How To Tape Off A Room For Painting
This article was co-authored by Andres Matheu. Andres Matheu is the Owner of Hömm Certified Painting Systems, an Interior and Exterior Residential painting business based in the Washington, DC Metro area. Andres specializes in interior and exterior residential painting, color consultations, cabinet refinishing, wallpaper removal, and epoxy flooring among other services. An EPA Lead-safe Certified Firm, Hömm Certified Painting Systems has been awarded the Best of Houzz 2019 Service, Angie’s List Super Service Award 2019, and Northern Virginia Magazine’s 2018 Best Home Experts award. This article has been viewed 134,057 times.
Painting a room as part of a decorating project is a great way to bring new life to a room, personalize a space, and make a home feel more welcoming. Taping the room is a time-consuming part of a painting project, but its important for protecting surfaces and ensuring sharp lines and straight edges. Tape can be used sparingly and only applied to horizontal surfaces like floor trim, or it can be used generously to cover ceilings, window and door frames, handles, and other areas that could potentially be spattered with paint.
How To Remove Painters Tape Without Peeling Paint
- Remove tape while paint is still wet
- If paint has dried, score the edge of the tape with a putty knife before you pull it off
- Remove tape at a 45-degree angle
If you know you won’t be able to remove your tape while the paint is still wet, it’s very important to make sure you spend the extra money for a good quality tape that can be safely left on for several days. Depending on your type of painters tape, you should have at least 3 days before tape would need to be removed.
Score Painters Tape Before Pulling It Off
Ideally you would remove painters tape right away, while the paint is still wet. But in reality this isnt practical. In the first place, most water-based paint dries pretty fast. By the time youre through painting a room, the paint where you started is already starting to dry. And if you have to apply a second coat of paint, you certainly dont want to remove the tape and then have to reapply it.
The solution is to let the paint dry completely and then score the edge of the tape with a putty knife before you pull it off. This will break any bond that has formed with the paint and ensure that the painters tape will come off cleanly without damaging your paint job.
Read Also: Paint And Sip Pictures For Beginners
Apply Kraft Paper Border To Protect Floors When Painting
Heres a tip to save you time when youre moving drop cloths. Start out by applying a kraft paper border around the room, making sure to carefully mask the edge closest to the base trim. You can buy rolls of six-inch-wide masking paper at home centers and paint stores. Shown is a hand-masking tool that speeds up the job.
With the border in place, you can move tarps along as you paint, and you wont have to waste time keeping them perfectly tight to the baseboard. As long as the edge of the tarp is covering the paper, youre good to go. And this tip works equally well on hard surfaces and carpet.
Make Painting Easier With Painter’s Tape
When you are using tape for clean, neat painting, take your time and use utility tools as needed. When you take the time to apply painters tape carefully, youll make your painting job easier. It will also look professional. Painters tape comes in different varieties, which will allow you to get the right product for the job. Painters tape is available from True Value. Check here to locate a store near you.
Also Check: Benjamin Moore White Ceiling Paint
Follow These Steps To Successfully Paint Your Ceiling
Painting a room can give it a fresh, rejuvenated appearance, but the ceiling is often neglected during this common home renovation project. Painting your ceiling can seem daunting since the drips and splashes are subject to gravity and could wind up all over your floors, your furniture, and yourself. Weve got some tips for how to paint your ceiling without ruining your clothes and belongings in the process.
-
Protective items
-
Plastic sheets, rosin paper, or canvas drop cloths
Are Painters Tape And Masking Tape The Same
In short, no. Painters and masking tape may look and feel the same, but they do not serve the same purpose. Painters tape is designed to be removed and leave no residue. It also wont wrinkle or shrink when it comes into contact with paint. While masking tape may work in a pinch, if its left on the surface for a long period of time, theres a good chance itll leave behind a sticky residue or itll wrinkle when it comes into contact with paint.
Don’t Miss: Benjamin Moore Paint For Cabinets
How To Protect Walls And Fixtures While Painting A Ceiling
The best way to protect your walls is to use tried-and-true painters tape. Fixtures on the ceiling should be removed before painting, but if they cant be taken off, you can cover them.
Step 1: To protect the wall, tape along the edge of the wall where it meets the ceiling. Well discuss a painting method later that will keep your paint roller away from the walls.
Step 2: If you can’t remove light fixtures, you’ll be covering them, but first, be sure to turn the light off and remove the bulb.
Step 3: Use a piece of painters plastic and wrap it around the fixture securely.
Step 4: Use painters tape to keep the plastic in place.
Step 5: Its a good idea to apply painters tape around the edges of the fixture where it meets the ceiling as well.
Start Spraying From The Top
Before spraying, ensure you put on all the necessary safety gear. Spraying is a lot easier and quicker therefore, youve to consider some methods while spraying the wall for the desired result. Discover those methods in the section below:
- Keep the nozzle 20-25 cm away from the surface and start spraying in an up-and-down motion.
- Maintain a consistent spray and steady pace while moving the nozzle across the wall.
- When spraying up and down, try to overlap 50% each time that will get you two even coats of paint.
- Once youve done spraying up and down, flip 90° and start spraying side to side.
- This process will let you get two solid coats from up to down and left to right.
- Be extra careful along the edges and avoid over spraying to avoid drips.
Once youre done with one wall, repeat the steps to get a nice and sharp finish where the wall and ceiling meet.
Recommended Reading: How To Touch Up Car Paint Chips
How To Apply Painters Tape To Trim And Baseboards
- Pull tape about 6″ off roll
- Place on trim board
- Use a putty knife to apply pressure
- Repeat the process
When applying painters tape to baseboard trim, it will seal best when a flexible putty knife is used to apply pressure as you lay your tape line. Start by laying about 6″ of tape against your surface, then unroll about 6″ more. Laying small sections of tape at a time will help to keep your tape as straight as possible.
Do You Need To Paint The Ceiling When Painting The Walls Which Do You Paint First
This is all personal preference. If you like your ceiling, then leave it alone. If you want to spruce it up a bit, then by all means, paint it. However, it is recommended that you paint your ceiling first. This will keep the paint from dripping down your walls or causing a mess. It is suggested to always clear out the room first to lay a drop cloth to protect your floors from paint drippings or anything spilling.
Don’t Miss: Interior Paint Colors From Lowes
Try A Pad Edge Painter
A pad edge painter holds paint in the handle. No dipping required! The paint is then fed into the pad. There will be no dripping paint down the walls with this device. As the paint is sucked up into the foam pad, you can directly line it up to the edge of the ceiling and paint precise lines.
There is no protective edge but it is designed to fit snugly against the line of the ceiling. There are many different sizes and variations of this product. You can also buy new pads and other attachments for this device if desired.
How To Paint Walls Near A Ceiling
This article was co-authored by Patrick Coye. Patrick Coye is the owner and operator of Patricks Painting & Home Improvement in Alexandria, Virginia. With over 15 years of experience in residential construction, Patrick specializes in painting, wallpaper removal/installation, drywall, staining decks and fences, and kitchen cabinetry painting. To date, Patrick and his team have painted over 2,000 houses and stained over 800 decks. Patrick’s Company won a “Top Job” award from the American Painting contractor magazine in 2020.There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 222,672 times.
The space where a wall meets the ceiling is tight and difficult to reach with a traditional paintbrush. Keeping paint off the ceiling can seem like an impossibility, but it is actually simple because of one basic painting technique. Before you begin painting, be sure to wash the walls and apply painters tape to protect the ceiling. Then, use an angled brush to begin coating the area right below the tape. If you do this before attempting to paint the rest of the wall space, you can complete the room with a spotless finish.
Read Also: How To Paint Pvc Pipe
Getting The Room Ready
How To Use Painters Tape
Painters tape is a DIY painting projects best friend. It helps you achieve crisp, clean lines and professional-looking results. However, contrary to popular belief, running a strip of painters tape on the ceiling, floor or around trim wont guarantee perfect results. There is a learning curve on how to apply and remove painters tape correctly for great results.
Before you start masking off your walls, learn everything you need to know about painters tape and how to use painters tape from the experts at Five Star Painting.
You May Like: Interior Garage Wall Paint Colors
Clean Moldings And Walls Before Applying Painters Tape
- Dust trim or molding
- Use a damp rag to clean surface
- If greasy, use soap and water
The biggest mistake that can be made when taping walls or trim for painting is to skip the cleaning process. Even the stickiest painters tape won’t stick to dusty, dirty, or greasy surfaces. Simply use a damp cloth to remove dust or dirt, and let your surface dry fully before starting your taping process. If you find grease, you’ll have to use soap and water to successfully remove all of the residue before beginning.
Should You Paint Without Tape Or Not
Generally, most do-it-yourselfers can expect to see the cleanest results by using painter’s masking tape rather than cutting-in the paint. While the painter’s tape method loads you up with more work on the front end, it delivers less aggravation and mess on the back end.
As an added benefit to the masking method, when you use 2-inch wide or greater painter’s tape, you protect excluded areas from paint rollers. Two inches is approximately the width of the zone where the side of your paint roller cover might accidentally touch.
You May Like: Best Paint For Interior Walls
How Do I Prep My Ceiling For Painting
-
Prep is just as important to ceilings as it is for walls .
-
Inspect your ceiling for bumps and gaps. Sand down any bumps with sanding paper and fill in any holes or large cracks with flexi filler. This is also a good time to deal with any ceiling-related issues that youve been neglecting. Discover Licks Wall Repair Kit, a trusty 3-piece kit to help you achieve a professional finish.
-
Get rid of any grease and dust by cleaning the surface with warm water. In most instances, a dust rag should suffice and soap plus water is for heavier grime.
Fill Using An Angled Brush
You can use caulk to fill in the gaps between walls and ceilings, but how do you paint uneven ceilings and wall paint lines? Well, you have to use an angled brush to paint the uneven paint lines. Here are the steps you need to follow-
- Step 1 First, take a standard angular brush, dip it in the paint and paint the ceiling about 1/4 down.
- Step 2 Now, paint a line on your right or left side without reloading the brush. Try to get the tips of the angular brush exactly where the wall and ceiling meet.
- Step 3 Follow the same process to paint every uneven paint line.
Recommended Reading: How To Professionally Paint Kitchen Cabinets
How To Paint In A Room With Carpet
- Cut 3″ strips of masking paper
- Apply painters tape to trim leaving an overhang
- Stick 3″ masking paper to painters tape creating a flap
- Lay down a plastic or canvas drop cloth on entire carpet
Masking paper is a great tool to keep paint off of carpet or other flooring. First, you’ll apply painters tape using the tricks listed above. Then, you’ll add about 3″ of masking paper to the painters tape. This will create a flap that will catch most paint drips from brushes and rollers. Any flap wider than 3″ will most likely sag, which will not catch your paint or protect your floor.
Drop clothes can also be laid out to protect the entire room. For painting best practices, cover the entire floor with a plastic sheeting, and then top that with a canvas top. The canvas is more durable to withstand foot traffic while painting, and it will absorb paint splatter better.
Do Paint Edgers Really Work
As with anything, it takes patience and time. The Accubrush, as mentioned above, is a very highly rated edger. These are typically used for painting around molding, windows, and doorways. However, they can be used to keep the paint on the walls and off the ceiling as well.
The edgers will do the job you want them to if you just follow the steps. Do not rush the process or it can result in a messy situation. You can even ask an employee in the paint department what they prefer to use. They may have some suggestions for you.
You May Like: Paint Interior Of House Cost
Choose The Right Painters Tape For The Job
There are times when a cheaper product will do the job as well as the expensive product. But cheap painters tape is no bargain. If youre going to all the trouble of taping, you want tape that will seal tightly to the surface and come off easily. Unfortunately, theres no single type of painters tape that will work in every circumstance.
For general taping, use ScotchBlue No. 2090. There are two versions: one for standard taping, and one with less adhesion for taping over delicate surfaces. You can leave these on for up to 14 days. You can also use the blue tape on window glass. The adhesive will withstand ultraviolet light without baking onto the glass.
Scotch No. 2060 is extra sticky and works well for textured surfaces like stucco and brick. If youre only going to buy one width, get 1-1/2-in.-wide painters tape. It works well for most tasks.
How To Choose A Painters Tape
The best painter’s tape for a space depends on the space and the types of surfaces that youre painting. Purchase a multipurpose painters tape for basic household painting projects. This type of tape features a medium adhering level.
If youre painting a wall thats textured, then get painters tape that features a higher adhering level. Most painters tape brands sell high-adhesion tape in bright green.
If youre painting something delicate and are worried that youll damage the surface with the tape, then purchase delicate-surface tape. Youre likely to find that this type of tape is purple.
Paint is a great way to add personality to a room, and painters tape will help you do this. You can use this type of tape to form different patterns. Consider painting stripes, color blocks, or even a gingham pattern in a room.
Recommended Reading: Abstract Acrylic Painting On Canvas