Masking up walls and woodwork
It is one thing to apply paint quickly, it is another to keep paint off areas you want to stay clean. Learn about Masking up walls and woodwork.
The US market is a rich source of masking tapes, protective sheeting and dispensers that enable you to mask up walls and woodwork quickly and precisely. Just think Trimaco, or giants 3M for starters. No excuses now for paint spatters on carpets or furniture!
Masking up walls
Have you got a ceiling to paint in the kitchen and want to protect your units?
Do you have re-paint your lounge ceiling and don’t want to get any paint on the wallpaper?
Do you have to spray a ceiling?
In principle, this is the most efficient and safe way to do it.
All tapes come with the same size core, so you can pick your masking tape (up to 2″ wide) for the job in hand. Do it wisely and try the tape on a small area first to make sure it isn’t going to cause any damage to the wall surface, ie low tack for wallpaper, blue 3M 2090 or similar is reliable for previously painted walls and woodwork. I like the Trimaco tapes, there is also Tesa… Here is a really insightful masking tape study
I would suggest that what follows in the video below is not the best way to go about masking up in 2011. Some decent insights into what you are trying to achieve when masking, but where time is money, and you want maximum control over plastic and tape, which tend to have a mind of their own unleashed, a tape dispenser, like my QM 5000 pictured, is a must.
Masking up woodwork
If you are painting walls after you have painted the woodwork, or just want to paint walls for a quick DIY makeover, get yourself a 3M TA-20 Tape Applicator.
Want to see what an itty bitty £16 3M tape dispenser can do for protecting skirtings and frames? Watch this.
Looks easy in the hands of Jack Pauhl. As long as your wall is straight, the line will be straight. The blade gives you a fast straight cut into the corner. I carry a couple of dispensers with different tapes.
If you are stranded without a blade, the other option is to run the dispenser until it hits the return wall, lift and cut the tape using the integrated serrated cutter. Then turn the tape dispenser around, push the tape to the other side of the dispenser and then starting from the corner, run a short piece back until it overlaps. Cut.
This works as long as you are careful to make sure the serrated ends create a sharp 90 degree angle in the corner and you are happy to take longer faffing around with the machine, and have less precision and…!
ie just carry a blade and do it Jack’s way!
Even if you don’t have Jack Pauhl’s speed of hand, or you don’t do a lot of masking up, still get one, because the tape dispenser WILL make your taping life easier – and with Christmas coming, you can also use it to speed up the task of wrapping your presents.
Tape and drape
I love everything about this Trimaco stuff: I haven’t been able to fathom out what the tape is, (it is Trimaco Green ) but it is very precise and sticky but leaves no residue. The plastic comes in useful widths for skirtings and door frames and is very easy to unravel.
The only hmmmm – the major downside – after all my talking about the importance of dispensers – there is no dispenser for the one I love!
Pick up today’s great US masking equipment and tapes and tape and drape and floor protection and be kitted out like a pro for Masking up walls and woodwork
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