Depending on where the stripes are to be placed, paint over this general area with a solid colour or a faux finish of choice. In this example, a ragged finish was painted across the length
of the wall below the ceiling line.
Let this fresh paint dry completely before masking. Tape won't stick to damp surfaces for too long, and it is disheartening to see masking tape fall off on it's own accord before it has served
its purpose. Test for surface dryness with the back of your hand. Water-based paints will feel cool to the touch if not yet quite dry.
Speed up the drying time and blow otherwise quiet air around with a fan or two. Several fans running full blast will make it sound as if you are incredibly busy, even though you may not
necessarily be so.
Tape from corner mark to corner mark. You will want to have a ladder in each corner. Stick down your tape 2-3 inches at one end on your mark and pull off free tape from the roll, straight out
without stretching or twisting.
With the roll of tape in hand, come down the ladder and move across the room to the other corner, paying out tape as you go, and keeping the slack tape off of the floor. Once you get better at
this, you can try using 2 or 3 rolls at once to save steps. Climb the opposite ladder and take up the slack in the paid-out tape. Without pulling off the opposite end from where you fastened it,
tighten up the tape and place it on the new corner mark. -- pull for straight, but not so hard that the other end lets go.
Once you have both ends pinned, take a putty knife and roll it across the tape, firstly in the center of the wall - then in the center of each half, and again in the centers of those halves,
until the tape is pinned about every foot or so. It is important that the tape not be displaced from its line before being pinned (using a hand or fingers to pat the tape down will knock it
off-line).
When you have the tape tacked every foot or so, then draw a putty knife along its complete length as if you were plastering it.
The adjacent wall.
With the stripes masked, the wall is ready for the final finish.
Once the walls are finished, removing the tape(s) reveals the previously painted/fauxed border.
The above fake marble serves as a surround for a pair of faux bois painted French doors.
