It’s amazing the difference that a new coat of paint can make, transforming your home from dull and drab to bright and beautiful. You may feel that refreshing your home with a new coat of paint is too big of a project for you to tackle yourself, but with the right tools, professional results are within your reach. One tool that plays a vital role in achieving a great result is the painter’s tape. By prepping your space with the right tape, you’ll be off to a great start.
A fresh coat of paint can not only transform the look of your home, but also better protect your walls and extend their life – regardless of what they are made of. Just as different types of walls need different types of paint, different types of surfaces also need different types of painter’s tapes. By choosing to use the right tape, you’re choosing to end up with a better result. The Scotch® brand has a full line of painter’s tapes specifically designed to adhere to the different surfaces in your home.
In the production of Scotch painter’s tapes, 3M® strives to design waste and pollution out of the process, reuse and recycle materials when possible, and use regenerated resources. The adhesives used in Scotch painter’s tape are made without solvents and are either made from natural rubber harvested from rubber trees that is then regenerated by the trees or from water-based materials. The paper used in the tape is made from bio-based materials and renewable resources and comes from responsibly sourced forests. The full line of tapes is made in factories that are certified for energy management, and a portion of the energy used to produce the tapes comes from renewable sources.
Good masking is the key to sharp, professional paint lines and an overall neat, finished look. It can also save you time because you won’t need to do touch-ups once your project is complete. Follow the steps below to make your project look like it was done by a professional.
- Clean – The surface should be clean, dry and dust-free so the tape sticks properly.
- Apply Tape – Lay tape onto the surface, pressing down as you go. Don’t stretch the tape, or it may lift or break.
- Secure Tape – Press tape down firmly with a smooth edge, like a putty knife or credit card.
- Let Tape Set – Wait about 30 to 60 minutes before you begin painting.
Removing the tape the right way after you’ve finished painting is also an important step to a great reveal.
- Wait – Wait until the paint is dry to the touch before removing the tape. Check the paint can for the manufacturer’s dry times.
- Score – Use a putty knife or razor blade to score along the edge of the tape. This prevents paint from being pulled up with the tape and from cracking along the paint line.
- Pull – Taking your time, lift up the painter’s tape and pull it back on itself, removing at a 45-degree angle. If adhesive sticks to the surface, try a 90-degree angle.
- Clean Finish – You’ll get a sharp, clean line and a professional-looking paint job!
The family of Scotch Painter’s tapes includes:
- Scotch Rough Surface Painter’s Tape – Best for concrete, brick, stucco, rough wood & lacquer coatings
- Scotch Delicate Surface Painter’s Tape – Best for painted drywall, freshly painted walls, wood floors, wallpaper & cabinets
- Scotch Exterior Surface Painter’s Tape – Best for exterior glass, vinyl, painted wood & humid conditions
- Scotch Contractor-Grade Painter’s Tape – Use on non-damageable surfaces like vinyl, carpet, metal & plastic
- ScotchBlue™ Original Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape – Can be used on a variety of surfaces including walls, trim, baseboards, tile & glass
- ScotchBlue Sharp Lines Painter’s Tape – Can be used on a variety of surfaces including walls, trim, baseboards, tile & glass when you need even sharper paint lines
