Tip: How to pull tape off car paint

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Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.

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Tip: How to pull tape off car paint



Here's a friendly tip, anytime you're pulling masking tape or more specifically "painter's tape" off an automotive finish, pull it slowly and at an angle. This is even more important when working on,

  • A fresh paint job - 30 days or less
  • Any car with a re-paint
The reason why is to protect yourself from problems just in case there's any type of adhesion problem between the paint and the primer in the case of a single stage paint job or the clear paint and the basecoat for a basecoat/clearcoat paint job, and in some cases, between all the layers of any paint system and the surface of the panel painted.


Like this...

Pictures & Videos: 2003 Honda Civic Extreme Makeover - Duragloss


CoralsHonda021.jpg



Always remove tape by pulling back at a low angle, don't remove tape by pulling it "up" and away from the paint...
(Don't ask me how I know)
CoralsHonda022.jpg




How To Use The Cyclo Polisher

Here I'm making slow, overlapping passes in two different directions on the 5 speed setting which is the highest speed setting.
CycloShots009.jpg



Front to back...
CycloShots010.jpg



Side to side...
CycloShots011.jpg



Now carefully pull the tape-off at an angle...
CycloShots022.jpg



Here's before and after results...
CycloShots023.jpg


CycloShots024.jpg


CycloShots025.jpg




Man versus Machine

Here's a safety tip that's a best practice to develop anytime you're using Painter's tape on automotive paints. When you remove the tape, pull it back at and angle, not straight up, off the paint.
Lincoln037.jpg





:)
 
Mike and I cant stress this enough. Especially to the guys using the green 233+ painters tape. This stuff has incredible holding power and will pull off fresh paint.

I work in a body shop and use this tape for painting at work and at home for detailing. Anyways I have seen a few of my guys pull the paint straight up or straight back and it rips up fresh paint from the surface. Now they have to repaint....
 
There's another technique most of you know about but might not know the name for it... it's called,

Burning the tape


This is when you apply the tape to your shirt or pant leg first to reduce the stickiness and then apply the tape to the paint. Kind of like how like a fresh lint roller sheet is super sticky, but as you roll it over cloths to remove lint the stickiness falls off.

Anyway, I have a picture of this somewhere on the forum but the name of the technique is called,

Burning tape or burn the tape, or burning the tape



:)
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
There's another technique most of you know about but might not know the name for it... it's called,

Burning the tape


This is when you apply the tape to your shirt or pant leg first to reduce the stickiness and then apply the tape to the paint. Kind of like how like a fresh lint roller sheet is super sticky, but as you roll it over cloths to remove lint the stickiness falls off.

Anyway, I have a picture of this somewhere on the forum but the name of the technique is called,

Burning tape or burn the tape, or burning the tape



:)
Click to expand...


And here's the link to the article on burning tape...


Burning Tape



:)
 
I have also noticed from way back Mike, that you keep the Tape low to the body panel as you pull to remove.

I assume this also helps lessen the possibility of lifting paint as well, correct?
 
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