First off, I need to say this: Over that past 25 years or so, painting has come to be perceived by most as a job that anyone can do. WRONG. Painting is a craft, a skill that is honed over many years of training and practice. Most don’t understand that it takes time to learn techniques, product selection, equipment use, and proper tool manipulation. Please don’t be disappointed if your weekend project doesn’t turn out perfect, because it won’t. If everybody could do it, then I’d be out of a job, and I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
Now for tape. Painter’s tape is over rated (see HGTV) and over used (again see HGTV).
A recent poll on a pro painter’s forum showed less than 5% of professional paint contractors tape off everything in a room before painting. If you want the project to look professional, do it the way the professionals do it.
Step 1: Purchase a good brush, and learn to use it proficiently. Nothing beats a good brush and a steady hand. Again, this is something that is perfected over time, not everyone can just pick up a brush and go.
Step 2: Learn what tape to use and when it’s appropriate. Blue painter’s tape is best for all around use. Tape should be put on any vertical surface that will get spattered when rolling above it, such as doorknobs, the top edge of chair rail and base boards, etc. It is only there to prevent spatter. It can also be put on other edges or surfaces, but only as a ‘safety net’.
The big mistake that everyone does is to put tape on an area or object they don’t want to get paint on, and then they proceed to slather paint over the edge of the tape. This allows paint to be sucked under the edge. It is very hard to get a tight edge that won’t allow paint to seep under. The tape is only to be used as a safety net, in case you OOPS paint over the line a hair. Tape will catch small mistakes, not large quantities of material being coated over it.
To summarize, use tape to prevent spatter, and cut edges with a good brush. If you must use tape for cutting in, then lay the tape, run a fingernail or credit card down the edge to seal it tight as possible, and TRY NOT TO GET ANY PAINT ON IT.
Hope that helps!
Happy painting
Linear Mode
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