ALL IN THE DETAILS: VERSATILITY
Here Are Some Bonus Tips to Help Save Time and Money Around the Jobsite
In any trade, the tools and materials used on the job play a crucial role in working efficiently and keeping budgets under control. One of the most versatile and cost-effective tools to keep on hand is one that’s easily overlooked: blue painter’s tape. While its primary application is masking surfaces for painting projects, it also offers a host of other uses across a jobsite. Here are several applications beyond masking surfaces for this useful tool.
- Floor marking. Since painter’s tape is meant to be removed easily and cleanly, it’s a great tool for marking floors to direct traffic flow through a jobsite or indicate where items or equipment should be placed. Just be sure to check the packaging or manufacturer’s website for the tape’s clean removal time, which indicates how long it can safely remain on a surface without damaging it or leaving residue behind.
- Labeling. Jobsites are busy environments with people, tools and equipment constantly coming and going. To keep the site organized and make sure supplies stay where they belong, use a piece of painter’s tape to label items and storage bins to help ensure tools and materials can be found quickly when they’re needed. Blue tape is also useful for labeling PPE and personal items because it can be easily removed when these items aren’t in use.
- Bundling. Using painter’s tape to bundle ropes, wires, cords or other items to keep them organized and out of the way helps eliminate trip hazards and keep the work area safe.
- Seaming and sealing. Many jobsites need to be prepped with protective materials like poly-sheeting and corrugated plastic to protect walls and floors before work begins. Painter’s tape is a great tool for seaming and sealing these materials because it applies easily and comes off cleanly so that protective materials can be reused on multiple jobs.
- Carton closure. After opening a box of nails, screws or other hardware with small pieces, make sure these bits stay within the box from one jobsite to the next by taping the box closed. Painter’s tape can easily be removed and reapplied to any carton or container, so workers can open and reseal as needed.
- Bag sealing. To keep liquids, particles or other contents from falling out of trash bags as they’re being moved around a jobsite, use painter’s tape to tie the bag closed using a method called goosenecking, which can waterproof and particle-proof the bag.
- De-fuzzing paint roller heads. A new paint roller can sometimes leave behind fuzz, particularly if it’s not a high-quality roller. Simply wrap some painter’s tape around your fingers with the sticky side facing out, then run the tape over the roller before painting to remove the fuzz.
- Preventing plywood tear-out. This handy trick was discovered by carpenters who were frustrated by the rough, splintery edges left behind after crosscutting plywood. To prevent jagged edges, place a strip of painter’s tape over the saw line, make your cut and remove the tape for a clean result.
- Creating clean caulk lines. Like painting, caulking also requires a clean, crisp edge for a professional look. To create this edge, place strips of blue painter’s tape above and below the seam you want to caulk, apply the caulk and press it into the seam, and then remove the tape before the caulk dries for sharp caulk lines.
Don’t forget quality counts
The versatility of blue painter’s tape depends largely on the quality of its paper backing and adhesion. A high-quality painter’s tape will apply quickly and remove cleanly and easily without shredding. No matter how you will be using the tape, it always pays to invest in a quality tape product.