Discussion
I'm slowly decorating and increasingly frustrated by masking tape.
I have purchased two brands of premium low-tack tape, and I'm having problems with both not sealing properly while also lifting paint.
The walls were finished a week ago, and I have masked them off to paint the woodwork, but the gloss is managing to get underneath.
I suppose professional painters must be good enough to get a good edge without using tape but I'm not at that standard.
Does anyone have any helpful hints?
I have purchased two brands of premium low-tack tape, and I'm having problems with both not sealing properly while also lifting paint.
The walls were finished a week ago, and I have masked them off to paint the woodwork, but the gloss is managing to get underneath.
I suppose professional painters must be good enough to get a good edge without using tape but I'm not at that standard.
Does anyone have any helpful hints?
I always used to buy Frog and even their low-tack one used to cause me issues, either bleeding behind or pulling paint off.
Then I was recommended Q1, in particular their pink ‘Sensitive Surface’. It’s so much better! I actually just used it in my garage last week; painted the top half two coats in the morning then taped it off and painted the bottom in the afternoon. Because it’s just a garage I didn’t really care too much but there was minimal bleeding behind the tape and it’s so low-tack that it didn’t pull any paint off the freshly painted surface. I was very impressed and wouldnt use anything else now.

Then I was recommended Q1, in particular their pink ‘Sensitive Surface’. It’s so much better! I actually just used it in my garage last week; painted the top half two coats in the morning then taped it off and painted the bottom in the afternoon. Because it’s just a garage I didn’t really care too much but there was minimal bleeding behind the tape and it’s so low-tack that it didn’t pull any paint off the freshly painted surface. I was very impressed and wouldnt use anything else now.
dhutch said:
Learn to cut-in without tape!
For the sake of a hour or two practice its quicker and easier for almost all applications.
Here we are:For the sake of a hour or two practice its quicker and easier for almost all applications.
https://www.youtube.com/@PaintingandDecorating/sea...
Billy Eyelash said:
I'm slowly decorating and increasingly frustrated by masking tape.
I have purchased two brands of premium low-tack tape, and I'm having problems with both not sealing properly while also lifting paint.
The walls were finished a week ago, and I have masked them off to paint the woodwork, but the gloss is managing to get underneath.
I suppose professional painters must be good enough to get a good edge without using tape but I'm not at that standard.
Does anyone have any helpful hints?
You can try running a fingernail along the 'live' edge to get a better seal - then pull it off (slowly and at a backwards angle) before the paint dries.I have purchased two brands of premium low-tack tape, and I'm having problems with both not sealing properly while also lifting paint.
The walls were finished a week ago, and I have masked them off to paint the woodwork, but the gloss is managing to get underneath.
I suppose professional painters must be good enough to get a good edge without using tape but I'm not at that standard.
Does anyone have any helpful hints?
For Frog Tape you're meant to moisten it before painting as that triggers the anti-bleed gel.
The yellow low tack stuff is pretty good but a poorly adhered paint will pull off under little provocation. Maybe work out why the paint isn't stuck.
Tesa Professional tape is pretty good, a lot like the yellow Frog Tape but in theory a very long indoor/outdoor life. Might be worth a go as an alternative.
For some recent jobs I've been using the orange Frog Tape, definitely not for delicate surfaces and for some reason not always easy to get but sticks when the others don't like protecting a surface under a water cooled cutter.
The yellow low tack stuff is pretty good but a poorly adhered paint will pull off under little provocation. Maybe work out why the paint isn't stuck.
Tesa Professional tape is pretty good, a lot like the yellow Frog Tape but in theory a very long indoor/outdoor life. Might be worth a go as an alternative.
For some recent jobs I've been using the orange Frog Tape, definitely not for delicate surfaces and for some reason not always easy to get but sticks when the others don't like protecting a surface under a water cooled cutter.
Kwackersaki said:
I was just about to try putting this method into words.It works.
(for me, originally posted by another PH'er somewhere back in the mists of time)
21TonyK said:
Kwackersaki said:
I was just about to try putting this method into words.It works.
(for me, originally posted by another PH'er somewhere back in the mists of time)
JoshSm said:
21TonyK said:
Kwackersaki said:
I was just about to try putting this method into words.It works.
(for me, originally posted by another PH'er somewhere back in the mists of time)
21TonyK said:
Kwackersaki said:
I was just about to try putting this method into words.It works.
(for me, originally posted by another PH'er somewhere back in the mists of time)
If I do remove some of the paint when removing the tape, I just touch up with some fine artists brushes.
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