when to remove the painters tape?

16 years ago

before i start painting, i was hoping to get some clarification on the time to wait between coats of paint and when to take off the painters tape.

after priming, i'll be painting and cutting in the ceiling, painting the trim, taping and painting the walls (2 coats of each). the room is approx 12 x 15 with 3 doors and 2 windows. so by the time i finish one coat of trim, is it possible that where i started will be dry enough to immediately start the second coat? same with the walls? we'll be using BM flat on the ceiling, BM Aura on the walls and i'm still on the fence about the trim (regular interior BM or Aura)

and if i'm waiting until i've finished two coats of wall paint to remove the painters tape, will i need to score it to avoid messing up the crisp edge? i was planning to seal the tape with a putty knife and also with a quick swipe of the trim color before applying any wall color.

thanks in advance for the help!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

sofaspud
16 years ago
Drying time between coats is listed on the directions for using the paint, and of course varies with temperature and humidity.

I am not a pro painter, but over the years, have had a variety of results using painter's tape. I've found its ability to peel up and leave a crisp edge is related to the quality of the paint, but with BM, you won't have a problem. The method I use does not include pressing the tape down with a putty knife or sealing it with other paint. What I do is put it down, and press it with my finger, but when I paint, I paint as if there's no tape there at all. That takes longer, but what you get is not a lot of paint on the tape, and you get nice, crisp edges when you peel it off. When you really slop the paint on, peeling the tape off is likely to leave ragged edges.

As to when to remove the tape, I don't do it sooner than 24 hours after I lay down the last coat. The tape usually comes with guidelines as to the maximum amount of time it can be left applied before its removal will do stuff like pull up the drywall paper.
paintguy22
16 years ago
I usually pull the tape when I'm done painting, even if the paint is wet. You should score the tape, but usually a sharp putty knife is a good tool to use for that...you shouldn't need to use a razor knife.
Related Professionals
Natchez Interior Designers & Decorators · Florence Interior Designers & Decorators · Laredo Interior Designers & Decorators · Enfield Interior Designers & Decorators · Fergus Falls Interior Designers & Decorators · Trenton Interior Designers & Decorators · Jamestown Interior Designers & Decorators · Rochester Interior Designers & Decorators · Kalispell Interior Designers & Decorators · Somerset Bathroom Remodelers · Clearlake Bathroom Remodelers · Denver Bathroom Remodelers · New Orleans Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Barnstable Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Sarnia Kitchen & Bathroom Designers
aliciaandbilly
Original Author
16 years ago
thanks to you both! we started priming this weekend, so hopefully the taping and top coats will come soon!
sofaspud
16 years ago
Hey paintguy--

Am wondering if your method of pulling the tape when the paint's wet is born from better results or the fact that when you do, you don't have to go back to that job later to pull it. I didn't get very good results when I pulled the tape on wet paint, but I also didn't score it first.
paintguy22
16 years ago
Well yeah...if I finish a job and the paint is wet, I'll pull the tape and go home. The tape itself can be a factor as well and so can the paint you are using. When using SW I always have to score but not always with BM. Cheaper tapes will seperate some if you try to pull it when the paint on the tape is still a bit wet. Other cheap tapes will leave a bit of sticky residue on the trim. The best time to pull the tape is really when the walls are somewhat dry, but not so much that the paint between the tape and the wall has formed a solid seal....that's when you really have to be careful that you don't pull paint off the wall and that is when you really may need to break that seal before pulling. For example, if I wait 15 minutes and then pull tape, I may not have to score anything. Wait an hour or come back the next day to pull tape and I may need to score that seal.