Advice/Tips for painting cove line & applying tape

[Jokani]

This weekend I will be re-painting the cove line on my aging Westerly.

I will be applying 2 coats of Internation One Up primer and 2 coats of International Toplac Plus, all by roller, and according to the instructions, no tipping is required.

I then intend to apply gold cove line tape immediately underneath it.

Here is a mockup:



I would like some advice/tips on how to complete the job as professionally as possible.

Things I am unsure of:

1. Putting the masking tape on takes a lot of time so trying to cut this down if possible. - Do I need to remove the masking tape after every coat, before it dries?
   
   
2. I would like to get the gold tape to but up to the blue paint, but I am unsure how best to accomplish that.

Any advice is gratefully received.

TIA

 

[lustyd]

I would remove tape each time, yes.

You could put the tape on first and then mask it, or just get good at applying tape. Generally stick the end on, then unwind about 2 feet of tape in one hand and guide and press flat with the other hand.

 

[Jokani]

Thanks for the advice Lustyd, I think putting the tape on first would likely give a better finish, I wouldn't have thought of that, thanks!

 

[lustyd]

That or you'll get paint on the tape Hope it goes well. Don't forget to tape off the wood strip (I forget every time!) and cut in with a brush before rolling on paint.

Traditionally the cove line is used to hide the wonky paint line so would usually go on last, just like coving and skirting in a house

 

[PCUK]

Also masking over the cove line tape may pull it off.

 

[lustyd]

I'd be surprised if it did, cove tape usually has excellent adhesive. I'd use the blue 3M masking tape though and never leave it on more than a day

 

[billskip]

Also masking over the cove line tape may pull it off.

Yes....how do you get your ladder out?

 

[scozzy]

Not all masking tapes are equal...avoid at all costs the traditional whitish coloured stuff which gives nothing but trouble(particularly if it gets wet) not to mention a poor finish. Few variations of "frog tape " or similar give good results, low tack variations available and can be left on between coats.
Don't try and stick tape down every few inches, take a good long stretch and confidently put it down in a oner with start point pushed on,an action a bit like taking a measuring tape out,you'll get a good straight line you can smooth out Vs ragged one

 

[Daydream believer]

How are you going to get a roller tight to the wood & get a good even finish if you are not going to tip it off with a brush?
Bearing in mind the narrow width of the band how do you expect to get an even depth of paint with a 4 inch roller if you cannot get multiple passes in various directions to get an even thickness of the product?
Varying thickness promotes runs & promotes different gloss levels.That is why people tend to get a better job with a roller. However, if you do not have the room to manouver the tool then you may not get an even coverage across the width of the strip.
Surely you would be better off with a decent 65 or 75mm brush from the start.
;
To put the tape on - say 4 inches down from the wood- get a lot of 1 inch pieces of tape & measure 4 inches down. Stick the pieces on at 2 ft centes. Use a lolipop stick marked at 4 inches for a measure.
Then with the main tape start at one end & run along the bottom edge of all the pieces which will give you a very quick guide. You can concentrate on getting the tape on rather than getting the position right as you will have already marked the position. Press the tape down firmly with a cloth. Then remove the marker pieces.

 

[lustyd]

A small foam roller will easily get within a couple of mm of an edge, and if it's been cut in first the roller smooths enough of the brush stroke that its not noticeable

 

[ashtead]

My concern on putting the gold line tape on first and masking over with blue tape would be leakage -don’t you just paint on the blue band and then remove blue masking tape and apply the gold tape ?

 

[Stemar]

Paint first. Pick the right tape, and it doesn't have to come off between coats. I'd be inclined to paint into the cove line a little way, then sand the edge of the paint. That way, an imperfect line won't be visible.

 

[Concerto]

Never apply masking tape or cove line with any wind, it just makes it too difficult to get a smooth edge.

 

[lustyd]

With good technique wind isn’t an issue. Even in rain you can make a gutter with more tape to keep the work area dry

 

[johnalison]

Could you not just use masking tape and then go round with some solvent to wipe off any leakages before it cures?

 

[Concerto]

I should have mentioned earlier that when applying the cove line use a water spray with water and a little washing up liquid sprayed on the hull. This will allow the cove tape to be slid into position and use a smoothed and rounded edge of old credit card to squeeze the water out from under the tape. Any the water left will eventually evaporate and you should not get any air bubbles.

 

[tillergirl]

Oh no. Don't use tatty tape! Use paint:

P1040889 by Roger Gaspar, on Flickr

Go to B and Q or such and find the 'hobby' or 'craft' paint section. Find 'old Gold' and you will find something in which you will have pride.

 

[billskip]

Oh no. Don't use tatty tape! Use paint:

P1040889 by Roger Gaspar, on Flickr

Go to B and Q or such and find the 'hobby' or 'craft' paint section. Find 'old Gold' and you will find something in which you will have pride.

Now that's what you call a house boat

 

[john_morris_uk]

I should have mentioned earlier that when applying the cove line use a water spray with water and a little washing up liquid sprayed on the hull. This will allow the cove tape to be slid into position and use a smoothed and rounded edge of old credit card to squeeze the water out from under the tape. Any the water left will eventually evaporate and you should not get any air bubbles.

A top tip. It’s the same technique one uses when applying lettering etc.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Not all masking tapes are equal...avoid at all costs the traditional whitish coloured stuff which gives nothing but trouble(particularly if it gets wet) not to mention a poor finish. Few variations of "frog tape " or similar give good results, low tack variations available and can be left on between coats.
Don't try and stick tape down every few inches, take a good long stretch and confidently put it down in a oner with start point pushed on,an action a bit like taking a measuring tape out,you'll get a good straight line you can smooth out Vs ragged one

Exactly. I’ve even done the masking with a partner with me stretching out a couple of metres or more of masking tape at a time. The partner follows smoothing it down into place. It’s how a shipwright showed me how to do it. I remember his exasperated sigh as he watched me trying to get a straight line doing a few inches at a time. He came and took the tape off me and demonstrated…!

Good quality tape doesn’t need removing between coats. But don’t leave tape on for weeks and weeks.

Petrol is better than acetone for removing masking tape residue if you do muck up and get some left on. White spirit won’t touch it.

All IMHO and personal experience.