How to remove painter's tape without peeling paint (like a boss)

Ok, you just finished painting. Nice job! Now, will you be able to remove all the painter’s tapes you used without spoiling everything? Follow our tips and get flawless paint jobs.

Pulling the tape off after painting is all about timing and a bit of experience. Lucky you, we have some advice to make you remove painter’s tape without paint peels.

The right procedure to remove painter’s tape

First of all, wait at least one hour after you finish painting and touch the paint: if it feels a little gummy, pulling the tape away will take the paint with it, so wait until the paint feels dry. If you painted multiple coats, leave the tape in place until after the final coat dries.

Now take your time. Lift up the painter's tape and pull it back on itself, removing it at a 45-degree angle. If the painter’s tape doesn’t want to cooperate (like when it sticks too much to the surface), try a 90-degree angle.

If things get serious (for example when the paint starts to come up with the tape) 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.

Two more tips to avoid peeling paint

If you really want to become a boss of masking and unmasking, here you are some additional tips to reach a new level of perfection:

1. be sure to know when to remove masking tape: take off the tape when the paint is dry, but not fully cured. Paint should be slightly dry to the touch. You can have further instructions in this article to understand the perfect moment to pull off tapes. If it’s too late, you can get a little help from a utility knife, as mentioned above;
2. use a low tack masking tape which is specifically designed to be gentle with any kind of surface and prevent pulling up paint.

    

Even if you are a pro, removing the tape at the right moment can be challenging. If you use the right paper masking tapes, the whole unmasking process gets sooo much easier.

Suggested painter’s tapes to get a clean edge

NEW! 3590 Q1® Sensitive Precision Masking Tape

A brand new japanese washi paper masking tape specifically designed for the preservation of extremely delicate surfaces during the painting process. Thanks to its light but effective adhesive and innovative tape construction, this product offers excellent paint anchorage and sharp break lines, without damaging the freshly painted or ultra-sensitive surface beneath.

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3570 Q1® Delicate surface Masking Tape

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