Interior ceiling and wall painting is a project that’s best divided into two: cutting in and rolling. ( Having two people do the work is nice- especially if you’re not one of them) one person uses a brush to cut in, or outline, all the areas that a paint roller can’t cover without getting paint on an adjacent surface. The other membrane of the team spreads paint on the ceiling and wall with a roller. If the ceiling and the walls are the same color, you can cut in both at the same time. Otherwise, work on the ceiling first.

If you’re painting with a partner, have the person with the brush start by spreading a 2-inch band of paint on the ceiling, all around its perimeter. Lap marks result if the cut-in paint dries before you blend in the rolled area with the cut-in area, so don’t let the outliner get too far ahead of the roller. You also want the roller to roll over as much of the cut-in band of paint as possible. The textures that a brush and leave are quite different.