# 4 hour old blue tape pulling polyurethane off of 5 day old refinished hardwood



## Ethos (Feb 21, 2012)

So long story short, we were supposed to come in and paint on the main level of this house, and the floor was completed last Wednesday. I specifically mentioned (in front of the HO) that we'd be using blue tape and paper to protect the floor and mask it, and the owner of the flooring company said that would be fine. Of course, after only 4 hours of being down today, the tape pulled up much of the polyurethane.

Report from my guy on the site doing other work while they finished the floor: the guy stained and put the first coat of polyurethane in the same day, which I thought was a big no-no. He didn't think to mention it until I asked specifically what the guy did while he was there. The poly is water-based, 3 coats. I have attached a photo.

So my question is this: will the adhesion ever be good on a floor like this, or will it always be an issue and start to flake off as the floor moved and gets walked on? Also, is it reasonable to expect after 5 days of curing for a new floor to be able to handle 3M blue tape?


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Ethos said:


> So long story short, we were supposed to come in and paint on the main level of this house, and the floor was completed last Wednesday. I specifically mentioned (in front of the HO) that we'd be using blue tape and paper to protect the floor and mask it, and the owner of the flooring company said that would be fine. Of course, after only 4 hours of being down today, the tape pulled up much of the polyurethane.
> 
> Report from my guy on the site doing other work while they finished the floor: the guy stained and put the first coat of polyurethane in the same day, which I thought was a big no-no. He didn't think to mention it until I asked specifically what the guy did while he was there. The poly is water-based, 3 coats. I have attached a photo.
> 
> So my question is this: will the adhesion ever be good on a floor like this, or will it always be an issue and start to flake off as the floor moved and gets walked on? Also, is it reasonable to expect after 5 days of curing for a new floor to be able to handle 3M blue tape?


was it delicate surface tape you used or standard blue tape. It really shouldn't matter as i have never lifted a floor finish with either but just curious as 3m recommend nothing but delicate on finished floors. your tape is also only taking it up in places which suggest's the finish had not stuck well at all in places.


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## Ethos (Feb 21, 2012)

Standard Blue tape, but certainly not some cheap off-brand. I've never had tape pull up the finish on a hardwood floor yet unless it was an already destroyed hardwood that had suffered abuse and been damaged. Also, I planned to have the tape on for no longer than 2 days while we painted everything. I applied it at noon today to start our priming, and was going to have it off by Wednesday at noon at the latest as we finished up all of our painting. I even stuck a test strip down in a discrete location and it didn't pull up anything after sitting for 20 minutes. Now though as I pull up tape, it's pulling up the finish everywhere.


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

Years ago, I had standard 3M blue tape pull a finish off of a floor.

Finish was 2 weeks old.

Stain was a minwax that hadn't cured fully before the painter went over it with a SW poly.

Granted this was over 12 years ago that this happened, but it gave me concern as it gives you concern now.

I had the floor refinisher sand back the two square feet that was in question.

The painter was called, but never returned the call.

I lost his number that day.

The finish may still be a bit fragile or the stain wasnt cured, in your case, IMHO, but I'll let the floor experts here give you a definitive answer.

FWIW, This is just my experience.

P.S.: haven't had it happen since, but a few words of advise:

Don't leave blue tape on a "finished" surface for more than 7-10 days, and don't let it bake in the sun for that long either, I.e;

In the shadow of full length windows, on the interior, on a finished surface.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

tenon0774 said:


> Years ago, I had standard 3M blue tape pull a finish off of a floor.
> 
> Finish was 2 weeks old.
> 
> Stain was a minwax that hadn't cured fully before the painter went over it with a SW poly.


Seems to be SOP for the locals around here too (minwax/water poly - shoot em both down same day).

Didn't I get learned that water & oil don't mix as a kid? hmm...


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Looks like it was the Minwax stain not being dry enough before coating.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

Yep, looks like the finish was rushed and the stain wasn't allowed to dry.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

I hate using tape for anything because of the potential for such collateral damage. I heard Frog Tape is supposed to be really good. It's expensive.

I know we must mask off from time to time, but I hate it for that reason


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

I had some blue tape pull the finish off of hardwood that was 15 years old, I learned the hard way. No blue tape on hardwood!

I think it says right on the roll, not for use on hardwood flooring or something like that.


Dave


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## CENTERLINE MV (Jan 9, 2011)

Next time use this stuff: 

http://www.shurtape.com/node/353


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

jb4211 said:


> I hate using tape for anything because of the potential for such collateral damage. *I heard Frog Tape is supposed to be really good.* It's expensive.
> 
> I know we must mask off from time to time, but I hate it for that reason


I have started using the yellow variety exclusively.


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

jb4211 said:


> I hate using tape for anything because of the potential for such collateral damage. I heard Frog Tape is supposed to be really good. It's expensive.
> 
> I know we must mask off from time to time, but I hate it for that reason


I understand frog tape for lining and pinstriping so as not to have the current finish paint, splotch or bleed under blue tape.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

Ethos said:


> So long story short, we were supposed to come in and paint on the main level of this house, and the floor was completed last Wednesday. I specifically mentioned (in front of the HO) that we'd be using blue tape and paper to protect the floor and mask it, and the owner of the flooring company said that would be fine. Of course, after only 4 hours of being down today, the tape pulled up much of the polyurethane.
> 
> Report from my guy on the site doing other work while they finished the floor:* the guy stained and put the first coat of polyurethane in the same day, which I thought was a big no-no.* He didn't think to mention it until I asked specifically what the guy did while he was there. The poly is water-based, 3 coats. I have attached a photo.
> 
> So my question is this: will the adhesion ever be good on a floor like this, or will it always be an issue and start to flake off as the floor moved and gets walked on? Also, is it reasonable to expect after 5 days of curing for a new floor to be able to handle 3M blue tape?


Oil base stain & water bourne finish, yes, that's a big no no & would be my bet on why the finish failed.

We finish almost exclusively with oil & stain with quick dry oil based finish. Light colors, I can finish in 4 hours, dark colors, 6 hours. If I stain first thing in the morning, I can put finish on late in the day. But usually, I wait till the next day.


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## 66 Shelby (Jan 11, 2009)

It's not the tape's fault (or yours). The blame goes to the floor guys. 5 days is more than enough time to cure so the tape doesn't pull the finish. The stain wasn't allowed to dry before the water finish was put on. You can stain and oil poly the same day (not recommended, but can be done if conditions are right), but never with waterborne. Plus, Minwax is horrible stuff to use under waterborne. Should have used Duraseal instead.

Edit - pinwheel beat me to it. ^^^ What he said ^^^


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

If you still have paint left to remove try warming it up(not cooking it) with a hair dryer as you pull it.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

jb4211 said:


> I hate using tape for anything because of the potential for such collateral damage. I heard Frog Tape is supposed to be really good. It's expensive.
> 
> I know we must mask off from time to time, but I hate it for that reason


I find Frog tape superior to the blue stuff. The blue stuff no matter what the brand either sticks too well or doesn't stick well enough.

But I agree it's not the tape's fault.


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

Kinda of a milky look to the finish, like the stain bled. Five days should be sufficient unless it was extra cool.

Both minwax and duraseal oil base stains recommend 24 to 48 hours before coating. I have always stained and waited overnight before coating.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

I've had blue tape pull the finish with some of the wood attached to it too.

Always tape with caution. And there is a technique involved in removing it. :thumbsup:

As far as this thread...........I agree with the above posters.


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## MIKE ANTONETTI (Jul 17, 2012)

Factory finish hardwoods we gluedown using regular masking tape, we've been thru at least 60 rolls , if it can't handle the tensile strength of low adhesion and it should have cured already, who shall we tell, the homeowner or the finisher? Cause somebody done somebody wrong


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## jferrie (Jul 30, 2014)

realistically on a properly applied and dried poly floor you should be able to use tuck tape on it and not damage the floor. 5 days is probably cutting it a little close for tuck tape but painters tape should definately be no problem.
Either the poly was applied way too thick and isn't dry and may with luck correct itself or it wasn't prepped right and the floor will need to be resanded.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

It sounds like one of those newfangled "floating finishes ".


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

Ethos said:


> I've talked with the homeowners and recommended they request a full refinish. The flooring guy of course just wants to buff / recoat, but now 3 weeks later, blue tape still takes off the finish after just a few seconds. This floor will never be good.


Yep, the finish is toast, full resand & finish is the only answer.


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

EthanB said:


> It sounds like one of those newfangled "floating finishes ".


Theyre inexpensive, but they dont have the "feel" of an adhered finish.


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## littlefred811 (Dec 16, 2012)

And if I could type it would say "We USE" not "We is," oops.


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## jky8s55 (Dec 6, 2020)

jb4211 said:


> I hate using tape for anything because of the potential for such collateral damage. I heard Frog Tape is supposed to be really good. It's expensive.
> 
> I know we must mask off from time to time, but I hate it for that reason


The Green Frog Tape pulls finish off wood floors also. We were painting base plate trim white in a 65 year old house. Tested the tape before using on floor and seemed fine but when we were done, same night, we pulled tape and it took poly right up.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

If tape is pulling up any finish after any reasonable cure time it was done wrong. Prep for finishing is the most important part. Putting a scratch in most coatings is a must. Letting the stain completely dry is a must. You should stay within the system - if you use minwax then use a minwax topcoat. If you use an oil based stain use an oil based finish, same with waterborne.

Standard testing for adhesion is to apply the clear, let it cure fully, take a razor and score the finish so it has a 1/16" grid. Apply your tape and burnish it for full adhesion. Rip the tape up and most all the squares should remain if not all.


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## Newman's floor care (Dec 9, 2020)

Ethos said:


> So long story short, we were supposed to come in and paint on the main level of this house, and the floor was completed last Wednesday. I specifically mentioned (in front of the HO) that we'd be using blue tape and paper to protect the floor and mask it, and the owner of the flooring company said that would be fine. Of course, after only 4 hours of being down today, the tape pulled up much of the polyurethane.
> 
> Report from my guy on the site doing other work while they finished the floor: the guy stained and put the first coat of polyurethane in the same day, which I thought was a big no-no. He didn't think to mention it until I asked specifically what the guy did while he was there. The poly is water-based, 3 coats. I have attached a photo.
> 
> So my question is this: will the adhesion ever be good on a floor like this, or will it always be an issue and start to flake off as the floor moved and gets walked on? Also, is it reasonable to expect after 5 days of curing for a new floor to be able to handle 3M blue tape?


Yes the water bass was put on too fast most water-based finish requires 48 to 72 hours drying time before putting water-based finish over oil based stain. and when using tape when painting you should pull the tape up with wet paint on it because if the paint dries only tape it will bond it to the floor or oil base or latex. This information comes with the experience of over 30 years of painting and refinishing hardwood floors


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