Why is painter's tape blue?

Question

It doesn't matter what brand, but painter's making tape always seems to be blue. Why is that? What if you're using paint that's the same color as the tape?

Answer 1

Most of the blue tape is masking tape that can be left on for extended periods of time.  If you left the normal tan or khaki tape up for 2 weeks then most likely you'd pull the paint off of whatever you put it on.  There is also clean release versions that you can use on delicate surfaces such as wallpaper.  I recently saw a green masking tape that was supposed to be much better than the usual tape, it also had a much higher price tag.

Answer 2

to distinguish as painters tape.  What do you think the odds would be that you  would paint with the same color as painters tape?

Answer 3

The tape is blue because it's sad, of course.

Answer 4

The blue coloured masking tape used by most painters is a lo-tack tape.  It is less likely to damage paintwork when you remove it.  Although normal masking tape is generally safe to use on most surfaces, it's a good idea to use the blue lo-tack tape where it will come in to contact with freshly painted or delicate surfaces.

Answer 5

So it's really overly recognizable when you paint. Regular scotch tape would blend in and bring the paint with it when you removed it. It comes in all kinds of colors, get one depending on the paint color.