Inspired Projects

How to Paint Horizontal & Vertical Stripes

Add a little dimension to your space with a painted stripe accent wall. Stripes can add a fresh element to any room like nurseries, bedrooms and bathrooms. Have fun with color combinations or stripe thicknesses for dramatic results. Get started with these easy-to-follow instructions and learn how to paint striped walls like a professional.

Cost: $$
Skill Level: Beginner
Duration: 1-2 days

STEP 1

Prep

Using a cloth or cellulose sponge dampened with water and a little mild dishwashing liquid, wipe down the walls you'll be painting to remove dust and dirt. 

Rinse the walls with clean water to remove soap residue. 

Patch holes as needed. 

Scuff sand, then clean off dust. 

Place painter’s tape around the edges of the ceiling, windows, doors, floor trim, and any other woodwork or trim that is not being painted.

STEP 2

Plan

Decide on the size and direction of stripes you want to paint.

If you want the stripes to have the same width, measure the wall from the ceiling to the floor and divide by an odd number to determine the width you'll need to use. An odd number of stripes ensures the pattern starts and ends with the same color.

Choose your colors. You'll need one color for the base coat and any other coordinating colors you want to use to create the stripe pattern.

Tip: Horizontal stripes make a room appear more spacious. Vertical stripes make the ceiling height appear higher.

Tip: Stripes look best when they are between 4 - 12 inches wide.

Tip: Create a tone-on-tone effect by alternating the same color in different sheens.

STEP 3

Paint Base Coat

You can use your existing wall color as the base or start fresh with a new color.

If you apply a new color, let it dry for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.

Tip: Not sure how much paint you need? Try our Paint Calculator for a helpful estimate.

Colors We Used

Like what you see? Here are the shades we used for this project.

STEP 4

Tape Stripes

Measure and mark the lines for each stripe on the wall.

Use a level or straightedge to create the lines for your stripes. Make sure when taping off that you are taping on the outside of the line where you want to paint.

Apply tape to every other stripe and place it just outside the line so you cover it with paint.

For this project, we created a stripe pattern that repeats every 16 inches.

STEP 5

Paint Stripes

Apply color between the taped-off areas using the W technique (roll on a W pattern, and then fill it in without lifting the roller.) For better coverage, apply paint over the tape line.

Continue in sections until you are finished.

Remove tape while the paint is still tacky. Pull at a 45 degree angle away from the wall.

Allow paint to dry at least 4 hours.

Tip: Use a roller if the stripes are thick or a brush if thin.

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