Masking and covering well
Covering surfaces effectively and safely is a duty every professional craftsman has to fulfill. Otherwise, dissatisfied customers and disputes over the bill may result. Splashes of paint, smudges of any kind, or uneven paint edges should not cloud the joy of a successful paint job. Especially since surfaces today are often more delicate, more and better coverage is required. There are a few things to consider when doing so.
Kip® pro tips
Tom Giesen
CEO, Malerbetrieb Giesen Painters
Kip ULTRA SHARP®
A tricky task for Malerbetrieb Giesen: A 20 cm wide frieze needed to be set off in gray on the walls of an office – and on multi-coated fibre glass, at that. After boss Tom Giesen tried out various adhesive tapes with Washi backing, his verdict was: "The red Kip ULTRA SHARP® worked best. It impressed in every respect".
Jörg Giesen
CEO, Malerbetrieb Giesen Painters
Master painter Jörg Giesen, 52, explains: “We mainly work for private customers. Masking is naturally particularly important in these cases, and the expense and effort are correspondingly high. Customers today have very high demands for perfection, down to the last detail. As painters, we should therefore not leave behind any traces that result in dissatisfied customers – even if they only become apparent upon closer inspection.”
Crepe masking tape ...
for example, features a natural rubber adhesive with high adhesive power, which adheres even to slightly dusty surfaces. This adhesive tape is the all-rounder for indoor use and short-term outdoor use. One quality feature is the waterproofing on the front side which provides protection against moisture penetration, such that the adhesive tape does not come off the surface when the coating material is trimmed, for example.
WASHI-TEC® ...
on the other hand, is a thin and contour-conforming painter's tape with medium adhesive strength made of original Japanese paper with age- and weather-resistant acrylic adhesive. It is UV-resistant and can be used for up to six months; it guarantees sharp paint edges on smooth and slightly textured surfaces. There are huge differences in the quality of the Washi backing material depending on the supplier. Users are sometimes deceived by the yellow coloring, as inferior products are not easily visible at first glance. For WASHI-TEC®, we only use high-quality Washi tape with kidney-shaped Jinkozei® fibers that are tear-resistant and conform perfectly to the contours of the substrate.
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ULTRA SHARP® ...
offers perfect paint edges without a primer coat and without the use of fillers or filling agents. Thanks to the natural rubber adhesive on the back, it has a high adhesive strength. The edge zones of the paper backing feature a special polymer that, when it comes into contact with water/moisture, forms a layer that blocks paint and prevents it from bleeding. Advantages for the painter:
A) Perfect results on smooth and slightly rough surfaces
B) Significantly less touch-up on more heavily textured surfaces
Masking large areas!
On facades, multiple windows and doors need to be masked. Up to now, the usual procedure was a complex division of labor into several steps such as:
- First applying adhesive tape or masking tape all around the window frame
- Then masking the windows with film
- Subsequently, protecting all window sills, and
- Finally, covering the roller shutter box.
General estimate from painters with regard to the time required: approx. 10 - 15 minutes per window.
Better, faster, easier ...
Kip offers two new ready-to-use products that can considerably reduce the effort required for masking and can significantly increase the coverage speed. A single employee can do it alone in a much shorter time ... with Flex-Mask® & WASHI-TEC®.
Flex-Mask® with its wide, infinitely extendable film is the perfect solution for the quick masking and protection of window and door surfaces. Self-adhesive Strips on the top and bottom edges facilitate exact positioning on the very first try. This saves approx. 30% of the time needed for each window or door. The films are highly tear-resistant and suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
The 3388 Multi-Masker with its innovative mix of materials consisting of cloth tape, WASHI-TEC® and an environmentally friendly PE film allows even delicate surfaces to be protected in a single work step. This even allows for a time savings of approx. 40% compared to conventional procedures consisting of individual steps – making it more than worth it!
For special requirements:
In addition to everyday and routine questions about masking, we also receive special inquiries from time to time. A prime example: masking of edge zones when applying epoxy resin coatings on floors. For this purpose, Kip® cooperates with material manufacturers from industry, because the masking material must prevent penetration of the 2-component coating.
For natural stone floors, there is not yet a single adhesive tape for covering the entire surface that not only perfectly meets all requirements, but at the same time can be removed without leaving any residue and does not react with the surface. In such situations, a safe solution can only be provided using temporary and diffusion-permeable masking materials that are not affixed directly to the natural stone, such as KipGrip, a statically charged PE film without an adhesive that prevents slippage even on smooth surfaces.
Benefits of brand-name products
What is the most important thing for professionals when it comes to masking and covering? It really needs to work (as perfectly as possible)! That's the whole point of professional products, brand-name quality and other quality guarantees that you can rely on. Losing time because of bad adhesive tapes and masking materials? For professional painters, having to rework areas and causing damage due to poor tools and the properties of the products used are an expensive annoyance. After all, time is the most precious thing you have and stand to lose as a painter. Hence, the sometimes slightly higher price does not matter if the product effectively saves time and reduces risks. Slightly cheaper can end up much more expensive! Which is why quality is the most important.
Avoid smudges at all costs!
Delicate surfaces such as wallpaper or textured plaster often “just" need to be securely protected against smudges. In such cases, an easily removable adhesive tape such as Kip 309 WASHI-TEC® Wallpaper is the perfect solution. Because A) the Washi backing flexibly conforms to the surface contours and B) the special natural latex adhesive guarantees problem-free removal from delicate surfaces – problem solved!
For even more protection
When masking and covering windows, it is important to pay close attention to the materials used for coating or plastering. Adhesive tapes with paper backing are usually sufficient for paint coats. However, for EIFS and plasterwork, stronger protection is required. For example, a window frame can initially be covered with 319 PE Protective Tape (white or orange). Where necessary, 310 Duoband plus PE cover foil can then be applied to it. The latter conforms to the contours of the surface thanks to the static charge. Aluminum window sills should also be covered with PE protective tape.
Removing adhesive tapes correctly
It is always (!) important to pull off the adhesive tapes correctly: Pull them off the coating as evenly as possible – not hastily nor with a jerking motion – immediately after initial drying. Do not wait until it has completely dried through. The ideal peeling angle is 30° to 45° – parallel to the coated surface, but not against the paint edge.
What customers want
Completing the task cleanly, carefully, and conscientiously
Careful masking and covering are also an expression of respect for the customer and their property. By taking protective measures and generally taking great care, one signals to the customer a professional sense of responsibility. While amateurs only provisionally mask with thin films or newspaper due to lack of motivation and expertise, you plan and act as a professional and also perform – at a fair price – the necessary masking work, thus effectively reducing the risk of complaints and claims!