Masking Tape
Author
Discussion

Billy Eyelash

Original Poster:

847 posts

229 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
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?

Lotobear

8,515 posts

149 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
Frog Tape

FlopperV60

266 posts

229 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
Lotobear said:
Frog Tape
That's the correct answer

Fallingup

1,732 posts

119 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
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Frog tape and remove it before the paint dries.

Crumpet

4,944 posts

201 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
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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.


dhutch

17,496 posts

218 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
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Learn to cut-in without tape!

For the sake of a hour or two practice its quick and easier for almost all applications.

Mojooo

13,285 posts

201 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
Another shout for Frog - I use it for all sorts

The green is best general purpose but yellow is lower tack

it can get expensive though.

dhutch

17,496 posts

218 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
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:
https://www.youtube.com/@PaintingandDecorating/sea...

Simpo Two

90,847 posts

286 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
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.

JoshSm

2,963 posts

58 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
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.

Kwackersaki

1,605 posts

249 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
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The method I use with tape is this one.


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jgYkGokWnZw

21TonyK

12,831 posts

230 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
Kwackersaki said:
The method I use with tape is this one.


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jgYkGokWnZw
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

2,963 posts

58 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
21TonyK said:
Kwackersaki said:
The method I use with tape is this one.


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jgYkGokWnZw
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)
But is that working because the matching paint bleed has filled the holes, or because it's Frog Tape and you're wetting it so it seals before doing the other coat?

21TonyK

12,831 posts

230 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
JoshSm said:
21TonyK said:
Kwackersaki said:
The method I use with tape is this one.


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jgYkGokWnZw
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)
But is that working because the matching paint bleed has filled the holes, or because it's Frog Tape and you're wetting it so it seals before doing the other coat?
IME the matching paint fills the holes. Tried frog tape, now I just use cheap 50p a roll stuff and the above method.

Turtle Shed

2,534 posts

47 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
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Yep. Any old tape and painting over with the other colour first. Being doing it that way for years.

Kwackersaki

1,605 posts

249 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
21TonyK said:
Kwackersaki said:
The method I use with tape is this one.


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jgYkGokWnZw
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)
I’d used tape for donkeys before this method popped up on YouTube and I realised I’d been using it incorrectly.

If I do remove some of the paint when removing the tape, I just touch up with some fine artists brushes.

OutInTheShed

12,780 posts

47 months

Wednesday 9th July 2025
quotequote all
I use the blue masking tape from toolstation.

For woodwork e.g.skirtings, and emulsion walls, I paint the woodwork first and cut the emulsion in.
Any emulsion which goes off piste is easily wiped away with a damp cloth.
Usually no need to mask.

dickymint

28,186 posts

279 months

Thursday 10th July 2025
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I found that using masking tape is a harder skill than painting without it nuts

Belle427

11,152 posts

254 months

Thursday 10th July 2025
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You could try a paint guard but I have never had much success with them, masking walls is never a good idea really.

Kwackersaki

1,605 posts

249 months

Thursday 10th July 2025
quotequote all
21TonyK said:
Kwackersaki said:
The method I use with tape is this one.


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jgYkGokWnZw
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)
I’d used tape for donkeys before this method popped up on YouTube and I realised I’d been using it incorrectly.

If I do remove some of the paint when removing the tape, I just touch up with some fine artists brushes.