Painters tape for glue-up protection

[kevin nee]

I have been using bargain priced painters tape. (It works like bargain priced stuff) I have a big glue up this week end and want to protect seam areas from glue stains. Any suggestions for high quality painters tape for use on maple. Also open to other suggestions.
Thanks in advance, Kevin

[Prashun Patel]

Frog Tape. It has a better seal, but costs more. The green one is what you want.

[Charles Wiggins]

Frog Tape. It has a better seal, but costs more. The green one is what you want.

I've used Frog Tape and I could not tell any difference in results between using it and the good ol' 3M ScotchBlue, carefully applied. The Frog Tape has an additive that created a gel barrier along the edge of the tape when exposed to moisture, presumably from your water based paint or glue. If you are working on a relatively smooth surface and use a good quality painter's tape like ScotchBlue and just make sure to press the edges, in my experience you can get just a clean a line.

The Frog Tape might be a real advantage if your grain isn't smooth though.

[Mike Ontko]

I recently used the home brand of a blue painters tape I bought at a local Ace Hardware and was sorry I did--the tack on the adhesive isn't as good as what you get with the original 3M blue. That being said, I've wanted to try the Frog tape for awhile but haven't had a paint project that would require it.

[Chris Padilla]

I use the normal blue painter's tape as well. Sometimes the blue painter's tape that has the orange holder works better as it is much thinner. One thing I like to do is put the tape on before assembly and use a very sharp razor blade to trim it right to the edge. I use Swiss-Morton non-sterile surgical blades so it cuts beautifully and cleanly with little effort.

Also, learn to put less glue on so that you minimize squeeze-out as well. Have a few old toothbrushes wetted with warm water on stand-by to scrub corners and such.

[Daniel O'Neill]

Toothbrush = great idea!

[Frank Pratt]

Frog Tape. It really is very good. More expensive, yes, but in the big picture it's only gonna be another couple of bucks for a project.

It seems to have good shelf life too. I've had a roll for probably 3 or 4 years & it's still good.

[Matt Day]

I use frog tape if there's any texture to the material (old drywall with roller "dimples"), and regular blue tape on flat surfaces. For planed/sanded wood I'd just use 3m blue tape.

I found out the hard way that to make Frog Tape work you need to activate it with a bit of water, so it contours to the surface.

[Terry Wawro]

I use frog tape if there's any texture to the material (old drywall with roller "dimples"), and regular blue tape on flat surfaces. For planed/sanded wood I'd just use 3m blue tape.

I found out the hard way that to make Frog Tape work you need to activate it with a bit of water, so it contours to the surface.

I second this.
I

[George Bokros]

I use the normal blue painter's tape as well. Sometimes the blue painter's tape that has the orange holder works better as it is much thinner.

Never saw the blue tape with the orange holder. Do you have A a pic? Where do you get it?

Thanks

[Chris Padilla]

George,

The paper holder the tape is wrapped around is orange or has orange colors in it to distinguish it from the other painter tapes out there. You should be able to find it in the same spot the blue tape is located at your local hardware store. I got mine at HD. Here is what it looks like: http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/building-materials/paint/masking-tapes/scotch-bluetm-painters-tape-delicate-surfaces-2080-3-4-x-60-yds-48-rls-cs?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CNWmydW97soCFQYuaQod1pcAdg

It is thin like the Frogtapes or other 'delicate surface' masking tapes.

[Jeff Duncan]

I use the Blue painters tape as well. It works great, you can find it just about anywhere and while a bit pricey I don't have to worry about it not being up to the task.

Haven't tried the Frog Tape yet, but will have to give it a shot one day.

good luck,
JeffD

[Jim Becker]

I use the normal blue painter's tape for this as well as for actually clamping small things while gluing.

[Bob Falk]

avoid HDX blue tape from Home Depot....won't stick to anything

[Bill Neely]

FWIW the Frog tape with the gel works best if it's moistened with a damp rag ahead of time else the paint/glue or whatever may creep under the edge before it actually seals. I think it's probably overkill in this situation.

[David Zaret]

the green frog tape is what i've found to be best. it's the only tape i've found that won't tear fibers off a newly-veneered panel. worth the cost. i buy it at menards in the multi-roll packs.

[Bob Grier]

Here are codes for 3M masking tapes http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Adhesives/Tapes/Products/~/Masking-Tape?N=5471778&rt=r3

Here are codes for Scotch Blue tapes http://www.scotchblue.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Scotch-BlueBrand/Scotch-Blue/Products/Catalog/?N=5584762+4336+3294529207&rt=r3

Note, the number is printed on the cardboard core and even though there are tapes of the same color, the code is different which indicates they are for different uses.

[Prashun Patel]

Thinking about this more, I am not sure that you need to worry too much about using the type of tape for this application. If you were painting and edging in, then I prefer green to the blue tape.

However, as long as you putty knife the corners, they all work pretty well. For glue squeeze out I really doubt you'll have an issue.

But, applying the tape right up to the joint - but not UNDER the joint isn't always fun. You might consider using a product like Waxilit. That is quicker to apply, and you can slightly cover the margin of the joint. The glue just pops off the wax, and the wax is easily removed with mineral spirits.

I've had mixed results if dyeing after that, but if you are top coating with oilbased stain, or topcoat, or even BLO, there's no ill effect.

[Chris Padilla]

Paraffin wax for canning works nicely for that, too, Prashun. It is cheap and available at the grocery store. I chop pieces off the large block and make little 'pencils' out of them to get into corners and edges.

[Jason Roehl]

Here are codes for 3M masking tapes http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Adhesives/Tapes/Products/~/Masking-Tape?N=5471778&rt=r3

Here are codes for Scotch Blue tapes http://www.scotchblue.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Scotch-BlueBrand/Scotch-Blue/Products/Catalog/?N=5584762+4336+3294529207&rt=r3

Note, the number is printed on the cardboard core and even though there are tapes of the same color, the code is different which indicates they are for different uses.

Finally, some light is shed on the issue. Painters' tapes, like many other things, tend to follow the "you get what you pay for" rule. But, even within that, there are different tapes for different purposes. You can use a good, expensive tape, but if it's the wrong tape for the task at hand, you'll probably think it's junk in the end.

[John TenEyck]

I use:
ScotchBlue™ Painter's Tape Delicate Surfaces with Advanced Edge-Lock™ Paint Line Protector 2080EL
with the orange wrapper. As a couple of folks have said, there's blue tape and then there's blue tape. This one works really well for me.

John




http://www.scotchblue.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Scotch-BlueBrand/Scotch-Blue/Products/Catalog/~/ScotchBlue-Painter-s-Tape-Delicate-Surfaces-with-Advanced-Edge-Lock-Paint-Line-Protector-2080EL?N=4336+3294340634+3294529207&rt=rud

[Jason Roehl]

I use:
ScotchBlue™ Painter's Tape Delicate Surfaces with Advanced Edge-Lock™ Paint Line Protector 2080EL


with the orange wrapper. As a couple of folks have said, there's blue tape and then there's blue tape. This one works really well for me.

John




http://www.scotchblue.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Scotch-BlueBrand/Scotch-Blue/Products/Catalog/~/ScotchBlue-Painter-s-Tape-Delicate-Surfaces-with-Advanced-Edge-Lock-Paint-Line-Protector-2080EL?N=4336+3294340634+3294529207&rt=rud

I've actually been very disappointed with this tape--as a (now former) professional painter. I really liked the delicate surface blue tape WITHOUT the Edge Lock "feature". I could spray trim in a new house, tape it the next day, then paint the walls and remove the tape without problem. The Edge Lock added the problem that occasionally, peeling the tape off the trim would pull some of the wall paint off as well, a problem I really didn't have with that tape before the Edge Lock was added. With Edge Lock, it's essentially the same tape as the yellow Frog tape.

[John TenEyck]

Jason, I have to agree with you. The former Delicate Surfaces tape (without Edge Lock) was better for paint. I haven't been able to find it recently, however. I use it mostly when taping off joints, pre-taping veneer, and masking for spraying furniture, and both have worked equally well for that.

John

Should have known Amazon would have it: http://www.amazon.com/3M-Painters-Advanced-Delicate-94-Inch/dp/B000BQWD12/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455378231&sr=8-1&keywords=3M+tape+for+delicate+surfaces

[Bob Grier]

John, the Amazon tape is the 2080 which has edge lock. The number is shown if you click "see more product details".

[John TenEyck]

You're right, Bob. Sorry for the misleading info. I wonder if 3M stopped making the old stuff without edge lock?

John