how to remove tape without pulling paint off?

I have room that is part of new addition that I recently painted. one coat of Behr primer everywhere then one coat of Behr ceiling paint (ultra pure white) on ceiling. I then used painters tape and taped the wall/ceiling interface (tape is on ceiling). I put 2 coats of "toasted cashew" on walls. when I try to gently pull off the tape, it is pulling some of the wall paint with it. I tried to pull it off a day after painting, saw the issue and then let it sit for about 1 1/2 weeks. tried today and same problem. I tried today to use a wallpapering scraper and a putty knife, but neither worked. the tape actually ripped in places then I had to use utility knife to pry off the little bit of tape that was still stuck on ceiling. should I NOT have taped and used small brush and painted carefully? I couldn't really remove tape right after painting because I needed 2 coats on the wall-I may have put it on too thin which is why I needed 2 coats?

 

I never use any tape. The longer you leave that tape on the wall, the harder it is to remove it. Remove the tape, no matter what damage it does, buy a good angled & tapered brush & do the cuts. You might have to patch some spots with a little compound. I prefer setting compound.

 

Tape on fresh paint? big mistake. Next time, paint the ceiling first, don't worry about getting ceiling paint on the walls, and forget the tape and cut in a nice line on the walls (with a brush) using your wall color paint.

 

I did paint the ceiling first and didn't worry about getting the paint on walls. But then I taped the ceiling before painting the walls. The paint on ceiling is not coming off with the tape. the problem is the wall paint that extends up onto the tape. as I pull the tape, the paint that is on the wall is coming up since that layer of paint extends onto the tape and it is coming up as layer without a clean break (just in places-the majority is coming up just fine). I will try cutting in without tape next time. there is a lot more addition to paint so a lot of chances to improve!

 

As noted it's never a great idea to use tape for brush and roll work. If you must use tape it should be low tac tape and removed immediately. Leaving it for the next coat just compounds the problem.

I'd suggest using a 2" sash [angle] brush. I'm partial to the Purdy brand of brushes.

 

How about putting a putty knife at the point where the paint and edge of the tape meet as you peel the tape off ?

 

If you must use tape (I have to because my hands aren't steady enough) then I would suggest taping off for the first coat; then removing the tape while the paint is wet. Allow it to dry and then tape it off again, to paint the second coat (removing the tape while the paint is wet again.) I know it's a pain, but it will prevent the dried paint from peeling off with the tape. This process works for me.

 

I would suggest taking a very very sharp razor knife and running a line at the tape edge before pealing it off. We often tape base while painting walls and always use razor knife to peal tape so as not to peal wall paint off. This is the same premice just moderately harder to do.

 

I babble about this a lot...

I purposely wait 'till next day.

>>> Since there's often a dried primer-coat, and 2 paint-coats, there's too tough a primer/paint-skin dried onto the tape.

So...wake up next day, take out the snap-knife, and score the tape edge firmly.
I've NEVER had a paint peel doin' this...Beer 4U2
Plus, the edge is razor-sharp.

Faron