Cut in, then roll into the wet edge

The brush-marks-and-lap-lines-free technique: cut in a 3–4″ brushed band, load and offload the roller on the tray ramp, roll an unbroken W over a small section and fill it, then roll up into the still-wet cut-in band — one wall section at a time.

What this diagram shows

A four-panel walkthrough of the interior-painting technique. Panel 1: an angled brush cuts in a 3-to-4 inch band of paint along the ceiling line, corners and trim. Panel 2: a roller is dipped in the paint well of a tray and rolled up the ramp to shed excess. Panel 3: the roller lays an unbroken W pattern over a small wall section, then fills it in without lifting. Panel 4: the roller is blended up into the still-wet cut-in band so no lap marks form.

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  <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com/construction-diagrams/interior-paint-cut-in-and-roll-sequence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
    <img src="https://remodelcalculators.com/illustrations/interior-paint-cut-in-and-roll-sequence.svg" alt="A four-panel walkthrough of the interior-painting technique. Panel 1: an angled brush cuts in a 3-to-4 inch band of paint along the ceiling line, corners and trim. Panel 2: a roller is dipped in the paint well of a tray and rolled up the ramp to shed excess. Panel 3: the roller lays an unbroken W pattern over a small wall section, then fills it in without lifting. Panel 4: the roller is blended up into the still-wet cut-in band so no lap marks form." width="800" height="560" style="width:100%;height:auto;border:0" loading="lazy">
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    Diagram: <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com/construction-diagrams/interior-paint-cut-in-and-roll-sequence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cut in, then roll into the wet edge</a> — courtesy of <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RemodelCalculators.com</a>
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