Acrylic ( latex) paints have a rubbery film, which if allowed to dry spanning from the wall onto the tape, can pull the fresh paint right off the wall. When using tape, it is a good idea to pull the tape before the paint dries and forms this film. If two coats are necessary, cut in real close to the blue tape on the first coat, but do not touch it. On the second coat, paint the edge of the tape, and once again, pull the tape before the paint is dry.

Also, the Original 3M Blue Tape is still quite sticky. The orange or green striped 3M Blue tapes are both less sticky and you will have a lesser chance of pulling the old paint off the wall.

Personally, I never tape ceiling lines. It is to time consuming and often doe not give good results. Buy a really good brush, such as a Purdy, they are worth the few extra dollars.

You need to use the green Frogger tape since it's made for recently painted surfaces. I only use the blue on areas that I have not painted yet. I have used Behr for my house and eggshell for my living room, dining room, and bedrooms. As long as your paint has had plenty of time to dry, you should not have any problem using the green tape.

No tape is needed. Ever. That’s amateur hour.

A good angled sash brush to cut in, and maybe a 12” drywall taping knife as a shield if your hand isn’t steady enough are all you need.

The blue tape is supposed to be used on anything that's been painted for 30 days or more. The green Frogger tape is the way to go. Touch up the ceiling and move on.

Omg, Sophie, never thought of using the taping knife as a shield, thank you! Amateur question though, if you use a brush won't you see the streaks afterwards?

Carolina that might explain why the tape pulled some of the ceiling paint off when we removed it. I will use it for the doors and windows from now on...

No eggshell finish on ceilings. Shows all the imperfections and taping joints. Better to use Flat Ceiling paint. Comes premixed in the can call Ceiling White.

We only used eggshell on walls, and that peeled because it was stuck to the tape. We used ceiling paint on the ceiling, and that came off like in some spots underneath the tape and only subtly not completely...

Since I paint my ceilings and walls all the same color (I love the continuity), I use eggshell on my ceilings as well and it looks just as beautiful as it does on the walls! I have used paint shields and they do not do what they are supposed to, for me. They slip easily out of place. That's why I use tape.