<h1>Read First</h1>
<ul>
<li>Painters Tape does lift the print surface upwards by its thickness. This has to be accounted for in leveling the bed. Different Brands do have different thicknesses and thus need different leveling!</li>
<li>Easy-peel tapes need to be <strong>avoided</strong> as they don't stick to the surface!</li>
</ul>
<h1>Pro</h1>
<ul>
<li>Painters tape is cheap and easily available.</li>
<li>Laying down a painters tape without overlap is easy.</li>
<li>It is one of the best print surfaces for <strong>unheated</strong> printers.</li>
</ul>
<h1>Cons</h1>
<ul>
<li>Painter Tape needs to be refreshed regularly.</li>
<li>Weak glue on a painters tape might come off the bed.</li>
<li>Rough-textured tape might stick to the print too good to be easily removed.</li>
<li>Some tapes do leave coloration on the prints.</li>
<li>Cheap painter tapes can be hit-and-miss.</li>
<li>Heating painters tape degrades the glue on it, leading to adhesion failure and staining the actual print surface with residue. It is <strong>not advised</strong> to use it <strong>with heated beds</strong>.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-04T14:59:36.520Z
2020-11-05T19:49:51.103Z
2020-11-05T19:49:51.103Z
Trish
<p>Painters tape is a common quick fix to adhesion problems, and we know <a href="https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/9987/8884">it doesn't need to be blue</a>, but it is often recommended not to do. Why? When is painters tape best used or skipped upon?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-04T21:51:44.517Z
I feel like this is a good knowledge base topic, but the question and self-answer aren't fleshed out enough.
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-05T22:42:42.727Z
@R..GitHubSTOPHELPINGICE that's why the answer is community Wiki - as should be the question... forgot that.
Trish
<adhesion><knowledgebase>
What are the pros and cons of Painters tape?
Trish
# What are the pros and cons of Painters tape?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-11-04)

Painters tape is a common quick fix to adhesion problems, and we know [it doesn't need to be blue](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/9987/8884), but it is often recommended not to do. Why? When is painters tape best used or skipped upon?

**Tags:** adhesion, knowledgebase
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I feel like this is a good knowledge base topic, but the question and self-answer aren't fleshed out enough.  
> **username_0**: @R..GitHubSTOPHELPINGICE that's why the answer is community Wiki - as should be the question... forgot that.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2020-11-04. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

# Read First

* Painters Tape does lift the print surface upwards by its thickness. This has to be accounted for in leveling the bed. Different Brands do have different thicknesses and thus need different leveling!
* Easy-peel tapes need to be **avoided** as they don't stick to the surface!

# Pro

* Painters tape is cheap and easily available.
* Laying down a painters tape without overlap is easy.
* It is one of the best print surfaces for **unheated** printers.

# Cons

* Painter Tape needs to be refreshed regularly.
* Weak glue on a painters tape might come off the bed.
* Rough-textured tape might stick to the print too good to be easily removed.
* Some tapes do leave coloration on the prints.
* Cheap painter tapes can be hit-and-miss.
* Heating painters tape degrades the glue on it, leading to adhesion failure and staining the actual print surface with residue. It is **not advised** to use it **with heated beds**.


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