How to Paint With Semi-Gloss Paint and Remove Tape

Taping a wall can prevent accidental painting errors.

When you paint your walls with latex paint, the molding and flooring around your walls can often become splattered with paint inadvertently. One way to prevent this is to tape the areas you do not want to be covered in paint. This can allow you to paint the walls freely with the latex paint. Once finished, you can then remove the tape to reveal the clean edges.

Things You'll Need

• Semi-gloss latex paint
• Paint tray
• Paint roller
• Paintbrush, 3-inch flat
• Painting tape

Instructions

1. Place edging tape around the bottom of your walls where the wall meets the molding. If your walls do not contain molding, tape the floor right next to the wall. This will prevent paint from leaking onto an area you do not want to be painted.

2. Fill the bottom of a painting tray with semi-gloss paint. Dip a flat paintbrush into the paint, and paint around the edges of the walls. This will prevent you from accidentally painting over the tape and onto the molding or flooring.

3. Coat a paint roller in the paint and roll it over the walls. Allow the first coat to dry for about three hours before painting a second coat.

4. Repeat this process until you have painted on as many coats as you prefer. Allow the paint to dry completely.

5. Peel up the end of the tape you are going to remove from the semi-gloss wall. Pull the tape backwards in the exact opposite direction, holding the tape against itself as you pull. This will prevent the tape from pulling up part of the semi-gloss paint as you remove it. Continue pulling up the tape until you have removed all of it.

References

• Scotch Blue: Using Painting Tape FAQ