How to Paint Stripes on Walls (like a professional)

This step by step picture guide will help you in your quest to get crisp, straight stripes on your walls without the mess and headache. I'm going to share the best kept secrets in painting stripes like a painting expert, which will include how many stripes you should include as well as how to space them.

If you have a boring wall that you have no idea what to do with, you should consider adding in some painted stripes! As long as you have the right sequence of steps, painting horizontal wall stripes is an easy project you can accomplish over one weekend.

For example, after having my fourth kiddo, we had to have my girls share a room and we had a wall where both of their headboard would be situated against. While I loved the Benjamin Moore Antique Pearl (lilac) paint I had on their walls, it honestly seemed kind of boring and I wanted to give the space an upgrade.

After completing the project and sharing the space with my friends, everyone asked me how I could get super straight lines AND avoid paint bleed. Apparently, these problems were prevalent when it came to painting stripes for accent walls in bedrooms.

If you are afraid of stripes or have issues with your painter's tape lines leaking, I'm going to share with you the simple tricks on how to avoid this like a professional.

Stripes on a single wall (you can even dare to put them on all of the walls) can definitely transform a typically mundane room into an upgraded canvas that you can be inspired by.

Considerations on Painting Stripes on Walls

I don't often use horizontal stripes in our home decor, but I'm sharing how we got our first try right.

I only painted the stripes on one of the walls……but wow, it adds such a nice texture to that focus wall. (And no, we still haven’t decorated or put everything in place. That little plane is just propped against the wall and the ‘S’ is part of the word ‘SOAR’ that we had up in his last room. Once it’s done, I’ll show more details. 🙂 )

We painted big fat stripes on a bathroom wall and found it easier to use chalk line rather than measure constantly down an entire wall to make sure the lines were even. (Especially since the ceiling and floor is not perfectly parallel and difficult to measure…it’s an older house, weird.) Anyway, we started on one side of the wall. I would mark a stripe and hold the chalk line box while my hubby would hold the other end of chalk line and use a level to make sure the line was perfectly level. Then we would snap the chalk which would leave a perfect line across the whole wall. Then we would tape the line, and measure for the next stripe repeating the same process. It took forever but the lines were perfectly horizontal despite the crooked ceiling and floor of the bathroom! We bought the chalk box at Lowes and crushed up our own white chalk to put inside. It was easy to wipe off!

Tutorial on How to Paint Stripes on Walls

This step by step picture guide will help you in your quest to get crisp, straight stripes on your walls without the mess and headache. I'm going to share the best kept secrets in painting stripes like a painting expert, which will include how many stripes you should include as well as how to space them.

If you have a boring wall that you have no idea what to do with, you should consider adding in some painted stripes! As long as you have the right sequence of steps, painting horizontal wall stripes is an easy project you can accomplish over one weekend.

For example, after having my fourth kiddo, we had to have my girls share a room and we had a wall where both of their headboard would be situated against. While I loved the Benjamin Moore Antique Pearl (lilac) paint I had on their walls, it honestly seemed kind of boring and I wanted to give the space an upgrade. After completing the project and sharing the space with my friends, everyone asked me how I could get super straight lines AND avoid paint bleed.

Apparently, these problems were prevalent when it came to painting stripes for accent walls in bedrooms. If you are afraid of stripes or have issues with your painter's tape lines leaking, I'm going to share with you the simple tricks on how to avoid this like a professional. Stripes on a single wall (you can even dare to put them on all of the walls) can definitely transform a typically mundane room into an upgraded canvas that you can be inspired by.

Supplies Needed for Painting Walls

• Painters Tape (my favorite here)
• Measuring Tape
• Level
• Two Paint Colors
• Pencil
• Paint Roller

Step 1 - Decide on Your Paint Colors

Decide on what colors you want to use in your space. I typically stick with two colors that I can alternate between. Next, you'll want to paint your entire room one of those colors. I would recommend using the lighter color to paint. The reason is because when you add the darker color as an alternate stripe on top, you'll need less coats to cover.

Step 2 - Measure Your Walls to Determine Number of Stripes

You'll want to measure your walls from the ceiling to the top of your baseboards.

Next, you're going to decide roughly how many stripes you want and how wide you want them to be. The number of stripes you should pick should be an odd number so that the top and bottom colors match. In general, the top and bottom paint color should be the darker, alternating color. You can choose to "round" the width of your stripes to the nearest whole or quarter number.

You'll want to paint from top to bottom, so that the nonconforming stripe is at the bottom near the baseboard. For example, our walls are 7 feet and 9 inches, with three inch baseboards. With 7 stripes, that turned out to be 1.1". All of our stripes are about 1 feet wide. The dark gray stripe that is near the bottom is the one that is that is a tad bigger thant he rest.

Step 3 - Paint Your Walls with the Base Paint

Paint your entire wall like normal with the base paint with the considerations mentioned above.

Step 4 - Mark Your Walls for the Stripes

Next, you'll want to make small ticks right where each lines needs to be across the wall. I would make sure that the ticks for a single horizontal line are about 3 feet away from the next tick. Next, use a level to make a slight pencil line straight across from one tick to the next.

Step 5 - Place Your Tape Correctly on the Walls

Since the darker paint will be at the top and bottom of your wall, you'll want to ensure you pay attention on whether your tape is above or below the tick marks. If you have painted your walls in the LIGHTER color, you'll want to tape it so that you are taping off for the DARKER paint stripe, which means it will be BELOW the first tick mark. The second taping will be ABOVE the second row's tick marks.

This is definitely the most confusing part. If you do not pay attention to this, you'll find that your horizontally painted stripes will be uneven. Make sure your tape is in the boundaries that it needs to be in.

To ensure that your lines are super straight and crisp, this is the painter's tape that I use. Please make sure you DOUBLE CHECK and re-check your stripes are on the correct side of the tick marks.

Step 6 - Paint Over the Tape with the Base Color

This is the MAGICAL professional step that you should not skip over. In order for you to avoid paint bleeds when painting stripes, you will need to paint along the edges of the tape. This allows you to cure the first coat of paint and filling in all of the bumpy gaps in the walls which may have caused wavy lines instead of straight painted lines. Once the paint is on the tape, the paint won't leak or bleed underneath. I would recommend using a roller because regular brushes tend to showcase brush marks which is typically more drastic based on the sheen that you choose.

Step 7 - Paint Your Alternating Stripes on Walls

You'll now want to paint the alternating colors on the wall! Start from the ceiling and go down.

When painting, paint ON TOP of the painter's tape, ensuring that you don't go over to the next stripe.

Let this initial coat of paint dry, then add a second coat of paint so that you get the correct hue from the alternating stripe.

Step 8 - Peel the Painter's Tape Off

While the paint from the alternating color is still damp, you'll want to carefully peel off the tape.

Make sure you don't go too fast that you peel off part of the wall either.

Step 9 - Admire Your Work

If you have a textured wall, you may find that you have some small leaks here and there, but it shouldn't be bad because that priming step over the tape ensured that it wouldn't have been as bad. Touch up the areas that you need to!

How to Decorate a Painted Striped Wall

There are so many ways that you can decorate a beautiful accent wall that has stripes. In our girl's room, we attached large paper flowers to the wall. You can also add bookshelves, large photos (which we did on the other side of the walls), and so much more! The possibilities are endless:

• Add a monogram
• Put symmetrical lamps against the wall
• Add three mirrors on the striped wall
• Add a few wall shelving units
• Add in botanical photo frames
• Hang up large canvases

Frequently Asked Questions

How long did you let the paint for your base coat cure before you attached painters tape to it?

We actually already had it painted! I would recommend at least a day if you are painting the walls fresh.

Would vertical or horizontal stripes make the room look bigger and the ceilings taller?

If your room has shorter ceilings and feels a little bit on the smaller side, vertical stripes will allow your ceilings to appear taller. If you used my tips on hanging curtains and drapes like a professional, your room would feel bigger. Horizontal stripes tend to be saved for rooms that don't feel as cramped, but need an accent wall! In addition, it is actually a matter of personal preference. I prefer horizontal stripes, but I know that some of my less conservative friends love to go against trend and do the opposite, which is vertical stripes! To each their own.

How do you paint stripes on a wall without bleeding?

After taping, make sure you PRIME and coat above the tape with the base color. Let that dry. Then, you can paint your alternative colors.

How do you paint stripes on a wall without tape?

I would highly recommend against this. I would use painter's tape to ensure I get crisp lines.

How to stop paint from bleeding under tape?

If you have textured walls, make sure that you seal that primer coat as thick as you can. The reason why paint bleeds under the tape is because the tape may have pockets of air where the walls aren't even. You'll need to make sure that the seam is nice and straight.

Painting Striped Walls

Let me know if you have any questions about painting striped walls. I honestly think this is the easiest way on painting horizontal stripe walls without having anything bleed. Horizontal stripes will provide that accent wall that brings a boring space to life! Check out the room tour for more shared bedroom ideas and a full tour of what the room looks like with the finished and decorated striped walls.

Honestly, painting these walls wasn't difficult, it was just tedious. The big trick to painting horizontal stripes and ensuring no bleed is the priming piece of it. As long as you took that away from the tutorial, you're going to have perfectly STRIPED walls that will be absolutely gorgeous and stunning.

More DIY Paint Projects

• Benjamin Moore Antique Pearl
• Ultimate Benjamin Moore Cream Color