Are you ready to start painting?
Dying to get the job done as quickly as possible? Wanting to avoid mistakes?
You’ve probably heard it’s best to use painter’s tape, but maybe you aren’t sure of the best way to use it to avoid mistakes (since using it correctly can save you time and money).
Painter’s Tape is used to mask off areas that should not be painted or to leave different designs on walls. Here we will cover the importance of painter’s tape and the best way to use it to maximize your time.
Picking The Right Painter’s Tape
With renovations, it’s sometimes best to go with a cost-effective option and other times it’s just not worth it.
Painters tape isn’t something you want to skimp on. Just like when you’re searching for the best deck paints or reading various paint sprayer reviews – it’s best to spend the extra few dollars to ensure you are getting a high-quality tape.
Having a tape that seals properly to your edges, ceiling, baseboards, windows and walls is vital. Plus, each paint job can require a different painter’s tape, as mentioned below (with the Frog Tape Multi-Surface).
Here are some of the different options:
- General usage painter’s tape; adhesive can vary
- Longer lasting painter’s tape can be left on your walls for roughly 14 days
- Some are best for windows with sun-resistant adhesive (that doesn’t get affected by the sun on the glass)
- Some have extra stick for rough textured walls
- Some jobs require a tape with different width or length
Before You Start, Get A Painter’s Tape Applicator
There are a ton of painter’s tape options to choose from. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one is best for you. However, sometimes the decision is made for you when purchasing a tape applicator.
Painter’s tape applicators can make the painting process go much quicker.
When you’re looking for the best paint sprayer accessories like painter’s tape applicator, hardware stores are your best friend.
The best part is, there is a built-in cutter so that you don’t have to rip the tape with your hands or teeth.
All you have to do is roll the applicator along the edges of your baseboards, ceiling or wall and it creates a perfectly straight line for you.
This will give you the most accurate coverage, making your paint job look like it was done professionally.
If You Aren’t Able To Use A Painter’s Tape Applicator Here Are A Few Tips:
- Put a couple of inches of painter’s tape on the edge of the baseboard to make a straight line of coverage
- Then unroll roughly 5 more inches from the roll (while making sure that the roll stays pressed up against the wall)
- Then slide the full roll down towards the baseboard and let it stick.
- Keep repeating these steps and you’ll have full coverage
Prepping The Walls
When preparing walls for painting, make sure to dust your walls and then wipe them down with a damp cloth.
This will ensure that the tape sticks to your walls and baseboards. If the walls are greasy make sure to use a degreaser as part of your wall preparation.
You can find a good one that’s gentle from your local hardware store or paint store. Then once everything is dry you are good to get taping.
Tips for using Painter’s Tape in a Corner
As awkward as it can be to tackle corners, it’s actually super simple to add painter’s tape in there to give you the perfect corner protection.
First, add the initial strip of tape to the wall (make sure there’s a little extra when coming towards the corner). Then press a little bit of the tape onto the wall. Next, use an x-acto knife to cut so you get the perfect straight line.
Does One Of The Walls Needs To Be Painted A Different Color?
It can be very challenging when you’re painting multiple walls with different colors.
How can you avoid making it look sloppy and get that perfect line?
There’s no real easy way to do this. However, there is a specific painter’s tape that will save the day for this particular job: Frog Tape Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape.
Make sure to add this tape to the wall about ⅛ inch from the corner. This way you’ll get that perfectly straight line. Since many corners can be curved, rugged or have an uneven surface, this will guarantee you’re as symmetrical as possible.
In case you’re wondering if it’s noticeable, don’t worry. It’s nearly impossible to tell if its ⅛ inch from the actual corner crease. You’ll have an easy time switching from one color to the next.
Using Painter’s Tape To Protect Baseboards & Floors
When it comes to protecting your floors, there are a lot of options: paper, drop cloths, or plastic coverings.
Drop cloths will save you from a headache later since they’re the quickest to prepare (and are the most protective). However, make sure to tape the cloths down with painter’s tape so that you don’t slip or get paint on the floor.
Paper can also help speed things up when it’s applied around the room to all of the baseboards. It will give you that little bit of extra protection since drop cloths can have a tendency to move and sometimes not cover the baseboards. You can then tape the paper to the drop cloth.
Removing Painter’s Tape
Many issues can occur when removing painter’s tape. It seems simple, however, if you don’t follow these tips you could possibly destroy all of your hard work:
- Leaving the tape on for too long after painting could cause some damage to the baseboards or ceiling.
- Removing it too early. This can cause some of the paint to peel off, leaving you with a disaster that could have been easily avoided.
- If you’re someone that delays pulling the tape off for a few days, make sure you select a tape that can be left on for longer.
- The putty knife is your friend in this process, since it can create a cut between the tape and the paint, giving you a clean removal of the tape (without destroying your new paint job if pulled at a 40 degree angle).
The Professional Flexible Putty Knife Trick
Once the painter’s tape has been accurately applied, you can use a putty knife to finish the job off. Since sometimes paint can sneak under the tape, this little trick will prevent that.
All you need to do is grab your bendale putty knife and apply pressure along the edge of the tape (making sure the tape is flat on the wall or baseboard, without any air pockets).
If you don’t have a putty knife, you can use your finger to press the tape down, creating a similar smoothness (it’s just much more efficient and guaranteed to remove creases with the putty knife).
