> Trip, To get Perfect lines everytime.
> Paint the ceiling, then tape it off and spray the walls.
> or Paint the walls, tape them off and spray the ceiling.:thumbup:
> 
> -Paul


 
actually for perfect lines you would need to re-form the 45 angle with quick set both top and bottom then sand smooth with an angled sponge to get an almost laser sharp line.............base coat then top coats. but that gets expensive 


here, i'll list the methods to deal with bad angles in order, starting with worse to best

1- take out a few lightbulbs in the room, then cut a bad line (bad taste)
2- just cut a bad line (very common)
3- paint everthing white, both walls and ceiling (cheap easy fix)
4- lower the cut line 1/4'' (looks horrible)
5- tape and spray 
6- caulk all the way around then cut a fresh line (most common)
7- install crown molding,caulk tight and paint 
8- reform the angles to 45 with quick set (most expensive)


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

Ole34 said:


> actually for perfect lines you would need to re-form the 45 angle with quick set both top and bottom then sand smooth with an angled sponge to get an almost laser sharp line.............base coat then top coats. but that gets expensive
> 
> 
> here, i'll list the methods to deal with bad angles in order, starting with worse to best
> ...


I was talking about paint lines not the actual angles.
That's a whole different animal.:w00t:


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## Ole34 (Jan 29, 2011)

oh......well my list should help anyway as long as people avoid the first few lol


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## DecksEtc (Oct 27, 2004)

Young_Buck said:


> Dude, it's pretty simple. Either it's good enough to paint, or it's not. Fix it, or paint it. It's not the painter's job to fix the drywall finisher's corners. So if it's not paintable, it shouldn't be painted. Whoever is paying the drywall finisher needs to know that they're not leaving a finished product. Doesn't mean the painter gets to be a diva, dropping an "I cant paint this crap!" but reworking the corner may need to be a change order. Why eat hours of taping because of someone else's sloppy work?
> 
> What I'm trying to say is that unless reworking the corners is included in the painting bid, there are two options: paint the turd, or pass it back to the *******.


Dude, read the original post. He said he's doing RENOS - there likely isn't a "drywall finisher"...


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## Young_Buck (Jul 19, 2009)

DecksEtc said:


> Dude, read the original post. He said he's doing RENOS - there likely isn't a "drywall finisher"...


He said: "I am in the progress of painting a dry wall job". Sure sounds like he's the painter on a job where someone has just installed drywall.


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## Ole34 (Jan 29, 2011)

Young_Buck said:


> He said: "I am in the progress of painting a dry wall job". Sure sounds like he's the painter on a job where someone has just installed drywall.


 
your right...........they installed it then they left lol




i never knew painters worked along side a drywall crew........knews to me, usually the rock guys have the house to themselves then the painters come in hence THERE ARE NO ROCK GUYS THERE ~!!! ..........


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## Bastien1337 (Dec 20, 2010)

Young_Buck said:


> He said: "I am in the progress of painting a dry wall job". Sure sounds like he's the painter on a job where someone has just installed drywall.


what like years ago. If hes remodeling and the drywall is chit, (credit heritage for this word) chances are he did not sub contract the drywall or he wouldn't let it pass being this crappy.


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## DecksEtc (Oct 27, 2004)

Young_Buck said:


> He said: "I am in the progress of painting a dry wall job". Sure sounds like he's the painter on a job where someone has just installed drywall.


Why would you assume it was a "new" drywall job or even if it is new what's to say it was done right before he walked in to do the job.

I'm doing on-going renos of my own house that was built in 1953 - I can't exactly "pass it back" to the guy that plastered the place 58 YEARS AGO!


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## MattRoefer (Mar 1, 2010)

I didn't have time to read all these guys great ideas, but try using a putty knife blade and make your own line along the ceiling, even if it means you have to cut into the ceilling a little bit. It'll give you a groove to get into and then you and paint into that and move along the wall alot of faster. Lot of times, I will take my putty knife and make that line on walls I am painter (ceiling and walls) just so I have something to focus on. If you take too much off, putty it over and make a new one. If you need more help check out - Painters Tips


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## macc4644 (Feb 10, 2011)

Paint it all one color so these guys can't argue on how to fix a crummy job that shouldn't be doctored with paint or caulk. In the end if you care, you don't want credit for a piss poor job.
Tongue in cheek on the white of course


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