This article will take an in-depth look at masking tape.
The article will bring more detail on topics such as:
This chapter will discuss what masking tape is, how it is used in painting, and how to deal with masking tape residues.
Masking tape is tape that is designed to stick instantly to any surface to protect against overspray and provide clean paint lines. Depending on the type of backing and application where the tape is used, masking tape serves as protection for the applying of coatings, the bundling of components, the coverage of cracks, and the connecting of surfaces.
As a critical part of industrial processes where the focus is on exposing a select portion of a surface and covering surfaces where treatment should be avoided, masking tape is essential and critical. E-coating, liquid painting, and powder coating processes are demanding, stressful, and necessitate high performance tapes with an adhesive that can adhere to difficult substrates and be temperature and chemical resistant but provide easy and clean removal.
The three factors that determine the strength of a masking tape are cohesion, adhesion, and tack, characteristics that are tested using a variety of methods. Adhesion refers to how strong masking tape and a surface bond while cohesion refers to how the molecules of the adhesive attract and hold to each other.
Tack is the measure of the grab or stickiness of masking tape when no pressure has been applied and how quickly masking tape forms a bond. It is an aspect of masking tape that is its most important property. A loop tack test measures the necessary force required to remove tape once it has made contact with a surface without the application of pressure. An increase in the amount of force indicates the tackiness of the tape.
A simple method for measuring the tackiness of masking tape is the rolling ball method where tape is placed on an incline with its sticky side up. A ball is released at the top of the incline and allowed to roll down to the tape. The distance that the ball is able to roll after reaching the tape determines the tape's tackiness.
The three layers of masking tape are the backing layer, adhesive layer, and external release coat. The backing layer, referred to as the carrier, is made up of several different types of materials that include paper, polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyamide.
PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) backing materials are thin and exceptionally tear resistant. The consistency of each of the plastic backing materials varies from very soft to firm and hard, each of which is designed to meet the needs of different applications. They are widely used as surface protection or strapping for bundling.
Fabrics, such as cotton, and PET backings have mechanical properties that make them useful for splicing, sealing, covering cracks, and bundling. The different types of fabric backings have high tensile strength but can be easily torn. PET backing is very strong and difficult to rip or tear.
Paper backing material is made from hemp, pulp, and synthetic fibers and are in demand due to their smoothness. Complex and complicated types of paper backings are used in the paper industry for splicing sheets and tabbing large rolls of paper.
All masking tape adhesives are tacky, adhere, and resist stress but are different in their characteristics and properties. The four primary types of adhesives are rubber/resin, synthetic rubber, acrylic adhesive, and silicone based with rubber/resin being the oldest having been introduced in the 1920s.
Rubber/resin adhesive is made from natural rubber that requires resin to make it an adhesive. It has an initial high tack and sticks well to any surface. Rubber adhesives provide flexible bonds that are based on butadiene-styrene, butyl, polyisobutylene or nitrile compounds.
Attributes of Rubber Adhesives
Synthetic rubber adhesives are rubber adhesives that use synthetic rubber in place of natural rubber. They are differentiated from natural rubber by their higher adhesion and shear resistance, which makes them good for forming a tight seal.
Attributes of Synthetic Rubber
Acrylic adhesive is made from acrylic polymers and is flexible, quick drying, and has good temperature resistance. It is widely used for masking tape due to the fact that it can adhere to any type of surface. The flexible bond of acrylic adhesive is ideal for applications where there is a need for vibration resistance as well as flexibility. Since they have oxidation stability, acrylic adhesives remain bonded for many years and provide protection against UV rays.
Attributes of Acrylic Adhesive
Silicone based adhesives are made from polymerized silicone and are flexible and have exceptional heat resistance. The bonds of silicone based adhesives can withstand temperatures up to 600°F and remain flexible and resistant to the effects of water and chemicals. Of the various types of masking tape, silicone based masking tape is the most expensive
Attributes of Silicone Based Adhesives
The release coating ensures stable unwinding such that the layers of tape do not adhere to each other and allow the tape to come off the roll easily. It can take different forms such as glassine paper, coated paper, polyethylene film, or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film. The release liner is very important in automatic applications where the tape has to come off the roll rapidly.
The initial beginning of masking tape started in 1925 as painter’s masking tape. As it became obvious that masking tape was durable and strong, its use spread to the food industry for sealing bags of food and then to residential use. Today, masking tape has become a necessary part of coating, painting, and protecting products during production and delivery.
There are several different types of masking tape that vary according to the type of backing, adhesive, thickness, and width. Additionally, different methods are used to produce industrial strength masking tape compared to those used to make packing tape. The basic methods of manufacturing vary slightly and include special customizing processes.
The process for the manufacture of masking tape begins with long rolls of plastic, paper, or other material. Although the adhesive is an important factor in the manufacture of masking tape, the choice of the roll of material is critical to the quality of the final product.
The roll of material is loaded onto the unwinder from which the material is unloaded to production. As one roll finishes, a new roll is immediately placed on the unwinder to avoid delays in production. A tension adjuster makes sure that the material is fed evenly and does not tear or rip. During the unwinding process, a solvent may be applied to certain materials, such as plastics, to keep them from sticking during unrolling.
Hot melt adhesives are thermoplastic polymers that are melted for quick tack and are referred to as hot glue. Once bonded, they have exceptional heat resistance capable of withstanding temperatures from 45°F up to 120°F (~7°C up to 48°C). Aside from their heat resistance, hot melt adhesives have high tensile strength, which makes them capable of withstanding external stress and stretching. These extra properties make loads bonded with hot melt adhesives capable of supporting heavier loads.
The tight secure bond of hot melt adhesives enables them to seal and connect irregularly shaped objects for longer periods of time. The thermoplastic material, when heated, liquifies and flows over the spaces in uneven surfaces. The viscosity and flow of the melted substance clings to the gaps in surfaces to form an exceptionally tight bond.
The components of hot melt adhesives are a blend of polymers, tackifying resin, and wax or oil, which are used to adjust viscosity and set times. Other assorted ingredients include antioxidants, fillers, UV stabilizers, and pigments.
Advantages of hot melt adhesives:
The hot melt is fed onto the roll of material from the gluer that evenly applies the adhesive. Once the adhesive is applied, the glued material passes over a cooling roller that hardens the adhesive. To ensure that the coat of adhesive is even, it is checked by a computerized sensor that passes over the sheet of material.
The rewinder unsplices the rolls of material and rolls it into a large roll similar to the original roll of material. Once the rewinder is full, it is disconnected for the next spool to begin.
The slitter has blades that divide the large rolls into strips that vary in width according to the size of the masking tape being produced. The width of the tape is programmed into the slitter, which has to be carefully monitored to avoid problems with cutting angles, lateral load, and wear on the blades. From the slitter, the strips are wound onto cardboard cores in varying lengths according to the design of the masking tape.
Several factors determine the best type of masking tape for an application. Some tapes have properties and characteristics to meet the needs of specific applications and environments while others have particular types of adhesion.
Tape width and thickness are the factors that need to be considered since narrow tapes can be used for masking tight spaces, small areas, and corners while wider tapes are used to cover larger areas and provide more protection.
Tack is the property of an adhesive that allows it to stick to a surface upon contact with the surface and is the stickiness of a material. It is the property that allows adhesives to form a bond with the surface of another material briefly or under pressure. An implicit aspect of an adhesive is its ability to separate from a surface cleanly without residue.
The choice of the adhesion of a tape is dependent on several factors the primary of which is the application where the tape will be used. For DIY painting, the adhesion of tape is not a critical concern. In industrial uses of tape, there are more factors to consider especially when the tape is part of a coating process, bundling of products for shipping, or applying industrial grade paints to planes and automobiles.
When choosing masking tape for home use, the selection process depends on whether the tape is for packing and storage or for painting and trimming. The process of selection gets more complicated when choosing masking tape for production and manufacturing, which require more robust and dependable materials.
There are numerous types of masking tape that are suitable for a wide range of applications and different types of environments. It is vital to understand the differences between the types so as to choose the masking tape that fits the conditions and application..
Masking tape is categorized by its backing, strength, and adhesive strength. Each of these factors play a part in determining the type of masking tape and how it can be used. Painter’s masking tape, a subcategory of masking tape, tends to be lightweight with little strength and used for DIY projects. Masking tape with increased strength and strong backing and adhesive is used for industrial purposes.
Rubber based masking tape is used for day to day applications and is made from natural or synthetic rubbers. It is economical, provides a strong bond, is reliable, and has good tackiness. Rubber based adhesives are susceptible to the effects of high temperatures.
Acrylic based masking tapes are suitable for use in extreme temperatures and challenging and harsh environments. They are versatile and adaptable and can maintain their adhesion when temperatures are constantly changing, ranging from below zero temperatures up to approximately 150°C.
Silicone based masking tape offers the highest level of temperature resistance with backing material made from a polymer, vinyl, or PVC. It can withstand environments with temperatures as high as 260°C. Silicone based masking tape has a very thin layer of silicone gel that makes it self fusing such that it forms a permanent bond.
For painting and industrial masking tape, there is a wide range of colors, which offer visibility and a differentiation between brands. Additionally, color serves the purpose of being an indicator of the technical quality of a tape, its abilities, and recommended applications. Industrial masking tape colors are an easy reference in regard to the tape’s temperature rating. Unfortunately, there isn’t an industry standard for temperature ratings, which leads to every manufacturer having their own system.
Although the temperature ratings vary, manufacturers of industrial strength masking tape provide data, instructions, and parameters regarding their masking tape with the realization that an incorrect temperature rating can damage a coating or painting process.
The most common color for masking tapes is white. It is very discreet and is undeniably ideal for a very wide variety of day-to-day applications. White masking tape is commonly used by event decorators and design professionals together with hobbyists and DIY lovers.
Sometimes it is referred to as household masking tape. The white tape is very versatile and is well suited to a very wide range of applications.
Blue masking tape is very popular in the United States of America since it is the color used by most painters. In place of blue, purple is also used in the US as an alternative.
The painter’s tape and the material and superiority of the masking tape are more important than just the color when it comes to the general performance and the end result.
Yellow masking tape is used for painting, labeling, and packaging. It has a thin durable paper backing that is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. The color yellow is used for its visibility and ease of identification, since it is easily seen against any background. It has good release properties, which allow it to be removed cleanly and without residue.
Since its introduction as painters tape, masking tape has developed as a vital part of several industries from automotive production and paper making to photography and bookbinding. It is a highly versatile tool that can serve several purposes as a household convenience and a technical industrial tool.
In the automotive industry, crepe masking tape, fine line tapes, and masking films are essential for high temperature masking, paint repairs, and two tone painting. Masking tape for automotive industrial use has to meet demanding requirements to ensure high quality products. Tape has to have conformability, baking temperature resistance, and be removable without damaging the job.
In the building industry, masking tape is used as protection during painting and sealing, which includes specialty tape for stucco surfaces and flat tape to provide floor protection.
There are several uses for masking tape in electronics, which include wrapping and splicing cables and masking components during soldering. It is used to join power cables and add extra insulation to cover exposed wires and waterproof joints. In the manufacture of circuit boards, specially manufactured masking tape is used to cover circuit board areas during the coating process.
Several industries enhance the appearance of their products by painting them. To ensure paint will last and not peel, it is baked on at high temperatures after being cured. Powder coatings are also applied, which are cured at high temperatures such that they flow and form a skin on a product.
Masking tape used for industrial applications, such as stove enameling, has to be able to meet the conditions of high heat and temperatures with temperatures that reach 370°C. The type of masking tape for these production conditions include masking tape backings of polyester, crepe, aluminum foil, and yellow vinyl, each of which are capable of withstanding stressful and harsh conditions.
From its humble beginnings as painters tape, masking tape has grown into a necessary tool that is used for industrial applications that require protection for even and uneven surfaces, a method for sealing pallets and shipping containers, as a connector of unlike surfaces, and a way for repairing cracks and holes.
The ability of masking tape to quickly adhere to surfaces and form a tight bond makes it ideal for use at construction sites and paint booths. Its high level of tackiness and easy application provided by high quality adhesives makes masking tape the perfect tool.
The most important function of masking tape is to protect surfaces from overspray, leaks, and potential damage. The application of masking tape guarantees that only the surfaces that require treatment will be processed.
One of the reasons for the popularity of masking tape is how easy it is to apply. A small amount of pressure activates the adhesive as it makes contact with any surface. This property is true for industrial masking tapes used to protect surfaces during coating, enameling, and painting and DIY projects. Although the type of backing and adhesive influence the performance of masking tape, manufacturers provide clear instructions regarding the quality and abilities of their products.
Once a project is over and the applied materials have dried, it is important that the protective masking tape can be easily removed and not leave a residue. This is especially true in regard to new cars, boats, and airplanes that have to have smooth even surfaces. The tackiness of masking tapes allows it to immediately adhere to a surface and form a tight bond.
The second step in the process is the clear efficient removal of the tape, which happens with ease. With minimal force, all forms of masking tape can be pulled away leaving clean straight lines that separate processed surfaces.
Masking tape is a tool that has been designed to fit the needs of all forms of applications from the heat treatment of stove enamel to protecting molding during painting. It is this versatility that has expanded its use from a house painters tool box to automobile production lines.
Added to its versatility are the many varieties of masking tape with different backings, adhesives, widths, and thicknesses, each of which has the same characteristics and properties for different applications. The industrial use of masking tape has made it a time saving tool that prevents errors and damage.
The low cost of masking tape and its reliability are two of its features that are the most appealing, especially for masking tape for industrial use. The main cost of masking tape is the adhesive used for bonding with a surface with silicone based masking tape being one of the more expensive, which is much less than other protective measures.
Certain portions of modern manufacturing are concerned about sustainability and protection of the environment. Masking tape fits comfortably into the initiatives supported by companies concerned with compliance with these factors. It is a renewable product that can be repurposed and reprocessed at the end of its useful life.
The biggest concern with the selection of masking tape is the amount of residue it leaves behind when being removed. This is especially important in the production of new products that have to be in pristine condition when completed. As with all aspects of masking tape sales and production, manufacturers provide information regarding the reason for this negative effect and methods for combating it.
The neglect of masking tape most likely does not apply to its industrial use where time and monitoring are essential to quality. In house painting and DIY projects, masking tape can be left in place for extended periods of time, which can cause the bond between the surface and the adhesive to become more permanent and make it difficult to remove the tape without leaving a residue.
The wide industrial use of masking tape and its highly advanced adhesives is expensive and costly. Since masking tape for coating, enameling, and painting projects allows for one time use, multiple rolls of tape have to be kept on hand to maintain ongoing production. In most cases, this cost is compared to the costs of other methods for protecting surfaces during production.
Regardless of the project, industrial or residential, it takes careful planning and time to properly apply masking tape to a surface. It is a process that is difficult to automate and requires the skills of a trained worker. In industrial applications, various methods have been developed to lessen the amount of time involved but have not been able to remove the abilities of skilled workers.
Painter’s tape is a form of masking tape with painter’s tape being a paper or crepe paper backed tape that has similar weight and properties to most masking tape. The major differentiation between painter’s tape and masking tape is their use where masking tape is a tool for high temperature industrial treatments that painter’s tape would never survive.
The many colors of painter’s tape, such as green, blue, white, or yellow, are used for DIYers and professional painters to create crisp clean paint lines. It has a water based surface that keeps it from crinkling and ruining the quality of a paint line. To avoid leaving a residue, the adhesives of painter’s tape are not as strong and permanent as those used for masking tape, which makes its removal residue free.
Since the adhesive of painter’s tape is weaker than masking tape, it can be left in place for up to two weeks before being removed and not leave a residue. The thin layer of backing does not rip or crack during removal.
There is an endless variety of masking tapes each of which is designed to serve a specific and somewhat technical purpose. It has very strong adhesives that are designed to bond with any type of surface to ensure tight and complete protection without shifting or repositioning.
The most telling difference between masking tape and painter’s tape is the ability of masking tape to endure the harsh and stressful conditions of production. The many different backings and adhesives of masking tape gives it exceptional durability, resilience, and strength, which are not attributes of painter’s tape. During manufacturing, masking tape is used as protection for heat treatments, painting, laminating, and enameling, processes that require highly durable tools.
Three factors that differentiate painter’s tape from masking tape.
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