A time-tested trick that he has learned after thirty years on the job.
Pull the masking tape while the paint is fresh. Remove the masking materials within 45 to 60 minutes after the paint is applied and set to prevent surface tear up. The idea of masking tape is to protect surfaces from the paint, but when you slop the wet paint over the sealed masking tape and let the paint cure to hard, the paint film bonds to both the wall and the masking tape. Removing the tape after the paint dries will also remove paint from the wall or trim work.
Brian Santos, a fourth-generation painting contractor and author of best-selling how-to books, uses “edutaining” demonstrations in his television appearances and how-to’s for industry giants like Sherwin-Williams, Imperial Wall coverings, Home Depot and Lowe’s, and at home and garden shows throughout the world to create wall magic⎯whether it be with paint, paper, or fabric.