Masking Tape Taking Paint Off

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Hi all

I'm having real difficulty with masking tape, I've tried a variety of makes with the same result, so I know it's me

After I've painted on a wall I pull the tape off a short while after, but it keeps taking the backing away too behind it (usually painted background) so I have to keep touching up.

Has anyone got any tips to stop or reduce this from happening?

Many thanks

 

[Tigercubrider]

Frog tape
The yellow is lower tack than the green

 

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Hi mate, tried both and still get the same result

My walls are paited already, so when I want to add a stripe, I lay the tape on, run it smooth with a card, do the paint, leave it for about an hour and very slowly pull it off, whilst the new paint is fine, the existing wall paint peels off in patches, it isn't the wall nor paint as I'm having issues in every room so know it's me, I swear masking tape wasn't like this years ago

Frog tape
The yellow is lower tack than the green

 

[OchAye]

Pull it off at 180 degrees (back on itself) not at 90 degrees. It may help.

 

[foxhole]

The existing paintwork may be crap I every room.?
Masking tape often leaves a coarse edge, I use Foil tape for silicon application for a sharp edge.



http://www.themaskingshop.co.uk/detail.asp?catID=1a

 

[Tigercubrider]

don't smooth it with a card.

 

[JohnD]

when I want to add a stripe

For stripes, and the edge between ceiling and wall, I get good results freehand, using a small, pure-bristle brush of good quality (I like Hamilton Perfection) that's densely packed (no filler) well-loaded with thick, well-stirred but unthinned paint. You can draw a chalk-line as a guide and rub it off later. Steady your hand with a stick having the end padded with tied-on rag, braced against the wall. Signwriters use this, it may have a name. You may like to hold the brush sideways. Do the lighter or white part first.

If you go to far, clean it off immediately with a sponge. Otherwise, you can, after drying, cover up any whiskers of paint with an even smaller brush, using the lighter colour.

 

[sparkwright]

Masking tape can be very problematic, and once you have drawn a line, it is far simpler to paint freehand, but of course this will depend on your skill.

Possibly it may help only to stick the tape near where your line is, with the yellow frog tape there is no need to press it down too hard.

Also don't put too much paint on the area where the line is, it will just make the tape removal that much harder.

 

[opps]

pure-bristle brush of good quality (I like Hamilton Perfection)

I respectfully suggest that you try a decent synthetic brush made by one the better American brands, eg, Purdy, Wooster, Corona or Picasso.

The first time I tried a Purdy, approx 20 years ago, I binned my Hamilton Perfection brushes. That said, they didn't make synthetic brushes in those days, just the black hogs hair bristle brushes.

Hogs hair (natural bristle) brushes swell when used with waterbased paints. They also need to be "broken" in and even then still leave contaminates in the paint finish. I once made the mistake of buying natural bristle Purdy brushes- I gave them away after one use.

I'd also recommend using a 3" brush for cutting in rather than a small brush. With practice you can create longer straight cutting in lines. A tripod halogen lamp, when correctly positioned, will help to create a shadow line that you can follow. Depending on other light sources you may need to move the lamp quite a few times until you get that shadow.

Floetrol will help the paint to flow as you do your long sweeps. It isn't cheap but it is better than simply tinning the paint and it last a long time

 

[JohnD]

yes, I'll look out for a few purdeys.

I've tried cheap synthetics and found them rather poor.

 

[opps]

yes, I'll look out for a few purdeys.

I've tried cheap synthetics and found them rather poor.

I too have inadvertently ended up buying rubbish synthetic brushes, even from the likes of Wooster. Screwfix started selling the Wooster Silver(?) range. As a fan of their Ultra Pro range , I assumed that they would be good, nope they were pants. It turns out that the American firms sell brushes to suit all price breaks. Fortunately most UK resellers only sell the better quality American ones (bar the Screwfix example).