Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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This bright green tape was an obvious winner among the competition—it's easy to apply and remove, creates clean paint lines, and has a strong hold. Read More
Duck Professional Painter’s Tape makes the painting experience pain-free. That said, the adhesion leaves much to be desired. Read More
While this tape isn't necessarily our favorite choice, as it allows paint to bleed through, we see potential in its use beyond painting. Read More
For clean lines and no sticky residue, this tape is a great choice. Read More
If you're working with delicate surfaces, this thick crepe tape is a great option. Read More
While choosing the right painter’s tape may not seem like a major decision, we’d argue it’s as important as your paint color choice. Painter’s tape itself isn’t a huge investment—you can buy a solid roll of tape for around $3. Your biggest investments are the hard work and time spent, which can be ruined if the painter’s tape you use allows the paint to bleed through or damages your surface with sticky residue.
To help you make the right choice, we studied nearly a dozen painter’s tapes, judging their adhesive properties, ability to create a clean paint line, smudge- and scuff-proof texture, and more. And no, none of these tapes were masking tapes—keep reading to find out why.
Above all tapes in this list, the bright green FrogTape Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape (available at Amazon) stands out as the best overall for its ease of use, durable yet gentle adhesive, and extremely clean paint lines against both drywall and crown molding. While the FrogTape Multi-Surface performed the very best, there are still many we recommend for painting and beyond.
The Duck Professional Painter’s Tape (available at Amazon) ranks as our best value tape for providing an easy-to-use paint experience at an affordable price. And for a tape option that functions well beyond its paint realm, the 3M ScotchBlue Original Multi-Surface (available at Amazon) is ultra-adhesive for uses like mapping out flooring or labeling objects during a renovation.
The bright green Frogtape Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape was a clear winner—it created very clean paint lines, stayed put (and sticky) even against the toughest scenarios, and didn't leave any residue behind.
Duck Professional Painter’s Tape is perfect for those on a budget—it still does a great job in the ease of use, but doesn't stick to surfaces as well as our Best Overall.
The ScotchBlue Original Multi-Surface did an incredible job in securing itself to whatever surface you're using it on. It passed the shoe-scuff test and stayed put even after being applied and removed a few times.
Extra clean lines
Strong yet gentle adhesive
Leaves no residue
Hard to tear off roll
Thin material
Easy to apply and peel
Thick material
Inconsistent paint lines
Iffy adhesion
Very strong
Creates straight tape tears off the roll
Paint lines can be inconsistent
Leaves a sticky residue
A good or bad painter’s tape can be the difference between a clean paint line and a splotchy job. This being said, the tapes we gauged performed within a small margin of each other, meaning the perceived differences aren’t dramatic—the tapes all scored within about 10 percentage points.
Before deciding on the painter’s tape, it’s important to understand what you need the painter’s tape for. Not all painter’s tapes are made the same—some will have a very adhesive material, while others may have a more gentle adhesion to ensure the surface won’t be ruined by tacky residue.
For example: If you’re painting on wood or glass, you’ll want a delicate tape that won’t ruin your surfaces. If you’re painting the exterior of your home, you’ll need tape with a strong adhesive.
We chose tapes that varied in width from .75 to 1.88 inches. Size didn’t play a part in our choices, but you may want a wider tape to account for your specific painting needs.
For example: If you need to paint in hard-to-reach spots or just want to give yourself some wiggle room in case paint splatters, an extra-wide tape is your best option.
Painter’s tape and masking tape are often used as interchangeable items. To set the record straight, they really aren’t. While they look and feel the same with the crepe paper backing, they are each best used for their intended purposes.
Painter’s tape is made specifically for paint jobs, to provide clean paint lines and leave no residue.
Masking tape provides the same adhesion as painter’s tape, but won’t guarantee you a clean paint line or residue-free surface after peeling. Some better uses of masking tape include labeling or mapping measurements out during a home renovation.
Felicity Warner is a Boston-based writer, covering all things timely and trending with Reviewed's Audience Development team. In her spare time, Felicity enjoys thrift and vintage shopping and perfecting the art of latte-making at home.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
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