Taping Fresh Paint any room takes time. It is a task that requires a bit of preparation before starting. For example, you will have to make sure you have chosen the right color, organized all tools, and brought in all supplies before getting down to work.
Also, there are some post-painting tasks like taping that you will need to be done perfectly.
Painters tape can help to get clean-cut edges for a professional look. But when you are painting a large part, you will need to tape it after a specific time.
Some reasons explain why you ought to wait for a specified time before taping. It is not a good idea to apply the tape to fresh paint. Keep reading to get powerful insights on what you should do.
How Soon Can You Tape on Fresh Paint?
Generally, it would be best if you waited at least 24 hours to tape. Thus, once you are done with painting, you will need to have patience. It is recommended to wait longer than the said 24 hours.
The reason why you should wait is to create the clean-cut lines that you need. Otherwise, applying the painter’s tape too early can remove the fresh paint from the wall.
Applying Painters Tape and How Long To Wait
Several opinions exist regarding the waiting period for placing the tape after you have painted your walls or ceiling.
In cases where excitement overwhelms, you may think getting the entire project done as soon as you can is a great idea. However, if you apply the tape too more quickly, the fresh paint will not withstand it.
You will pull it off when you remove it from the painted area. This will mean reworking the area again, which takes time, more labor, and additional costs.
So it is always a pretty good idea to exercise patience waiting for the paint to dry. You probably do not want to repeat the same work that has consumed a lot of your time, effort, and money.
Waiting for at least 24 hours makes sure that the paint is completely dry, and the tape will not be able to pull it off.
During the waiting period, you can engage in other tasks around the house. If you are cleaning up after a week of work, cleaning the area you have worked in and cleaning some of the cluttered items within your home would be helpful.
If you are performing a full revamp project, you can review your progress and renovation plan. This waiting period can be a great time to shop for more supplies required for the remaining part of the project.
Alternatively, you can use it to attend to other areas like landscaping to help complete the project within the set timeline.
This means that you will need to factor in the waiting time when planning the project. It is possible to organize things so that while you’re waiting for the paint to dry, you can do something else.
Experts say that you can even wait longer. For example, you can decide to wait for 2 to 3 days for the paint to dry satisfactorily. When the paint has dried for two to three days, you will apply the tape, knowing that it is impossible to remove the paint.
Applying the Tape When in a Hurry
Some painters or homeowners find it hard to wait since they are in a hurry. When you are in a hurry, you are likely to make mistakes in anything you are doing.
That is why you should never be in a hurry to complete a revamp task that requires time to heal. Thus, when you feel like there is no time to wait for the fresh paint to completely dry, you are about to ruin the entire project.
Ideally, you should paint the wall, ceiling, or trim and give it not less than 24 hours to dry before you put the painter’s tape. If you want everything completed in a day, the painter’s tape will eventually pull off some of the paint when removing it.
Therefore, you will be required to fix the spots and other minor issues resulting from the recklessly done project. Eventually, you will spend more bucks than you should.
Other Options
If you have enough time to wait for the recommended period, it is okay. But what if you do not have much time for that? Do you have any possible alternatives?
Well, if you want to complete the task fast, you can explore different options. For example, you can use a shield. From stores, you can order shields of any size to suit your room.
But if you are not good at using the shield, you still have an option. You can use a painting edge when painting walls near the room trim. It can help you finish the project fast.
However, you cannot always run away from the best solutions. In most cases, alternative solutions may not give you the best results. Thus, it would be great if you consider proper planning before you begin the revamp project.
Allow enough time to let the fresh paint dry before you can put the tape. You can plan other tasks around your home during the waiting period to ensure the project completes soon.
Conclusion
So”How Long After Painting Can you Tape?”As stated above and recommended by many painting experts, the new paint must have at least 24 hours to dry. Better even, you can allow 2 to 3 days to let it completely dry so that you can put the tape without any fears.
This means that if you have many rooms to paint, you can plan to paint them in a pattern as you tape those that have dried completely. Applying the painter’s tape too soon can cost you more in terms of time, money, and effort. This is because some of the paint will pull off with the tape.
