House Painting Questions

Here is our first house painting question:

Will masking tape tear painted drywall? I am under contract to purchase my very first house. I saw a picture somewhere (can't remember where) of a room painted dark with white stripes every couple of feet or so. I liked the look, and was wondering if I could use masking tape to create that look in my bathrooms and/or dining room. The rooms were already painted with a flat beige paint by the previous owners, and I was going to put up a dark earthy orange. I know the shade of beige that is up there will match the orange really well. But I'm afraid that masking tape might pull up the beige paint, or possibly even tear the drywall. Do you know of a way I can prevent this? Does speed matter here, where as the less time the masking tape is on the wall, the better my chances of taking it off without problems?

Answer

Time on the wall and heat determine how much mastic from the tape remains. Get fresh blue or green low adhesive masking tape. Press the edges firmly to keep the paint from running under the tape. Remove the tape before the paint has completely dried. This will allow the paint to develop a smooth edge. Pull the tape over the painted surface to keep any stringers from finding a home on the original drywall.

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