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peoniesandposies

a good edge with Blue Painters tape

14 years ago

I remember awhile ago someone explaining how to get a good edge with blue painter's tape, but I don't remember exactly how. The green frog tape is soooo expensive that I'd rather not use it. Could someone explain once again how to seal with the blue tape?

Comments (13)

  • 14 years ago

    I actually don't like the Frog Tape.

    I put the blue tape on, press down pretty good but then I seal it with the paint color that's underneath. I'll paint my trim white and wait a day. Tape it off and go over the edge, it doesn't have to be neat, with the same white paint "sealing" it. If any bleeding happens, it's the same color as what you painted and you can't tell. Once you get your walls painted and pull the tape off it will look as straight and seamless as you applied the tape. It really doesn't take long to run around and seal the edges with paint. I'd much rather do that than have to do a bunch of touch ups by hand.

  • 14 years ago

    Yes, press the tape firmly. With ANY tape, I use an almost dry brush of the color being applied against the tape. This, when dry, will seal and prevent future paint from bleeding beneath.

    My painting sequence is ceiling, trim, walls. I only tape over the trim and cut the ceiling by hand.

  • 14 years ago

    Buy a good angled brush and forget the blue tape.

  • 14 years ago

    And remove the tape as soon as possible after you paint.

  • 14 years ago

    I'm with carol, buy a good angled brush and forget the tape. I have also used a wash-off fine tip marker in a close too paint color to make a line to follow with my angled brush. I do use blue tape along the ceiling if husband is rolling paint on the wall though, he always rolls so fast he hits the ceiling with wall color. If you have someone like that in your home buy the wide blue tape.

  • 14 years ago

    I agree learning to use a good angled brush is the best way. Be sure to buy the best quality brush you can find. It will be worth the extra money. If you do tape, a clear coat can go over tape edge if you don't have the original paint.

  • 14 years ago

    When I started painting I used to use the blue tape, but as I painted more I realized that I could save myself a whole bunch of time by not using it. A steady hand, practice and a good brush is all you need! I use small artist paint brushes to fill in any areas that don't seem "perfectly" straight. My latest challenge was textured walls and not so straight edges/corners. A bit harder to make a straight line when the wall itself isn't straight/smooth. The artist brushes came in handy to fill in the lines and fool the eye that everything is straight.

  • 14 years ago

    I totally agree about skipping the paint when painting around trim, ceilings, etc. I do use the tape when I need a nice crisp line elsewhere. For instance I have the rounded drywall corners, and needed a sharp line where colors changed from my dining room to my kitchen.

  • 14 years ago

    Terriks, in addition to the textured walls, I also have the rounded corners, but due to the texture the tape won't work too well. I will need to do a color transition like you did, but haven't got to that point yet. Not looking forward to painting those areas!

  • 14 years ago

    Chispa, my walls are also textured. You have to smooth the tape down really well, then I lightly painted over the edge with the existing paint color, as Shee described above.
    Here's the result:

  • 14 years ago

    I just wanted to mention, I do own a good angle brush (Purdy Cub) and if you don't feel like practicing...tape is the way to go.

    I don't tape around the ceiling.

  • 14 years ago

    I really don't understand this "sealing the tape" process. Would someone mind telling me like I'm five years old? Thanks so much!

  • 14 years ago

    Cupofkindness - No prob! I'll use white trim as an example. You painted the trim and now you want to paint the walls a color, so you tape off edge of the trim and then literally paint the same paint, in this case white, along the top of the tape. That way if you didn't press the tape down well enough in some areas the white trim paint will bleed through vs. a color. If you don't paint over the tape first and paint your walls green, you could have the green bleed through to the top of the trim and have to mess with tedious touch ups later. Some people probably think it's extra work but I much prefer doing it this way. There's no need to be neat when painting the tape. Hope that helps!

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