Masking tape, also known as painter's tape, is a type of

pressure-sensitive tape Pressure-sensitive tape or pressure-sensitive adhesive tape (PSA tape) is an adhesive tape that sticks when pressure is applied without the need for a solvent (such as water) or heat for activation. It is also known in various countries as self ...

made of a thin and easy-to-tear paper, and an easily released

pressure-sensitive adhesive Pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA, self-adhesive, self-stick adhesive) is a type of nonreactive adhesive which forms a bond when pressure is applied to bond the adhesive with a surface. No solvent, water, or heat is needed to activate the adhesive ...

. It is available in a variety of widths. It is used mainly in

painting Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

, to mask off areas that should not be painted. Some inexpensive masking tapes are suited for general use in homes and offices. Others are designed for professional house painters. Masking tapes for automotive or aircraft use have special characteristics for these demanding applications.

History

Masking tape was created in 1925 by 3M employee Richard Gurley Drew. Drew observed autobody workers growing frustrated when they removed butcher paper they had taped to cars they were painting. The strong adhesive on the tape peeled off some of the paint they had just applied. Touching up the damaged areas increased their costs. Drew realized the need for tape with a gentler adhesive.

Constructions

Several constructions of masking tapes have been developed. Many are designed for a specific purpose. The backing of masking tape is typically paper, although plastic films and metal foils have also been used. Most papers are creped (rather than flat) to allow the tape to stretch when applied to a curved line. Tapes can be natural paper (beige) or different colors. Paper backings are often saturated with resins to help prevent paint from seeping through the paper. Many tapes have a release coating on the top of the tape to help the tape release from the roll. The pressure sensitive adhesive on masking tapes need to create an effective bond to the intended surface, particularly on the edges to prevent paint from working in and causing a rough paint line. Once the paint is dry, the adhesive must also release cleanly from the surface without damaging the surface or leaving residue. Most masking tapes are designed for temporary use at ambient temperatures. When needed, special tapes are available for longer term usage, higher temperatures, chemical washes, sunlight, etc.

Usage

For its original use of marking off areas where paint is not desired, a special grade of painter's masking tape is needed. With this special grade, very clean lines can be produced. Without it, the paint bleeds under the edges of the tape, producing a fuzzy or varied line.

Drafting tape Drafting Tape, also known as artist's tape, is similar to masking tape in that it has a wide variety of uses, but differs in several key areas. # Drafting tape should not leave a sticky residue behind #Drafting tape is easily removable, even from d ...

looks similar to ordinary household masking tape, but has a lower tack. It is intended to hold blueprints to a drawing board or light table, and to pull off easily without damaging the drawing. Masking tape is also used in long strips on larger glass panes in situations where the glass might be shattered, harming those in the vicinity.

Other types

When constructed with

plastic film Plastic film is a thin continuous polymeric material. Thicker plastic material is often called a "sheet". These thin plastic membranes are used to separate areas or volumes, to hold items, to act as barriers, or as printable surfaces. Plast ...

s instead of paper, masking tapes can be used for more rigorous applications.

Polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...

-based tapes are used to mask off during

etching Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other type ...

plating Plating is a finishing process in which a metal is deposited on a surface. Plating has been done for hundreds of years; it is also critical for modern technology. Plating is used to decorate objects, for corrosion inhibition, to improve solderab ...

, and in particular,

powder coating Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. Unlike conventional liquid paint, which is delivered via an evaporating solvent, powder coating is typically applied electrostatically and then Powder coating#Curin ...

. Tapes based on

polyimide Polyimide (sometimes abbreviated PI) is a monomer containing imide groups belonging to the class of high-performance plastics. With their high heat-resistance, polyimides enjoy diverse applications in roles demanding rugged organic materials, suc ...

films can resist molten

solder Solder (; North American English, NA: ) is a fusible alloy, fusible metal alloy used to create a permanent bond between metal workpieces. Solder is melted in order to wet the parts of the joint, where it adheres to and connects the pieces aft ...

electronics Electronics is a scientific and engineering discipline that studies and applies the principles of physics to design, create, and operate devices that manipulate electrons and other Electric charge, electrically charged particles. It is a subfield ...

applications. Glass cloth tapes are often used in powder coating and

sandblasting Sandblasting, sometimes known as abrasive blasting, is the operation of forcibly propelling a stream of abrasive material against a surface under high pressure to smooth a rough surface, roughen a smooth surface, shape a surface or remove su ...

operations.

Foil Foil may refer to: Materials * Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine * Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal * Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food * Tin foil, metal foil ma ...

or vinyl tapes are often used in plating. Layered tapes made from multiple materials

laminate Simulated flight (using image stack created by μCT scanning) through the length of a knitting needle that consists of laminated wooden layers: the layers can be differentiated by the change of direction of the wood's vessels Shattered windshi ...

d together can be used for masking flame spray,

thermal spray Thermal spraying techniques are coating processes in which melted (or heated) materials are sprayed onto a surface. The "feedstock" (coating precursor) is heated by electrical (plasma or arc) or chemical means (combustion flame). Thermal sprayi ...

and

HVOF Thermal spraying techniques are coating A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, or substrate. The purpose of applying the coating may be decorative, functional, or both. Coatings may be applied as liquids, gases ...

. Masking tape can also be used to adhere posters to walls up to the day rating. Masking tape can basically be used for any purpose required of it, and is not limited solely to painting needs. The adhesive applied to a tape is often a critical determining factor for a given masking situation. There are three thin types of adhesives (with many chemical variations of each):

rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Types of polyisoprene ...

-based, acrylic-based, and

silicone In Organosilicon chemistry, organosilicon and polymer chemistry, a silicone or polysiloxane is a polymer composed of repeating units of siloxane (, where R = Organyl group, organic group). They are typically colorless oils or elastomer, rubber ...

-based. Rubber-based adhesives generally provide the greatest adhesion, but the lowest temperature resistance. Acrylic-based adhesives offer a wide temperature range, providing adhesion from sub-freezing temperatures up to 275–325 °F (about 150 °C). Silicone-based adhesives provide the highest temperature resistance, with some tapes (such as some polyimide films and glass cloth tapes) allowing for intermittent use up to 500 °F (260 °C).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Masking Tape Adhesive tape American inventions