Often when carrying out painting work, a person is faced with the problem of straight lines and blurred surfaces. Previously, it was necessary to align the lines with solvents and remove paint from smeared surfaces. Now there are special tools that will help prevent these problems - this is a masking tape. With the help of this tape it is possible to carry out painting work with high quality and without harm to adjacent surfaces.
Masking tape
Masking tape is a paper tape, on one side of which is applied glue based on rubber resins. The masking tape itself should have a rough surface and low weight, so as not to slip during paintwork. A good material has excellent absorbent properties, and the adhesive base does not leave marks after removal from the surface. Adhesive tape was invented in the United States. The first copies were a thick paper tape, the glue on which was only around the edges.
Specifications
To assess the properties of the masking tape, you should pay attention to:
- adhesive properties, i.e. the ability of the tape to adhere tightly to the surface;
- the level of strength at break;
- resistance to prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures;
- resistance to high humidity;
- the ability to not leave adhesive traces after removal from the surface.
The modern market is littered with various types and brands, when choosing masking tape, you should think about what conditions of use await it. For less accurate work, masking tape with a width of up to 50 mm is used, and for more accurate work, a narrow tape, up to 10 mm wide. A qualitative indicator is the value of the thickness of the tape, the most common is 125 microns. Such adhesive tape has increased adhesion and strength.
One of the best masking tapes, experts recognize the one that goes on the market under the brand name 3M Company. It has a number of positive characteristics:
- it has a high resistance to temperature effects (up to +110 ° C for up to 60 minutes);
- has increased durability and flexibility;
- resistance to solvents and moisture;
- tight fit to rubber and metal;
- leaves no residue after removal from the surface.
Application
For the production of masking tape using high-quality materials. For paint and varnish work, adhesive tape is used when it is necessary to protect the surfaces of walls, ceilings, wallpaper from plaster, paint, and mounting foam. Using it, you can stick protective films to various surfaces without fear that traces will remain.
The masking tape is used to create perfectly even lines when painting, protecting adjacent surfaces from paint. In addition, it is used to create beautiful drawings as part of design decisions.
In everyday life, masking tape is used:
- If you need to drill a hole on a slippery and smooth surface, such as tiles, tiles. The tape is glued to the surface and due to its roughness, the drill does not slip.
- To collect glass fragments.
- When organizing a workplace, various small objects (buttons, paper clips, etc.) can be glued to the tape.
- When gluing the edges of wooden objects, to avoid the appearance of small chips during sawing.
- Paste over the edges of potentially brittle materials to avoid damage during transport.
- When marking various packages, the surface of the tape due to its roughness allows you to write on it.
Features of removing tape from the surface
In order to leave no traces of glue on the surface, the masking tape should not remain on it for a long time. Before gluing, it is necessary to remove dust and dirt, otherwise it may remain on the painted surface. When removing glue, vegetable oil, white spirit, and a regular school eraser should be used.