How to Paint a Striped Wall

A level is key when painting stripes.

When it comes to finishing a room's walls, you can do more than painting them a solid color or hanging wallpaper to create an interesting look. With painter's tape, careful measuring and a steady hand, you can paint your room in vertical stripes. For a subtle look, choose two sheens of the same color -- flat and eggshell, for instance. For more contrast, choose a stripe color that's a little darker than the base coat. Or go colorful with highly contrasting shades. Whichever method you choose, your room will have a custom finish.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Stepladder
• 2-inch painter's tape
• 2 1/2-inch high-quality angled paintbrush
• 3/8-inch nap roller cover
• Paint roller frame
• Paint tray
• Tape measure
• Pencil or chalk
• 4-foot carpenter's level
• Straightedge

1. Apply painter's tape to moldings and other areas that won't be painted. Paint the entire room with your lightest paint color, in either a flat or eggshell finish. Let this base coat dry for at least 48 hours before painting the stripes.

2. Decide how wide your stripes will be -- 4 to 12 inches wide are your best choice. A narrower stripe gives a more formal look; a wider stripe is more casual.

3. Measure the width of each wall in inches, rounding up to the next full inch. Add all the wall measurements together. Transfer your measurements onto paper. Divide your wall measurements by the stripe width you decided on. Draw the stripes out on paper. Adjust them as necessary so all the stripes will be the same size.

4. Place a 4-foot carpenter's level vertically along the wall where you want your first stripe to start. Draw a line along the level with pencil or chalk. Lay a strip of painter's tape along this line, on the outside edges of the area that will be painted with your stripe color. Press the tape firmly in place. Mark each additional stripe in this way, placing painter's tape along both edges.

5. Place a straightedge on top of the painter's tape. Paint along the edge with an eggshell-sheen paint, using an angled paintbrush. Paint wide stripes with a 3/8-inch nap roller and narrower stripes with the brush. Paint each stripe this way.

6. Let the paint dry for an hour, or according to the paint can label. Apply a second coat of paint on the stripes. Let the stripes dry for several hours -- but not completely -- then remove the tape.

Tips & Warnings

• Get inspiration for your room at the fabric store. If you see a striped fabric you like, buy a sample and take it to the paint store to get matching paint.

• It's helpful to have a partner when measuring; be sure to measure carefully.

• Take your time -- the stripes don't have to be perfect.

• Do not use cheap tape or masking tape.

• The base coat must be very dry and "cured" before adding stripes.

References

• Real Simple: How to Paint Stripes on a Wall