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Whether you’re planning to tackle a home improvement project yourself or bring in a professional for a large scale renovation, one thing is certain: It’s going to get messy. What can you do to protect your home from dirt, dust, and paint? Here are some tips from experienced professionals.
Find the Right Masking Tape
Masking tapes are integral to any home improvement project. It’s important that you use professional grade masking tapes. Regular masking tape is not designed for home improvement projects. You might save a few cents by buying regular masking tape, but you’ll end up with paint bleeds and damage to your walls.
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Blue Crepe Paper Tape
Blue crepe paper painter’s tape tears easily and protects the surfaces you don’t plan on painting. This tape can be used indoors and outdoors on painted or stained surfaces. Blue painter’s tape is safe for glass, drywall, trim and floors.
It conforms to curved edges and is easily removable. Blue crepe paper tape works wonderfully for plain surfaces, but remember that it’s more about the technique. Before you apply, make sure that the application site is clean.
Pro Tip: It’s always best to test any tape on an indiscreet area to ensure you won’t damage finishes.
Flat Painting Tape
Unless you have the desired skills for cutting in a straight line, flat painting tape is essential for not only protecting the surface from paint bleeding paint bleeding or splatting when rolling walls, but achieving crisp, sharp lines. If your painting project requires straight, clean lines, flat painting tape is your best option. Flat painting tape adheres to glass, metal, and wood.
Pro Tip: Clean walls and moldings with soap and water before applying tape.
Multipurpose Masking Tape
Even if you are a master at painting jobs and your hand is as steady as a heart surgeon’s hand, you still need protection for the areas which can be exposed to unwanted brushstrokes and paint drops. Let’s say you’re painting window frames, corners of the wall or edges of the canvas, multipurpose masking tapes are a great option as they come off of the surface such as glass and canvas cleanly.
Pro Tip: Regular tape doesn’t have strong adhesion and those who use newspapers to cover the areas also face leakage issues. Multipurpose masking tape is the best choice for masking areas that are hard to cover.
Low Tack Flat Painting Tape
A low tack flat tape works the same way as regular flat tape except it is safe to use on more delicate surfaces. If you need to apply tape to wallpaper or recently painted walls, low tack flat tape is your best option.
Pro Tip: Use a putty knife to apply even pressure to the tape line. A putty knife seals the tape, preventing paint bleeds.
Masking Paper Tape
Masking paper painter’s tape is an all-purpose painter’s tape. And masking paper painter’s tape catches splatters and spills while protecting ceilings, walls, baseboards, and trim. This type of tape is easy to apply and remove. Masking paper tape should not be used on unpainted wallboard, foil wallpaper, paper wallpaper or lacquered finishes.
There are tapes which are so sticky that they hold the surface quickly and there are tapes that come off of the surface easily. Some are highly durable when exposed to chemicals like solvents, while others can last for days without leaving behind colors or adhesive residue.
If you hate sticking bits of tape on window glass or wall corners, there are better tap cuts available. And while no single tape can guarantee 100 percent protection from paint bleed, you can improve your painting project by picking the best masking tape for your job.
Pro Tip: When it comes time to remove the painter’s tape, pull it at a 45-degree angle. Painter’s tape is best removed when the paint is still wet. If the paint is dry, use a putty knife to score the edges before you remove the tape.
Remember that quality is more important than quantity when you are buying supplies for your next home improvement project. Choose the same products a professional would use. Trimaco is one well-known manufacturer of professional job site protection supplies.
