# How long to wait until I can tape over freshly painted surfaces



## wriegler

Good morning,

I need to repaint some rooms completely. I plan to start with the trim around the windows and floor. At the same time I plan to paint the ceilings. 

Paint type for Trim will be semi-gloss, for Ceiling will be eggshell. Both some shade of white.

How long should I wait until I can tape over those freshly painted surfaces to paint the walls? Is one week enough?

Thank you all in advance.


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## Windows

Longer is better, but often 24 hrs is often enough, assuming you use painter's tape.


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## ccarlisle

Depends - not on the colour nor the sheen of the paint - but on the type of paint: alkyd or latex. 

Latex paint is the most suitable for the project but the resins in latex paints don't fully firm up for about 4-7 days after application. Many won't wait this long but that's what I would wait.


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## Geaux4Tigers

*tip*

Stick the tape down firmly on the edge closest to where you plan to paint. Don't stick the tape firmly down across its diameter. It will make the tape easier to pull up and you will be less likely to damage the painted surface. Tape is not perfect but it does help not make a mess. I used water base paints and I have stuck tape on painted surfaces as little as 4 hours after painting but why take a chance. Longer is better.


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## spraygunn

Hey wriegler,

There’s a relatively new tape on the market called “Frog Tape”. The concept of Frog Tape is by adding a coating on the edges of the tape. The coating is activated by the water in the latex paint thus creating a tight seal. However reading the label is VERY IMPORTANT. It says the paint you apply it to must be cured. If the paint is not cured (and I speak from experience) the tape will bond with the paint on the substrate causing you five times the work to remove the residue. Go to the web site at frogtape.com, all your questions will be answered there. Watch the video, very informative. If you choose not to use the frog tape, use the blue painters tape with the orange cardboard core. But I would wait at least three days before you start taping (assuming you’re using latex semi-gloss). Follow the instructions for the frog tape.

I know you didn’t ask, but you might want to consider using a flat finish on your ceiling instead of eggshell. It’s far more forgiving and the hiding properties are far superior, and it should be a little cheaper.

Steve

www.handpaintedbysteve.com


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## Faron79

We've had Frogtape since late '07, when it first came out.

Label says don't use FT for 2 weeeks, since it's kind of medium-aggresive adhesion level. Some paints may harden-off enough b4 that however!

I'd play it safe and use the Orange-core "Delicate Surface" tape by 3M. Very good stuff.

Faron


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## DCCenter

frog tape is a great product, but not for this application.


you should use Scotch Delicate painters tape. it looks just like blue tape but has less adhesion so that you can put it on uncured paint.


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