Is there a secret to using painter's tape correctly? We have textured walls, and every time I try to paint a wall with a clean edge, no matter how hard I try to get the tape to seal, the edge looks terrible. I'm about to paint another 3 walls this weekend, just wanted to see if I was missing some secret or something that I hadn't thought of on how to keep the edges clean.

Is it a new home and have the walls been painted with good paint previously? We have a new construction home that spray gunned the cheap watered down paint all over the house. You will not get a perfect edge under these conditions. I have tried it in four different rooms and we always get bleed through. You are better off buying the best brush and edging the whole room. It may seem like more work at first but you end up having to do it anyways if the tape doesn't work.

what kind of tape are you using? brand?

agree with above on the painted surface being an issue as well.

Go buy a good 2" angled brush for cutting-in technique. it may not be picture perfect, and may take time, but its my preferred method in situations like yours.

• Buy good painters tape
• Don't paint over the tape if possible. Just cut to edge. The tape is there to assist, not prevent
• Peel tape at an angle toward the painted edge so it cuts cleanly

Cody
Fightin Texas Aggie c/o 04

Use tape and then smooth a layer of clear paintable caulk over the seam. Let that dry for a bit and then paint.

There are some clear acrylic media that you can paint over the tape line to seal it. Then you can paint sloppily and when you peel the tape off you'll have a clean line.

I started out using the scotch blue painters tape. It never worked very well for me.

I started using frog tape instead, and tt seems to do a much better job. It leaves a nice smooth line. I still had some paint bleed through but it was much better.

Like one of the previous posters said, buy a good angled brush. It will make a world of difference using it to touch up instead of a cheap brush.

I painted a triple stripe in my son's room. First with blue painter's tape, then moved to frog (green) tape.

Blue sucks and is there to stop drips/overages. I had to wipe up quickly.

The frog tape actually stopped the paint (barring corners) and made for nice lines.


If you are trying to do lines, you will have to do this for blue tape.

1. Put tape up and paint over the tape seam with the base color. If you have to paint the base color first, do that.

2. Paint the top color over the base color and allow to dry. Once dry, remove tape carefully and should have clean lines.

example: I have cra**y builder beige paint. So I painted the walls blue, let it dry. Then I taped up the brown portion of the stripe on the wall, painted the tape with the same blue. Allowed it to dry, then painted the brown. After the brown was painted, pulled the tape off and had a nice clean line.

~egon

Start with good tape as mentioned before. Instead of using caulk you brush on a coat of paint along the tape's edge the same color as the paint that's underneath the tape. Let it dry long enough to at least skin over before painting with your new color. That will usually seal the tape and any leakage will be the same color as the wall under the tape.

You did keep some of the original colored wall paint for touch ups, didn't you?

Good luck.

Frog tape.

A good angle brush is heaven. $10 or $15, and takes about the same amount of time you'd spend on putting tape down.

It takes a bit of effort to get good at at, but once you practice a bit (i.e. have a wet cloth to fix any errors), it's WAYYYY easier than taping.

I haven't taped since I learned how to angle brush.

It can't be said enough - Frog tape. And rub a credit card up and down the tape to ensure good contact. I usually paint the edges of the tape the same color that will remain underneath the tape. It helps create a barrier and lessens the possibility for bleed through.

I was going to suggest frog tape as well

Paint a light coat of the original color to seal the tape, then go to town with the new color.

Thanks everyone. I am using Frog Tape, just wasnt getting the best lines. I do already have the crappy builder's paint underneath so that might be part of the problem. I hadn't thought of just getting a good edging brush, so I will try that this weekend.

never had good results on textured walls. I do it free hand now

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Paint a light coat of the original color to seal the tape, then go to town with the new color

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Yup that's what I always do. Unfortunately that original color isn't always available. But yeah put the tape on, paint original color over the edges of tape, allow to dry, paint new color on over the edges of tape. Peel tape. Very straight lines every time, but yes it does essentially take twice as long.

1. Frog tape

2. What dr dr said

Recently completed this for my daughter's room. (Colors and pattern were her design) Thank you frog tape. On second thought, frog tape should thank me for buying a bunch of their product in order to create the design.



[This message has been edited by Texker (edited 11/23/2013 12:07a).]

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Recently completed this for my daughter's room. (Colors and pattern were her design) Thank you frog tape. On second thought, frog tape should thank me for buying a bunch of their product in order to create the design.



[This message has been edited by Texker (edited 11/23/2013 12:07a).]

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Holy cow!

Wow, that's very impressive!

[This message has been edited by hoyt ag (edited 11/30/2013 2:57p).]

We have had similar trouble painting the textured walls in our home. After a lot of trial and error, we have found that the following procedure works best (for us at least):

1.) Tape off with blue tape. A hint for textured walls - Don't stretch the tape strips too tight when applying to the wall. Apply and smooth like a bumper sticker.

2.) Buy a bottle of Gesso at Hobby Lobby. Use some watered down gesso and paint all of the tape edges. Let it dry completely.

3.) Paint walls, but try not to apply heavy paint at the taped area.

4.) You can either leave the tape up for the second coat of wall paint, but will probably have to cut the edge when removing. Or, for the cleanest approach, it is best to remove the tape before the wall paint dries completely.

I just had a seizure

A good angled brush really is best. I haven't taped in years.

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Use tape and then smooth a layer of clear paintable caulk over the seam. Let that dry for a bit and then paint.

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This. Razor perfect edges everytime

You can get pretty good lines with an angled brush. Good enough for most people. But you can get perfect lines with the tape, paint original color along seam, dry, then paint new color method.

I just did this to my son's room using the method I mentioned above.