If there is a single-most challenging aspect of painting a room, wall, or house, it is using the painter’s tape the right way. A lot of DIY house painter get this wrong only to end up with messy paintwork or chipped paint. It’s completely natural to face this difficulty. We are here to solve it for you with this article. We will cover essential tips to choose and use a painter’s tape effectively.
1. Choosing the right tape
When it comes to taping a surface while painting, masking and painter tapes are often confused with one another. However, a painter’s tape is a suitable choice for house painting projects with its durability. Masking tape is thinner and has the risk of paint seeping through it. Even with the painter’s tape, you need the right one for the area you need to tape. Be mindful of this when out shopping for painting supplies.
2. Clean the moldings first
One of the first tips in any house painting guide is cleaning the surface before the work begins. The reasons being that the paint, as well as the painter’s tape, sticks better on a clear surface. Therefore, before you tape the moldings for your paintwork, clear off any dirt or debris on the surface. This will ensure a smooth painting process without any mess and fuss.
3. Use a tape applicator
Applying the paint can be such a tiresome task because you need all the edges perfectly done. The masking needs to be straight or the result will be an uneven finish. If you want to save yourself from this trouble, use a tape applicator. These tools allow you to quickly mask the moldings, ceiling, or walls using the adjacent side to maintain accuracy. Since they come with a built-in cutter, you can easily slice the tape during the masking process.
4. Press down the tape’s edge
Painter’s tapes are great to mask surfaces when the adjacent area is being painted. However, it is only effective when you ensure the paint doesn’t seep through. You can do this by pressing down the tape’s edges with a flexible putty knife. Start at the end of the tape and move the blade along, tilting it slightly, while giving a downward pressure. Doing so ensures that edges are sealed properly with no bubbles or gaps.
5. Applying the tape in different areas
Applying tape in areas like the windows and wall corners can be tricky. Here’s a quick method for both. Run the tape across the length of the wall or window, leaving extra tape behind. Using a putty knife, press down the edge and the excess tape towards the rest of the tape. With a sharp utility knife, cut the excess and move onto taping further. You further protect the trims and moldings of walls and windows from paint splatters by using a 3-inch masking paper with the painter’s taper.
6. Removing the tape properly
Removing the tape is one of the most challenging aspects of using a painter’s tape. There’s a high chance of chipping the newly painted surface as you pull out the tape or creating a mess when you pull it out before the paint dries. Here’s a neat trick—score along the edges of the tape before you pull the tape out.
Conclusion
While getting a professional paint job is always the best option, not many can afford it. However, this doesn’t mean you can give up on a quality paint job. This is why you need to know how to choose and use the painter’s tape. The 6 tips mentioned above can help you do the same.
