What causes “Hatbanding”?

Darker or lighter areas where paint was cut in produce an effect known as “picture framing” or “hatbanding.”

Corners, edges, and other areas that are cut-in with a brush can dry darker or lighter than the rest of the wall that was painted with a roller.

What Causes Hatbanding, or Picture Framing?

• Heavier or lighter application of the paint when cutting in corners, trim, and ceiling areas.
• Spraying versus brushing paint in tight areas.
• Using a roller cover nap that is too long, which will produce a heavy texture.
• Not maintaining a wet edge while painting especially with today low VOC and zero VOC paints
• Improperly mixing paint, causing it to not be uniform.

How to Prevent Hatbanding or Picture Framing on Drywall

• Prime the drywall before painting.
• Paint the corners and edges of one wall or section at a time, not the entire room, so that those areas will still be wet when you use a roller on the larger areas, except when using Benjamin Moore Aura paint, which requires you to let the cut in dry completely before rolling. To help maintain a wet edge use Benjamin Moore’s 518 00 extender which will help eliminate the fast drying of todays paints and thus eliminate the hatbanding.
• Cut in as narrow an area as needed with your brush, usually 1″ to 2″, and get your roller as close to the corners as possible.
• Use the feather-edge brushing technique in corners or along edges.
• For smooth surfaces such as drywall, use roller covers with naps ranging from ¼-inch to ½-inch, depending on the sheen of your finish coat.