# Masking/caulking windows/walls & priming/painting - when to pull tape?



## beedoola (May 18, 2015)

I recently started to use the tape and caulking method for baseboards - masking 1/32'' onto the base, adding a small amount of caulking, applying paint and pulling the tape for a nice clean line.

My question is. How do you approach this method when having to first prime a surface and then apply the finish coat(s). 

Say you want to paint or spray some windows and you mask them. If you first prime then, do you pull the masking and then mask again? that way you're not pulling the masking when the paint is dry? But then you'd have to re-mask everything for the finish coat which seems like way more work than is necessary.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

Leave tape on till the end. Score the line with a razor knife before pulling. 

Just finished up a large room with stained trim and did it just like that. You do have be careful/precise with the scoring. 










If you get it right, it'll make some sweet lines.


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## beedoola (May 18, 2015)

Did you caulk that? what tape did you use?


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

*Masking/caulking windows/walls &amp; priming/painting - when to pull tape?*

Yeah I caulked it with clear acrylic. Green Frog for most of the taping. The real trick is scoring the line. If you use caulk and let it dry, you have to be sure to cut all the way through it. Basically your still "cutting" the line, just with a razor instead of a brush.


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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

...what Jmays said...

I frequently use the same technique, and have found that changing out knife blades frequently really helps with the scoring. You just have to develop the touch (amount of pressure put on the knife) to make sure you cut deeply enough, but not leave noticeable "gouge lines."

It also can be helpful to aim a work light so that, for example, you can adequately see your knife blade at all times when cutting above the baseboards.


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## beedoola (May 18, 2015)

Good stuff.

What about on surfaces where the wall isn't straight/flat - say old lath and plaster or where the wall meets the base; sometimes there are bumps from prior patch repairs that make for taping a little tricky.


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## radio11 (Aug 14, 2015)

Jmayspaint said:


> Leave tape on till the end. Score the line with a razor knife before pulling.
> 
> Just finished up a large room with stained trim and did it just like that. You do have be careful/precise with the scoring.
> 
> ...



Is that painted paneling? Oh the horror!

Actually, I have painted MANY paneled rooms including in each house I have owned.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

we typically knock out the trim first,tape it with 2080 (orange core) and move on. sometimes we'll throw a bead of caulk around the transition between walls and lid (on heavy knockdown or???) but not the way you're saying...I've heard of it, just never really found a use for it.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

radio11 said:


> Is that painted paneling? Oh the horror!
> 
> Actually, I have painted MANY paneled rooms including in each house I have owned.
> 
> ...



Even worse, it's real wood slats. It turned out looking pretty cool though, at least they didn't paint the trim and they left an accent wall of the wood above the fireplace. Wood is cool and all, but people get tired of looking at it, especially when it's everywhere.


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## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

SemiproJohn said:


> ...what Jmays said...
> 
> I frequently use the same technique, and have found that changing out knife blades frequently really helps with the scoring. You just have to develop the touch (amount of pressure put on the knife) to make sure you cut deeply enough, but not leave noticeable "gouge lines."
> 
> It also can be helpful to aim a work light so that, for example, you can adequately see your knife blade at all times when cutting above the baseboards.


Olfa knives work well for this technique. Being a paperhanger, I keep one in my pocket at all times......


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## radio11 (Aug 14, 2015)

Jmayspaint said:


> Even worse, it's real wood slats. It turned out looking pretty cool though, at least they didn't paint the trim and they left an accent wall of the wood above the fireplace. Wood is cool and all, but people get tired of looking at it, especially when it's everywhere.



Looks goods--brightens the room up for sure. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

I usually pull either when wet or tacky. Problem is sometimes it moves the caulking. 

Generally, I use colored caulking. Problem solved.


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## sdoran (Feb 15, 2014)

So with stained trim, you guys are masking and then caulking with clear caulk to fill in that gap and letting the caulk dry before applying the coat of paint and then scoring it off with a razor blade?


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

sdoran said:


> So with stained trim, you guys are masking and then caulking with clear caulk to fill in that gap and letting the caulk dry before applying the coat of paint and then scoring it off with a razor blade?



That's how I did that last one. Was the first time I'd tried that on such a large scale. Overall it worked great, I did have to re caulk and/or cut in a few of the lines. I like to use custom color caulk for that kind of touch up calking, even if you have to cut it in again, makes it easier. 

The razoring seems to be the key.


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## beedoola (May 18, 2015)

Jmayspaint said:


> That's how I did that last one. Was the first time I'd tried that on such a large scale. Overall it worked great, I did have to re caulk and/or cut in a few of the lines. I like to use custom color caulk for that kind of touch up calking, even if you have to cut it in again, makes it easier.
> 
> The razoring seems to be the key.


Where can you get custom color chalking?


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

beedoola said:


> Where can you get custom color chalking?



I get it at my local BM. They have two kinds. 

Started using this kind several years ago

http://www.reddevil.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=887#.VjwAfFI8KnM

I know Red Devil is generally considered crap, but this stuff has held up well for me. You have to have a special tool to mix it. I've been told that you can use regular clear acrylic caulk the same way as the Create-a-Color tubes, but haven't tried it. 

More recently I've been using this stuff more

http://www.sashco.com/products/exact-color/

It requires no mixing tools, just the paint you want to match to. I like this stuff, but the main drawback is it doesn't keep very long after mixing. It starts out as liquid then you add the paint and an activator that gives it the consistency of caulking. Seems like the activator keeps on activating and the caulk hardens in a week or two in the tube even if it's sealed well.


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