paint masking

Paint masking is the technique of covering surfaces with tape, paper, or other materials to protect them from paint during application.

Painters use masking to create clean edges between colors or to shield areas like trim, windows, and hardware that shouldn't be painted.

The term can refer to both the process and the materials used: I spent an hour on paint masking before I could start rolling the walls.

Careful masking is what separates a professional-looking paint job from a sloppy one.