Masking tape is an easily removed adhesive tape used temporarily covered or fixed. Masking tapes temporarily protect areas from painting, soldering, blasting, spraying, coating, plating while these procedures are administered to nearby surfaces. The different types of masking tape use for different application.
How to choose the right masking tape through different tape’s materials?
Masking tape’s Carrier
A single-sided tape that it’s backing is self-wound around, without release paper liner. At present, there are mainly 6 different types of carrier on the market: Crepe paper masking tape, Washi paper masking tape, PE cloth masking tape, Cloth masking tape, PVC masking tape, PET masking tape.
Crepe paper or Washi paper is extra thin backing carrier.
It’s conformable ability to create crisp paint line and without paint bleeding past the edge. This type of masking tape is usually used as Painter’s Tape. It contains light and soft carrier and water based Acrylic adhesive. So painter’s tape mainly use to masking painting walls, automotive body.
PE cloth is PE laminated flat yarns weaved cloth carrier.
It is light and soft carrier but more stretch-resistant. The flat yarns cloth easy tear by hand with linear fracture. PE cloth masking tape coating water based Acrylic adhesive. It is fairly Anti-solvent and Anti-UV, waterproof. Most of applications are masking building steel structure, bridge steel structure, granite exterior wall, ceramic tile, concrete.
Cloth mean spun rayon cloth that similar to duct tape’s carrier.
It is thick cloth backing with heavy duty Rubber adhesive. So most of Cloth masking tape similar to duct tape but adhesive free-residue. It is good tack for irregular surface such as granite exterior wall, ceramic tile, concrete.
Sandblast tape also is a heavy duty Cloth masking tape with a tough resistant cloth backing and a strong adhesive.
This abrasive blasting tapes mask components during sandblasting, shotpeening, or other coarse-media finishing process. The thick rubber adhesive and backing provides wear resistance to covered areas.
PVC film is a vinyl carrier, the backing has good conformable ability, as well as more flexible workability.
PVC masking tape is also relatively cheap. Most of PVC masking tape use to masking the metal panels, Aluminum alloy door and window frames, glass.
PET film is a Polyester carrier have high resistance temperature and clarity characteristics.
PET masking tape usually used for holding tape. It is designed for the purpose of temporary fixation. So holding tape is often used to temporarily fix certain parts of electrical appliances or office equipment during transportation. Its ease of use and non-residue characteristic makes it an excellent functional tape.
Masking tape’s Adhesive
Since masking tape’s intent is temporary, the removal needs to be residue-free. This limits the adhesive options for different types of masking tape.
Mos of Masking tape for painting applications use water based Acrylic adhesive. Such as Painter’s tape and PE cloth tape, their adhesive layer is very thin and transparent. Acrylic-based adhesives create the good conformable and no bleed performance of Masking tape. It can reach their maximum adhesion almost immediately upon application, have adequate resistance, require no preparation, and have good sheer and peel strength
Natural rubber adhesive mainly use to irregular surface masking. It’s thick adhesive layer have good tack. Such as cloth masking tape and Sandblast tape.
Silicone adhesive have a high degree of flexibility and very high temperature resistance (600°F). It available as a heat masking application, or low temperature resistant, the masking tape will be wide application.
