# Rosin/Builders Paper on newish hardwood



## 804 Paint (Jan 31, 2014)

How do you go about attaching paper to floors that are newer…say finished within a month? A concern was brought up that using even the delicate surface tape could leave marks on the finish. I have not found this to be the case but I don't want to eat my words.


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## LA Painter (Jul 28, 2009)

Tape it to the baseboards, not the floor.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

I don't use rosin paper because of the potential for staining if it gets wet. I use a heavy brown paper.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

Discover ram board


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

Lots of risk taping paper to a new floor. It could be fine, but I have seen delicate surface tape lift the finish. 
One time, it didn't lift the finish but after the paper came up you could see a color difference everywhere it had been because the sun shining through the windows had slightly darkened the new finish everywhere except under the paper.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

RH said:


> I don't use rosin paper because of the potential for staining if it gets wet. I use a heavy brown paper.


I found that out the hard way. Contractors had already taped red rosin paper to newly finished floors. While transporting water from remote spigot, a little slopped onto paper. When it was pulled up, floor was stained, luckily it was cleanable with some work (and stress).

Use brown construction, or if you are going to be dropping tools spend the extra on ram board


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## Dbo (Nov 29, 2009)

Ask the flooring contractors to use a better finish! haha


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## 804 Paint (Jan 31, 2014)

LA Painter said:


> Tape it to the baseboards, not the floor.


That works for an area actually being painted but not so much if you're using it as a walkway.



daArch said:


> I found that out the hard way. Contractors had already taped red rosin paper to newly finished floors. While transporting water from remote spigot, a little slopped onto paper. When it was pulled up, floor was stained, luckily it was cleanable with some work (and stress).
> 
> Use brown construction, or if you are going to be dropping tools spend the extra on ram board


Doh! See, that's why I love the interwebz; chit happens to other people you'll never meet and you get to learn from their mishaps. :thumbsup:



ewingpainting.net said:


> Discover ram board


Sounds expensive. I haven't seen it in my local paint or HW stores either.


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## 804 Paint (Jan 31, 2014)

Looking at Ram Board again, I noticed it's reusable. That's good but no good if you need to cut it to fit a room. Let's say you cut it to, I dunno, 15' lengths but you do a room that's only 13'. If you fold 2' away, how does it hold up to being folded and creased like that?


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Both Lowes and HD carry ram board - at least around here.

I've seen it on a lot of construction sites, not sure anyone actually reuses it. If it takes a beating and saves the floor, you've gotten your money's worth

If it is still in pristene and re-usable shape, you can easily retape the pieces back together.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

Left a job on Friday that the gc had taped brown paper to new hardwood and left it there for over a month. Everywhere the tape was has a stripe on the floor.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Walked into a house and there was blue tape holding furniture drawers closed (have NO idea why), I asked the HO if she ever had issues when taking it off. "Why, it's safe release" as she pulled a piece off.

You can guess what happened.


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## Romanski (May 4, 2008)

Just did a work for a lady who used 2 sided tape to keep her rugs in place... 5 years later they are moving out.. what a mess.

Ram-board is great, It runs around $55 for 4x100ft in my area, so pretty pricey. If you have heavy foot traffic you're still going to have to tape it down somehow, and it takes a while for it to relax as you unroll it, especially deep into the roll.


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## paintpimp (Jun 29, 2007)

Shurtape developed a tape just for this application. It can be applied directly to 24 hour finish on a hardwood floor. I think its called hardwood tape. Its white in color. Seen it at a proshow.


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## SprayRepairGuy (Jan 15, 2014)

I never tried this, but: "How to get rid of tape marks on hardwood floors"

Natural products such as baking soda, mineral oil and vegetable or olive oil will remove the tape marks with ease and not damage the finish or stain of the hardwood floor.


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## BBWC (Sep 13, 2009)

I've been told a few times by flooring guys that if you cover a newly finished floor to cover it 100 %. You won't run into the discoloration scenario.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

SprayRepairGuy said:


> I never tried this, but: "How to get rid of tape marks on hardwood floors"
> 
> Natural products such as baking soda, mineral oil and vegetable or olive oil will remove the tape marks with ease and not damage the finish or stain of the hardwood floor.



removing residue is minor compared with the tape lifting the finish.  :whistling2:

The best tape for an absolute SAFE release is Richards LO-1. 
http://www.richdistinc.com/application-transfer-tapes/lift-off-regular

it comes in 48" wide "logs", 100 yd long. They will cut widths to order.

It's real use is for transferring printed graphics/lettering

Being what it is, it *may* not be strong enough to hold down paper or cardboard to the floor. I only use it on wallpaper for double cutting and other times I need to protect sensitive inks.


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## 804 Paint (Jan 31, 2014)

Thanks all. I think I will try the Shurtape. I'm not worried about discoloration in most scenarios since most jobs don't require that paper be down for long periods of time. In those cases perhaps Ram Board is worth it. Mostly just worried about finish lift. I don't use drops on hard surfaces even if I'm there only a couple of days. Mostly because they don't stay put, end up being a pain in my butt and somehow paint always gets on that one spot they got scooted away from. Always!


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

daArch said:


> removing residue is minor compared with the tape lifting the finish.  :whistling2:
> 
> <<<snip>>>> (Handy tip for same release tape, though, thanks)


Even worse is the discoloration, especially in cherry.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

804 Paint said:


> Thanks all. I think I will try the Shurtape. I'm not worried about discoloration in most scenarios since most jobs don't require that paper be down for long periods of time. In those cases perhaps Ram Board is worth it. Mostly just worried about finish lift. I don't use drops on hard surfaces even if I'm there only a couple of days. Mostly because they don't stay put, end up being a pain in my butt and somehow paint always gets on that one spot they got scooted away from. Always!


If you need to tape down the paper, why not tape down the drops? I do it all the time.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

804 Paint said:


> Thanks all. I think I will try the Shurtape. I'm not worried about discoloration in most scenarios since most jobs don't require that paper be down for long periods of time. In those cases perhaps Ram Board is worth it. Mostly just worried about finish lift. I don't use drops on hard surfaces even if I'm there only a couple of days. Mostly because they don't stay put, end up being a pain in my butt and somehow paint always gets on that one spot they got scooted away from. Always!


 I keep a couple of these for hard wood. 
http://www.covergrip.com/CoverGrip-Safety-Drop-Cloths.aspx

They aren't leak proof but they are nice for staying put.


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## 804 Paint (Jan 31, 2014)

daArch said:


> If you need to tape down the paper, why not tape down the drops? I do it all the time.


Because I'm silly like that! Silly!


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

Jmayspaint said:


> I keep a couple of these for hard wood.
> http://www.covergrip.com/CoverGrip-Safety-Drop-Cloths.aspx
> 
> They aren't leak proof but they are nice for staying put.


We use them a as well both runners and drop and if worried about spills we just double over. There pricey but work well. :thumbsup:


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