General masking
Some general use of masking tape is in the taping off of baseboard or chair rail molding to protect for paint spatter. Usually only horizontal surfaces are masked. Since paint drops (gravity), you don’t need to mask (for spatter) vertical surfaces, unless you are a “wild man” spinning paint wildly off your roller. Tip: The soft woven covers (see Pudy Dove), are very spatter resistant. Used with moderate rolling speed, you have very little spatter at all. Great for ceilings (and walls) where you don’t want paint spattered everywhere.
General masking tape is used to tack up plastic (if you are not using pre-taped plastic film). You don’t really need wall to wall tape when putting up lightweight plastic sheeting. Tacking here and there will do, and save you time and money.
Don’t use masking tape if you don’t need to
It is faster to not mask off if you don’t need to. While you can tape around every light fixture and piece of trim in the room, it takes a lot of time to do all that. It is faster and easier to control your brush and paint a careful, straight line when possible.
Painting straight lines
Most painters do not mask off the ceiling in order to paint the walls for instance. It is too expensive (if you use the right tape for a clean line) to do this, and there is no guarantee of a clean line anyway (particularly if you use the wrong tape). If you can cut in straight clean lines, you don’t need to use masking tape - for creating straight lines. There is absolutely no risk of paint bleed and paint pull off if you don’t use masking tape, and it is faster and cheaper. See How to Paint Straight Lines
Paint edgers
You can use a paint edger if you don’t have confidence in your brushing. The edgers with the roller wheels are very good for drawing in a straight line at the wall / ceiling corner. These edgers work well around most doors and window casings too. The roller wheels act as a guide to prevent the pad from touching the adjacent trim or ceiling, while keeping the pad on the straight and narrow.
Paint Shields
These are either plastic or metal straight edges that are placed against the surface to be protected. I don’t recommend using these as your primary protector because paint bleeds under these tools too easily. You have to constantly wipe the shield clean too, which is messy. Paint shields have their place in the painting world. They are best used over masking taped carpet, where they are used to push the carpet down to expose the lower baseboard. The masking tape acts as the carpet protector in that situation, and the shield is used to keep the carpet down.
Clean Tape Lines
Masking off Graphics, Stripes and Faux Finishes
Tape Application
To get crisp lines, you must use the right tape, and put the tape down firmly. Once the tape is in place, you need to burnish the edges so that the tape makes good tight contact with the surface. Loose tape will bleed regardless of the tape quality. I use a piece of cardboard for burnishing the tape edges down. Rub the cardboard on along the tape edge to seal it down tightly, there is no need to do the middle part of the tape.
For non critical masking where paint spatter is the only concern, you don’t need to burnish the tape down.
Brushing / Rolling Technique
Even with good tape, and good application and burnishing, you still want to use good paint application technique when apply the paint itself. If you brush and re-brush the paint into the tape edge, you will get paint bleed under the edge. You should brush away from the tape edge when possible, and parralel with the tape edge when not possible. Never brush into the tape edge, you are asking for trouble if you do that.
When rolling use a shot nap or sponge roller with light pressure to avoid “squeezing” and forcing the paint under the tape edge.
When to Remove
Remove standard manila masking tape the same day that you apply it. You may get by for a day or so on the interior but there are no guarantees that the adhesive will not transfer.
The specialty tapes will come with specs on the safe removal interval. It is 14 days for the 3M 2090 tape, and Bloc-It tape. It is 90 days for 3M 2080 blue tape. Check the specific tape label for specific times for the tape you are using.
Clean removal in terms of adhesive transfer is one thing, clean removal without tearing the paint is another.
Avoid paint tearing: remove the tape while the paint is still wet
The wisest and most risk free method of masking tape removal is to pull the tape off while the paint is still wet. You will never run into a problem if you do this. If you leave the tape down and let the paint dry over it, you will risk tearing the paint off the wall as you remove the tape, leaving a jagged edge that will need to be addressed. This is common when using latex paint, which doesn’t develop full adhesion until it cures (which can take 30 days or longer). This is a greater problem when painting with sheen paints (which are more elastic) than flat paints. The best practice is to remove the tape while the paint is still wet, and before it starts to form a film.
If you are painting more than one coat, it is best to pull the tape off after the first coat, and re-apply the tape for the second coat. You will not have any problems with tearing latex paint if you do it that way. I know that doubles the masking time. If that is not palatable, you can try painting two coats (definitely don’t try three - that is pushing it), and take your chances of clean tear-free removal. Your chances of trouble-free removal will be better if you are painting with a flat paint, and even better if you are also painting over a flat paint. It is best to use the highest hiding paint and get it done in one coat if at all possible, rather than leaving the tape down for two coats.
How to Remove
Pull the tape off at moderate speed at a right angle (90 degree) to the surface. Pulling too hard will increase the chance of damaging the substrate or pulling off poorly adhering previous paint.
If you leave on too long....
If you left the tape down and let the paint dry over it you run the risk of potential problems with the paint tearing off the wall with the tape. To minimize this you will need to carefully score the paint with a razor knife to free it from the tape. Cut the paint loose right at the edge of the tape. Try not to score to deeply, this may be seen as a “cut” in the wall. Also try not to score too lightly, or you won’t cut through the paint. After scoring, pull the tape off using a spackle knife right on the edge of the paint to help keep it down as you pull the tape off.
Adhesive Removal
If adhesive transferred to the surface because you left the tape down too long, you can remove it with mineral spirits. You may damage the paint or alter the color of the paint in the removal. If that happens, you will need to clean off any residual mineral spirits before touching up. Mineral spirits is oily, and it will repel a latex paint, preventing good adhesion. Clean the mineral spirits off with a paint deglosser like Krud Kutter, allow the surface to dry, then touch up.
Painter’s Tape and Masking Tape
Part 2
How to Use, Remove and Prevent Bleeding When Using
Painter’s Masking Tape
Search This Site
 | ||||
Custom Search
| ||||
The
Concourse eStore
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
SM
Painting Tips and Advice
| ||||
Painting and Decorating Concourse
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
Our "terms of use" governs your use of our website; by using our website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of our "terms of use", do not use our website.
| ||||
