Best Painters Tape (Review & Buying Guide) in 2022

A world without tape would be a glue-filled mess. Adhesive paper has several uses with various degrees and styles catering to specific DIY jobs. Duct tape can be used for removing pet hair as home-made lint rollers and can be a trusted commodity in an emergency. Painter’s tape is for, well, painting. Also known as Masking Tape, use it to tape edges and corners of a wall to avoid getting paint on anything you wish to keep its original color. And when you pull it off, it comes away clean with no sticky residue.

Painter’s tape is a vitally important tool for both professional house painters and anyone who works in automotive paint and body. Some painter’s tapes are specific only for indoor surfaces, but we recommend looking at tape for multi-surface products. These can be used for painting surfaces indoors and outdoors with ease. Multi-surface painter’s tape can also be used as regular tape without worrying about leaving adhesive residue on your surfaces upon removal.

Best Overall

Frogtape Multi-Surface Painteru0026#x2019;s Tape

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Best Value

XFasten Professional Blue Painteru0026#x2019;s Tape

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Honorable Mention

Scotch Rough Surface Painteru0026#x2019;s Tape

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Benefits of Painter’s Tape

Saves You Time. Applying painter’s tape around the areas you intend to paint will let you paint faster by giving you a crisp and protected edge to paint on. Then peel the tape back, and you’re done.
Doesn’t Leave a Residue. Unlike other types of tape, painter’s tape won’t leave sticky residues when removed. This reduces your clean up after painting and the risk of damage to your home’s surfaces.
Professional Results. Painter’s tape ensures you have a straight line when painting. This reduces the need for skill and technique with a paintbrush. You’ll end up with a visually appealing finish that looks more professional than trying to freehand.

Types of Painter’s Tape

Ultra-Thin

This type of tape is thin with low adhesion, making it perfect for decorative work and intricate designs. You can leave it on for a longer period of time, and it will still remove cleanly and quickly. Keep in mind that this tape has a very skinny width, making it not ideal for protecting edges.

Painter’s Grade

If you’re painting large surface areas of your home or painting a newly constructed house, this is the ideal tape for your project. It’s nice and wide to give you plenty of buffer space. It also has a stronger adhesion so that it can stick to rougher surfaces. Its adhesion won’t increase over time, so you can easily peel it off when done with your project.

Medium Adhesion

If you have painted walls, glass, wood, or metal that you want to protect, you need a strong enough tape to stick, but not too strong that it won’t come off. This is when medium adhesion tape excels. You can leave this tape on for an extended period of time and not risk damage to your home’s surfaces. One note, though, it’s not meant for use on wallpaper, wood floors, or poorly bonded surfaces. Be sure to confirm it’s safe for use before you stick it to your home’s surfaces.

Top Brands

Frogtape

Founded in 1950, Frogtape has been known by several names over the years. One thing that’s remained constant is its commitment to family and quality. This applies to its corporate culture and its customers. It takes a DIY homeowner focus with its products.

Scotch

Founded in 1930, Scotch is known throughout the world for producing quality adhesive products for a wide variety of projects. The company currently boasts over 400 types of adhesive tape as a part of their extensive product line.

3M

Founded in Northern Minnesota in 1902, the 3M brand has grown to be a worldwide research and innovation leader. It currently produces over 60,000 products that get shipped to over 200 countries. 3M Scotch Blue Safe Release Multi-Surface Painter’s Masking Tape will give you straight lines and clean removal.

Painter’s Tape Pricing

Under $10: Most single rolls of tape are in this price range. You get high-quality tape that won’t leave a residue. Most rolls also have plenty of tape for a single project.
$10 to $50: Mainly multi-packs. These are the same high-quality tapes, but you get several rolls instead of one. You’ll find the cost per roll reduces as the number of rolls in your bundle increases.

Key Features

Width

Painter’s tape can come in a range of widths from under a half an inch to two inches wide. The width you buy will depend on your intended use. Thicker widths tend to be more protective as they provide you with a bigger barrier. If you’re painting molding, trim, or walls, then stick with a 1.5- to 2-inch wide tape.

Length

Most paint rolls will list the length of the tape in either feet or yards. Consider the area you plan to tape, and calculate a rough estimate of the amount of tape you need. When taping a room, consider the room’s length and width and if you plan to tape the crown molding and the floorboards.

Adhesion

Most painter’s tape comes in either low, medium, or high adhesion levels: Low is best for delicate surfaces like wallpaper, patterned paint, or faux finishes; Medium is a great multi-purpose tape that works on glass, metal, wood, and stone; High or heavy-duty tape works best on rough or exterior surfaces.

Other Considerations

Clean Release Time. Think about how long you plan to have the tape in place. You want a tape that has a clean release time that can accommodate this. Some tapes must be removed within 24 hours, others can stay on for up to 21 days. The clean release time will shorten if the tape is exposed to the sun while adhered.
Color. As a general rule, the tape’s color is an arbitrary choice and doesn’t indicate the tape’s quality. Some manufacturers change the color based on the intended purpose. The exception is blue tape, as it has UV-resistant attributes that make it perform better in areas exposed to the sun.

Best Painter’s Tape Reviews & Recommendations

Tips

Match the tape with the type of painting you’re doing and the surface you’re painting. This will ensure you have the best performance with the least risk of residue and damage.
Consider using painter’s tape to create a custom design on your walls. You could use it to create stripes, diamonds, squares, or abstract shapes.
Buy more tape than you think you’ll need. Since the tape is sold on rolls by the foot or yard, it’s easy to calculate the square footage of your painting area and determine how many rolls you need. Plan for extra tape usage and buy extra.

FAQs

Q. What is the best painter’s tape that doesn’t bleed?

A: Preventing your paint from bleeding isn’t about buying the best painter’s tape. Instead, focus on your application. Lay your tape as close to your edge as possible. Then press down the tape to ensure you get a secure adhesion. Use a putty knife to slide along the tape and press down.

Q. What tape do professional painters use?

A: Most professional painters use blue painters tape because it’s easy to remove, doesn’t leave a residue, and won’t cause damage.

Q. Which is better, green or blue painter’s tape?

A: Green tape is better when you need a stronger seal and adhesion. Consider using it when painting wood trim, baseboards, vinyl, and aluminum. Blue tape is better when you need a gentle adhesion, such as on fresh paint, drywall, or plaster walls.

Q. How long can you leave painter’s tape on?

A: You should remove the tape within 24 hours of painting. You can remove it as soon as the tape feels dry to the touch. If the paint on your tape still feels wet or gummy, leave it on for longer. Some painter’s tapes can be left on for longer, sometimes up to 60 days. Always check with the manufacturer before leaving the tape on.

Final Thoughts

The Frogtape Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape is ideal for interior painting projects that require a long adhesion time and protection of a wide variety of surfaces. The XFasten Professional Blue Painter’s Tape is a smart, affordable option that comes in a convenient three-pack.