How to Get Perfect Paint Lines with Painter’S Tape
Learn how to use painter’s tape sort of a pro with these three easy steps.
Painter’s tape is one among the items I see newer painters struggle with the foremost.
Using painter’s tape seems so obvious — everyone knows the way to use tape!
But actually, getting clean paint lines with painter’s tape isn’t quite as simple because it sounds. It doesn’t take any special skills, but there are some tricks you actually got to know to urge good results.
Today I’m sharing three simple steps to getting perfect paint lines with painter’s tape along side the answers to the foremost common painter’s tape questions.
When Should You Use Painter’S Tape?
Most of the time using painter’s tape is completely optional. Most professional painters don’t use tape in the least. They’ve perfected their technique for painting really straight lines blank check.
But for everyone else, painter’s tape is often a lifesaver. Painter’s tape works rather well for shielding any surfaces that are touching the wall or area you’ll be painting. For instance, if you painting a wall, painter’s tape can help keep paint off the wall, floor, and trim.
How To Use Painter’s Tape
Even better, painter’s tape doesn’t just keep paint off of other surfaces sort of a drop cloth, it also helps you get a very nice sharp line where the paint meets those other surfaces. And wonky paint lines are the most important reason some paint jobs look messy and amateurish.
Painter’s tape may be a dditionally extremely helpful in protecting the encompassing surfaces if you’re using paint which is a lot harder to regulate.
Which Painter’S Tape Is the Best?
Blue tape vs. green tape; which is really the best? There are a couple of big painter’s tape brands and that they each seem to possess a really devoted following.
I have used tons of painter’s tape over the years and I even have used painter’s tape from Frogtape, Scotch Blue, 3M and more repeatedly. I even did a few of sponsored posts for Frog Tape a few years ago.
After using both sorts of painter’s tape, my honest assessment is that both work just fine. They tear easily, stick well, and are available off cleanly.
If you aren’t having good luck with painter’s tape, it’s probably not due to the tape you’re using. It’s how you’re using it.
Why Isn’T My Painter’S Tape Working?
Tape problems show up altogether sorts of alternative ways
- wavy paint lines where they ought to be straight
- paint dripping under the tape
- paint peeling when the tape is removed
- tape traveling once you try to color
So if the brand of tape you’re using isn’t the matter, then what is?
Sadly most folks don’t really skills to use painter’s tape the proper way.
It seems simple enough — put tape on whatever you don’t want painted then pull it off when you’re done.
But actually there’s a touch more thereto than that. There are some simple tricks you would like to understand which will assist you get perfect paint lines whenever, regardless of which painter’s tape you employ.
How to Use Painter’S Tape the proper Way
Whenever you’re using painter’s tape, there are three main steps you would like to use to urge perfect paint lines.
1. Applying Painter’S Tape
Most painter’s tape problems start right from the very start — when the tape is put in situ.
You want to use the painter’s tape to guard anything that’s touching the surface you’re painting.
But once you are applying tape, it isn’t enough to easily roll it out around where you would like it. you would like to carefully line the tape up with the sting of the surface you’re painting.
Remember that the foremost important part of the painter’s tape is that the edge that meets the wall you’re painting. That edge is doing 90% of the work of the tape.
If the sting of the tape is just too high on the wall, the very bottom of the wall won’t get painted. If it’s too low on the trim, paint will get on the trim. And if it isn’t straight, you’re getting to have a noticeably wavy paint line.
Making sure that tape edge is straight and within the right spot will make an enormous difference in your finished paint job.
It’s also important to wash any baseboards or other surfaces which will be dirty or dusty before applying tape.
Once you’ve got the tape in situ, run a finger along it and press it down firmly. This doesn’t take much time but will make an enormous difference in ensuring that no paint seeps under your tape.
Taping Corners and Curves
When taping an indoor corner, you’ll get nice clean lines but cutting or tearing each bit of tape at a small angle as shown below. The 2 angles will overlap to make a clean corner.
When taping curves it works best to chop or tear away small pieces of tape and punctiliously put them in situ in order that they are overlapping.
2. Sealing Painter’S Tape
Pressing your painter’s tape into place will do tons to assist it adhere well so paint doesn’t get under the sides of the tape.
But this next step will do even more to assist confirm no paint gets past the tape. This is often especially important if you’re painting something a high-contrast color.
Before you paint your actual paint color, seal the paint edges by painting over them with the adjoining color.
If you’re painting a colorful wall against a white ceiling, paint over the tape with the white ceiling paint. If you’re painting a dark accent wall next to a neutral wall, paint over the tape with the neutral paint color. If you’re painting stripes, paint over the tape with the bottom color first.
This first layer of paint will form a seal along the sting of the tape which will stop the other paint from seeping underneath. And if any of this first layer of paint manages to urge under the tape it’s fine because it matches what’s underneath anyway.
Once this first layer of paint is totally dry, you’ll paint the wall or other surface together with your actual paint color without fear of any paint making it past the tape.
3. Removing Painter’S Tape
Removing painter’s tape once you are finished painting sounds simple enough, but this is often actually where tons can go very wrong together with your paint job.
If you’ve ever pulled your tape off the wall only to possess bits of paint peel right off with it, you recognize what I’m talking about.
The first thing most of the people don’t realize is that timing is everything when it involves removing painter’s tape.
There are twice once you can safely remove painter’s tape without peeling the paint off with it.
