Tape

From Principles of Applied Arts

Tape refers to a strip of long, thin and narrow matter, usually rolled up. Most commonly, it refers to:

Contents 1 Painters tape 2 Blue Tape 3M 2090 3 White Tape 3M 2070 4 3M Faux Tape 3M 2080 5 3M Tape 3M 2060 6 3M Tape 3M 2050 7 Art Tapes 8 Easy Mask 9 External links

Painters tape

Painters tapeis a type of adhesive masking tape made of easy-to-tear paper backed with a weak adhesive. It is used mainly in painting to mask off areas that should not be painted. The adhesive is the key element to its usefulness as it allows the tape to be easily removed. The tape is available in several strengths, rated on a 1-100 scale based on the strength of the adhesive, and most painting operations will require a tape in the 50 range. Household masking tape is made of an even weaker paper and lower grade adhesive.

Masking tape was invented in 1925 by 3M employee, Richard Drew. Drew observed auto-body workers growing frustrated when they removed butcher paper they had taped to cars they were painting. When they removed the tape, the strong adhesive peeled off some of the paint they had just applied and touching up the damaged areas increased their costs. Drew realized the need for tape with a more gentle adhesive.

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

Drafting tape looks similar to ordinary household masking tape but has a lower adhesive tack. It is intended to hold blueprints to a drawing board or light table and to pull off easily without damaging the drawings. Packing tape, in contrast, has a high adhesive tack.

House painter's tape is rated by how many days it can remain applied to a surface without leaving residue behind once it is removed. It is available in 1-, 3-, 7-, 14-, 30-, and 60-day ratings, with the 7- and 14-day tapes being the most common. The longer-rated tapes are typically less adhesive and are sold for use on smooth, delicate surfaces such as vinyl wallpaper and recently painted walls. In any case, the tape should be removed immediately after painting regardless of how long it was applied to a surface beforehand. Painter's tape is often blue or purple in color as opposed to the tan household masking tape.

Blue Tape 3M 2090

Safe release tape. Most ordinary tapes are too strong to be used in decorative painting because they have a tendency to pull latex paint off a surface. Lower tack tape such as 3M 2090 is the preferred masking tape for decorative painting and is used by most finishers. The low tack quality of 3M 2090 allows the tape to be applied for longer periods of time without leaving adhesive residue behind, unlike lower priced masking tapes that can leave adhesive residue on the surface when they are removed. In the long run, using a low priced, low quality tape will cost time and money in clean-up. For these reasons, 3M 2090 is the preferred painters tape for general decorative painting projects.

White Tape 3M 2070

Super light-tack. This is a much lower tack tape than 3M 2090 and best used when taping over very delicate surfaces such as art work, tissue paper, murals, wall paper, flat paint, etc.

3M Faux Tape 3M 2080

Low tack tape with an adhesive rating in between the 3M 2090 and 3M 2070 tapes. It is especially designed for faux finishing and works well for burnishing on textured surfaces because it is stretchy and conforms to the texture. It is lso great for plaster embossing techniques because it is thin and doesn't leave thick tape lines. Good stuff! You get what you pay for!

3M Tape 3M 2060

This is a green high tack tape used for adhering to dusty surfaces such as brick and concrete.

3M Tape 3M 2050

This is a standard canvas colored masking tape and is not recomended for delecate surfaces. You cannot leave this tape on a surface for long or it will leave a residue behind when it is removed. Decorative painters use this tape for taping dropcloths together, taping to carpet, and general masking applications in new construction.

Art Tapes

Available at art stores and comes in a variety of widths. Those that are flexible work best for faux finishing.

Easy Mask

Clean edge; available in variety of widths. It is great for stripping, etc.

Easy Mask also offers a flexible tape used for making curved edges and is available in various widths. It is a good source for a difficult-to-find 1/4" width tape.

External links

• 3M Masking Tape
• Easy Mask Tape