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Painter's tape can be the difference between a professional decorating job and one that feels a bit more amateur. We sell 3M™ professional-grade painter's tape by the yard, by the roll, or custom-cut to any dimension you require.
What is painter's tape?
Painter’s tape is a pressure-sensitive tape that is designed for painting applications. It's a thin crepe paper backing with a relatively low-tack acrylic adhesive. The adhesion is strong enough to hold an edge against paint bleeding, but it peels away without lifting the existing finish or leaving a gooey deposit.
Good painter's tape such as 3M™ ScotchBlue™ holds up for two weeks after application, unlike regular masking tape, which may lift a strip of wall color if left on your wall for too long.
Types of painter's tape by color
The colors on a roll of painter's tape indicate different adhesion strengths and surface compatibility.
Blue painter's tape is generally the safest choice. The 3M™ ScotchBlue™ 2090 is a medium-tack adhesive specifically formulated for finished and lightly textured surfaces such as painted drywall, woodwork, metal trim, tile, and glass. Blue works with them all and can be easily removed within two weeks.
Green painter's tape offers extra stickiness for rough, textured, or porous surfaces like stucco, brick, and bare concrete. Some green tapes have a polymer additive that reacts with the water in latex paint, allowing for a crisp edge. The stronger adhesive does mean it is riskier on delicate surfaces.
Yellow or gold painter's tape has the lowest tack of them all. It is ideal for paint that is not fully cured, on wallpaper, veneer, or hardwood floors. Use it on any surface that could be damaged by moderate adhesive.
How to choose the right painter’s tape
Consider the following four factors to consider when selecting a suitable painters’ tape:
- Surface texture: For smooth drywall, cured paint, glass, and metal, a blue tape is a suitable choice while green tape is suitable for rough stucco, brick, and concrete. For freshly painted surfaces, wallpaper, or delicate wood, we suggest yellow tape.
- Length of time: For same-day removal, most painter's tape will do. For multiple days, a 3M™ ScotchBlue™ tape is suitable. Once the tape is past its window, it becomes harder to remove.
- Outdoors: For outdoor surfaces, we recommend a UV-resistant tape. Sunlight eats away at the non-UV-rated adhesive and bonds the tape to the surface and the residue is hard to scrape off. 3M™ ScotchBlue™ tape is UV- and moisture-resistant, making it a solid pick for exterior door frames and window trim.
- Width: One inch for detail work along trim and molding. Two inches for baseboards and wider masking runs. Three inches and above when dealing with large areas or pairing it with masking film to shield floors and windows. We stock painter's tape in widths from narrow detail rolls to wide-format stock. Free shipping on orders of $50 or more.
How to use painter's tape for clean lines
Technique counts just as much as the tape. 3M™ ScotchBlue™ will bleed if you don't do the simple prep work:
- Clean the surface: Wipe with a dry or lightly damp cloth. Dust, grease, and dirt will prevent the tape from sealing properly to your surface.
- Press the edge firmly: Put the tape along your line, then press it flat against the surface with a putty knife or a credit card. The pressure creates a seal. If you skip this, the paint may bleed.
- Take off at the right moment: Paint should be touch-dry, never hard. You should wait one to two hours for most water-based paints. Remove slowly at a 45-degree angle. If dry paint bridges over the tape edge, cut along the line with a utility knife before you remove it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between painter's tape and masking tape?
Painter's tape is less sticky and comes off easily without leaving residue or pulling up the finish underneath. Standard masking tape is stickier and is meant for bundling, labeling, and other tasks that don't involve removing from painted surfaces.
What is painter's tape used for?
Painter’s tape masks off areas that are not to be painted during a paint job, such as trim, glass, hardware, adjacent walls, ceilings, and floors. It allows you to paint clean, straight lines.
Is there a difference between green and blue painter's tape?
The green tape adheres better and suits rough or textured surfaces more than blue. Certain green tapes use a chemical reaction with latex paint to seal the edge tighter, creating a much crisper line on interior walls.
Can I use masking tape instead of painter's tape?
You can, but I wouldn't. Masking tape's stronger adhesive can lift paint up with it when you remove it, and it leaves deposits after a couple of hours. For any job requiring clean removal, painter's tape is your best option.
Shop painter's tape at iTapeStore
We carry the entire 3M™ ScotchBlue™ painter's tape line in all widths and roll counts. All orders ship from our warehouse in New Jersey. We also supply nonstandard widths or custom-cut painter's tape.
Contact us at 888-233-2216 or Sales@iTapeStore.com.