home improvement help: When do you peel the painters tape off of the wall, when dry or when tacky? - Help.com

When dealing with latex paints, the tape should be removed promptly. Latex paints and many others form a skin when dry. If the area where the tape meets the boarder is to thick, small tear-outs can occur as the tape is removed. The result is an uneven surface at the painted edge. If the tape has been in place while the paint dries, a razor should be run lightly around the edge to break the bond between the tape and painted surface. If done carefully this will produce a “RAZOR” sharp edge.

Additionally to SwimCoach8’s reply above, if you lightly burnish the tape after you apply it and go over the edges of the tape with a clear acrylic it will seal the edges of the tape and prevent the bleed under you sometimes get.

“Design on a Dime” did this on an episode where they painted a nursery. They used Golden gel medium (Golden is the brand name) but you could also use Liquitex or probably any clear glaze.

What if your husband did the work in nursery while away this weekend and left the tape on for several days in a very cold room. What do we do now as it’s pulling the paint off under the tape (base color) and some of the striped (last color)