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A Pro Shows Us 3 Creative Ways to Use Painter's Tape at Home

From House Beautiful

Since we were little kids, we've been the importance of "coloring inside the lines," though, for most life experiences we'd recommend the exact opposite. Where this statement does ring true? When painting walls or other household items. And you know what can be the biggest aid in doing so, even for the shakiest of painters? Painter's (aka masking) tape! Aside from helping you paint more precisely, there are also lots of clever little patterns and prints you can create with painter's tape (plus, even some non-painting-related perks). So for some ideas and inspiration to get crafty, watch the video above to see how Matthew Humphrey's painter's tape hacks and recreate your favorite(s).

A Pendleton-Inspired Stripe

Photo credit: Max Humphrey
Photo credit: Max Humphrey

Transform a piece of furniture hat needs a second life (or a drab wall!) and spotlight your favorite pattern at the same time. Here, Humphrey recreated the Pendelton stripe from the iconic blanket maker on a chest (which also happens to be perfect for storing it's namesake blanket—how meta).

What You'll Need:

  • Desired paint colors

  • Paint roller

  • Paint opener tool

  • Painter's tape

  • Large brush

Photo credit: Max Humphrey
Photo credit: Max Humphrey

How to Do It:

  1. Use a ruler or yardstick to apply your painter's tape to the surface in a straight line.

  2. Paint with your desired colors between the lines

  3. Remove the tape once dry

  4. Touch up any minor imperfections.

A Painted Flannel Pattern

Photo credit: Max Huphrey
Photo credit: Max Huphrey

Ready to try a trickier print? Humphrey spotlights a flannel pattern, which requires a little more attention to detail and a little more painter's tape.

What You'll Need:

  • Desired paint color

  • Paint roller

  • Paint opener tool

  • Sharpie

  • Painter's tape

  • Large brush

  • Small brushes


Photo credit: Max Humphrey
Photo credit: Max Humphrey

How to Do It:

  1. Lay your tape in straight lines horizontally across the surface.

  2. Lay down the tape perpendicular to the first layer of tape to create a check-like pattern.

  3. Paint over all the tape with one color.

  4. Once dry, remove the top layer of tape.

  5. Then fill the empty "boxes" on the surface with thin little diagonal stripes (Humphrey recommends a Sharpie instead of a paint brush).

  6. Remove the remaining tape and then cover the part you just drew on with more tape.

  7. Now fill in those empty boxes with the same diagonal lines.

A Fool-Proof Gallery Wall

Photo credit: Max Humphrey
Photo credit: Max Humphrey

So, this one doesn't actually require you to paint anything, but that's not all this tape is useful for! And the results are just as transformative. Since painter's tape isn't overly sticky, it's easy to remove once you're done laying down your gallery wall and makes sure everything is inn exactly the right place.

What You'll Need:

  • Painter's tape

  • Framed artwork

  • Hooks

  • Hammer

Photo credit: Max Humphrey
Photo credit: Max Humphrey

How to Do It:

  1. Measure the artwork you want to hang.

  2. Then map out how you want to hang it on the wall.

  3. Once you know where you want to put everything, mark the desired area with painter's tape.

  4. Hang your artwork over the tape.

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