The Automotive masking tape (Auto body masking tape) is applied on the car to mask off the
areas that should not be treated or painted.
The Auto body masking tape can be used alone on the surface to protect, or aid the
application of other products such as masking
film or masker.
Auto body masking tape is very important, protecting the car body from overspray of
primers, abrasives and paints. Auto body masking tape is
for sure the most versatile and flexible product involved in car paining.
Auto body masking tape is applied on the car to mask off the areas that should not be
treated or painted. A good tape should resist the high temperature required during
drying cycles, withstand the chemicals in the paint and guarantee perfect
adhesion to prevent the paint from bleeding through. Additional qualities
include removal without residue, high conformability to fit irregular surfaces,
easy and controlled unwind.
Tape width: the width of Auto
body masking tape is important, as different tapes are required for
different uses. Larger masking tapes are perfect to support masking films and
paper when covering wide areas of the car, while the narrowest tapes can be
used directly on small components or surfaces for a high precision masking.
Another important feature to consider is the thickness of the
tape, which is the distance between the backing and the adhesive surface.
Tensile
strength: tensile
strength indicates the force required to break the tape or, in other words, the
maximum load it can withstand. A tape with a high value of this parameter avoid
breaks and rips when applied and removed.
Elongation
capability: strictly
related to tensile strength, elongation is the ability of the tape to stretch when
force is applied. Elongation is important when applying the tape on the car,
stretching it to fit irregular surfaces: in this particular case, we talk
about conformability.
Temperature
resistance: this is one
of the most important features of a car masking tape. Car painting
requires one or more drying cycles, during which the car is exposed to high
temperatures: in these phases, the tape has to keep its hold steadily and
prevent the paint from bleeding, or the adhesive from sticking too much to the
paint itself. Good car masking tapes should withstand a
temperature above 80° to perform properly.
Shear
adhesion: this
parameter indicates the ability of a car masking tape to bear
the weight of an object prior to come loose from a vertical plane. In car
painting, you have to consider shear adhesion when choosing a tape to apply
masking films or paper: in this case, shear adhesion indicates the time the
tape can keep the film in place, before slipping downward.
Water and
solvent resistance: when you
are using water-based paints, water resistance is important as it
refers to the capability of the tape to resist water, keeping unaltered the
features of its adhesive. Strictly related to water resistance we find solvent
resistance, which indicates the ability of the tape to resist the attack of
organic solvents.
We are at the
end of our guide: you have now some more information to choose the best car
masking tape for your job
