This post should really be titled "The Frustration of Making Horizontal Lines Straight on a Long Wall". Getting the stripes ready to paint took most of the weekend. We weren't working on it the whole time, we did do other things, but it still took us a few hours. The measuring part was easy. The difficult part was getting the walls taped so that the tape is straight and level. It took many tries with different methods until we finally found one that worked for us. We first tried using a laser level to help us tape the walls, but since our walls are quite long, the laser would become a bit faded and it was difficult to see where to put the tape.
So then we tried making pencil marks at the laser line to mark the correct spots to tape up. But then, when we did that and measured the widths in between, they didn't match up across the wall. Meaning that the line would not be straight. Not really sure why it didn't work, but it was frustrating!
Finally, we used a chalk line. If you're not familiar with this, it is a container that is filled with blue chalk and has a long string in it. You pull the string along your wall and hold it up to where you want to mark it. Then you pull the string taut and snap it. The string then leaves a blue line on the wall.
This worked really well for us and made it very easy to put the tape on in a straight line. When measuring it again after we had taped it up, it was mostly level. We decided that there was probably no way to make it 100% level, but it was certainly as close as we were going to get it. Plus, when we put the tape up, the lines seem straight to the eye. So I think it will have to do.
Another problem we ran in to was not having enough tape. I bought a "precision" tape at the paint store and thought that I had enough. However, since we taped the walls a few different times, we ran out. We had some blue painter's tape left over from the U.S. and used that. Which by the way, is not easily available here, at least at the paint stores that I went to. They tend to use masking tape or the "precision" tape mentioned above. Then, that ran out. Unfortunately, the stores are closed here on Sundays, so we could not go out and buy some more. We would have to wait until Monday.
On Monday, when I went to the paint store, I found out that they are closed for two weeks for a summer break. It's great that people here can take time off, but it was frustrating to go there and find them closed. So, I went to a big Home Depot-type of store and was so happy to find the "precision" tape there also. I had been there before we started this project and did not see any then, but thought I would give it another try. It's such a huge store that I thought they must have it somewhere. It was not in the paint section so that's probably why I didn't find it before. I was so glad to find it, since I didn't want to go to yet another paint/hardware store.
Since the walls now have three different types of tape on it, I will let you know which one worked out the best. I hope all will keep a good hold and not allow the paint to seep through. The "precision" tape that I mentioned before has a glossy coating on it that should keep the paint away. It is the yellow tape in the picture below. I'm not sure if you can notice it in the picture, but it is a bit shinier than the blue tape.
Our plan is to get the painting finished this weekend. Here's what the room looks like now:
We just need some floor protection and we're good to go. Can't wait to start painting!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 7:13 
