Release : 30 September 2010
Field : Home Handyman
Focus : Preparatory Painting Tips
8. Masking Tape
An all important ingredient in painting clean, straight edges, all too often overlooked by the unsuspecting amateur, is masking tape. The rule? Don't be a cheapskate!
There are many types of masking tape available but only two you need to be aware of: common garden variety masking tape and painting tape.
Like crepè paper, general purpose masking tape will allow paint to soak through quickly and completely defeat the purpose of masking an edge in the first place.
Painter's masking tape, is a little more expensive, however it is of higher quality, tends to pull off the roll in a straighter line and will resist 'print-through'.
Basic painter's masking tape has the drawback that it must be removed shortly after painting. If a second coat is required it is still best to remove the masking tape, allow the paint to dry, and re-mask before the next coat.
More expensive painter's tape can be left for up to 48 hours and some specialised tape will hold for up to two weeks without damaging the surface underneath.
I often mask around the area to be painted, paint and allow 1/2 an hour to an 1 hour to dry. I then apply what is called a 'wet-coat' - repainting before the first coat is thoroughly dry.
Practically this means finishing the first coat and returning to the start of the painting job. If you have never attempted this technique I would strongly recommend attempting a smaller area like a single wall first.
As long as the masking tape is removed in less than about 4 hours the results are generally good.
As a side note, even when undertaking professional painting jobs I almost exclusively use basic painter's tape. There are rare cases that tricky masking of curves and shapes calls for the best quality masking tape I can buy so that I only need to mask once, but they are few and far between.
Know that just because you can spend a fortune on good masking tape it is not usually required.
9. A second pair of eyes
If in doubt, get a second opinion. If your second opinion wavers, get a third. If your third opinion fails to settle the argument, hire a professional!
It is always a good idea to have someone close by to cast an eye over your work and give a second opinion. I have found through years of experience that it requires a strict discipline to look over a paint job like it's the first time I've seen it and spot areas that need attention.
When you're the mug holding the brush you need to periodically step back from the wall you're painting and see the bigger picture.
It is easy to miss areas that are thin or even completely unpainted when you are working so close to your canvass. Bad lighting, painting light colours or very dark colours, being tired or simply fatigued from doing the job are all factors that cause our eyes to overlook things.
It is easier to re-roll an area before it dries rather than find the problem later.
The easy solution is get someone to look closely over the job you've done and find the spots that need attention.
The real problem in painting a wall is not that you haven't covered the wall with colour but that you have wet the entire surface of the wall.
Stippled or textured wall, wallpapered, rendered or porous brick is notorious for looking painted.
When the paint dries, surface that was not wet by the first coat will probably be missed by the second and subsequent coats but will be easily noticeable from a distance to the naked eye.
This can be really frustrating.
Now that you know what you're looking for, have someone with a little patience look over the painted area again.
10. Time
You need time.
Preparation of materials, shopping, getting the right colour and masking a neat edge. Time to paint and time to clean up. Time is a key ingredient.
Aside from the fact that you can pay someone else for their time to do the job, time is a major factor to do a good painting job.
Make sure you have more than enough time to get the job done without rushing.
Afterall, the time you spend enjoying the fruits of your labour should not be spent focusing on the bit you should have done better, could have done at the time or would have done if you'd noticed back then.
Do it right, first time. Follow the tips outlined above and may your next paint job be simple rewarding.
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An all important ingredient in painting clean, straight edges, all too often overlooked by the unsuspecting amateur, is masking tape. The rule? Don't be a cheapskate!
There are many types of masking tape available but only two you need to be aware of: common garden variety masking tape and painting tape.
Like crepè paper, general purpose masking tape will allow paint to soak through quickly and completely defeat the purpose of masking an edge in the first place.
Painter's masking tape, is a little more expensive, however it is of higher quality, tends to pull off the roll in a straighter line and will resist 'print-through'.
Basic painter's masking tape has the drawback that it must be removed shortly after painting. If a second coat is required it is still best to remove the masking tape, allow the paint to dry, and re-mask before the next coat.
More expensive painter's tape can be left for up to 48 hours and some specialised tape will hold for up to two weeks without damaging the surface underneath.
I often mask around the area to be painted, paint and allow 1/2 an hour to an 1 hour to dry. I then apply what is called a 'wet-coat' - repainting before the first coat is thoroughly dry.
Practically this means finishing the first coat and returning to the start of the painting job. If you have never attempted this technique I would strongly recommend attempting a smaller area like a single wall first.
As long as the masking tape is removed in less than about 4 hours the results are generally good.
As a side note, even when undertaking professional painting jobs I almost exclusively use basic painter's tape. There are rare cases that tricky masking of curves and shapes calls for the best quality masking tape I can buy so that I only need to mask once, but they are few and far between.
Know that just because you can spend a fortune on good masking tape it is not usually required.
9. A second pair of eyes
If in doubt, get a second opinion. If your second opinion wavers, get a third. If your third opinion fails to settle the argument, hire a professional!
It is always a good idea to have someone close by to cast an eye over your work and give a second opinion. I have found through years of experience that it requires a strict discipline to look over a paint job like it's the first time I've seen it and spot areas that need attention.
When you're the mug holding the brush you need to periodically step back from the wall you're painting and see the bigger picture.
It is easy to miss areas that are thin or even completely unpainted when you are working so close to your canvass. Bad lighting, painting light colours or very dark colours, being tired or simply fatigued from doing the job are all factors that cause our eyes to overlook things.
It is easier to re-roll an area before it dries rather than find the problem later.
The easy solution is get someone to look closely over the job you've done and find the spots that need attention.
The real problem in painting a wall is not that you haven't covered the wall with colour but that you have wet the entire surface of the wall.
Stippled or textured wall, wallpapered, rendered or porous brick is notorious for looking painted.
When the paint dries, surface that was not wet by the first coat will probably be missed by the second and subsequent coats but will be easily noticeable from a distance to the naked eye.
This can be really frustrating.
Now that you know what you're looking for, have someone with a little patience look over the painted area again.
10. Time
You need time.
Preparation of materials, shopping, getting the right colour and masking a neat edge. Time to paint and time to clean up. Time is a key ingredient.
Aside from the fact that you can pay someone else for their time to do the job, time is a major factor to do a good painting job.
Make sure you have more than enough time to get the job done without rushing.
Afterall, the time you spend enjoying the fruits of your labour should not be spent focusing on the bit you should have done better, could have done at the time or would have done if you'd noticed back then.
Do it right, first time. Follow the tips outlined above and may your next paint job be simple rewarding.
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guides and detailed explanations
how to build just about everything
from wood.
PLUS Tips, Hints and More.
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