Pro tip: don't cheap out on masking tape like I did

I bought a 10-pack of off-brand green tape from a discount tool store in Cleveland for $28. It bled through on a two-tone job and I spent 3 extra hours fixing the lines. Has anyone else had luck with a budget tape brand that actually works?

4 comments

4 Comments

knight.felix1mo ago

I used to be the guy who thought all green tape was basically the same and anyone paying for name brand was just wasting money. But then I grabbed a roll of the cheap stuff from a dollar store to save five bucks and it bled under so bad on a project that I had to sand and repaint the whole section. That experience completely changed my mind. Now I only use the Frog Tape brand, even if it costs double, because the money I save on fixing mistakes is way more than the tape price difference. You can't cheap out on the stuff that holds your paint lines, simple as that.

the_claire1mo ago

Respectfully, I see it a bit different. Maybe it's just me, but I think the technique matters way more than the brand. Idk, I've used dollar store tape for years and never had bleeding issues, but I also make sure to press down the edges really good with a putty knife before painting. I mean, yeah, Frog Tape has that special edge thing, but I feel like half the time people blame the tape when it's really about not prepping the surface or pulling it off at the wrong time. Not saying you're wrong or anything, just that I've saved a ton of money by learning how to use cheap tape right instead of paying extra.

lewis.finley1mo ago

Anyone else think it's more about the paint quality than the tape?

evan_green521mo ago

Had a buddy who swore by the same cheap stuff @the_claire mentioned, pressed it down perfect and it still bled on his trim. He got so frustrated he quit painting and just left the wall half done for like a month.