Selection Guide for Industrial Tapes: Types, Features, and Applications
Industrial tapes are used in every industry. Not only are they used in manufacturing for sealing, bonding, and packaging, they’re used for many specialized purposes. Your mobile phone for example, uses many different types of tapes, for fixing components in place, as well as for shielding, grounding, and protection.
Gateway Packaging stocks a wide range of quality industrial tapes, and we’re happy answer questions and offer advice at any time.
When choosing an industrial tape, it’s helpful to understand a tape’s basic components.
What are the components of industrial tapes?
An industrial tape basically has three components: the adhesive, the backing or carrier material, and the release liner. Some industrial tapes only have an adhesive and a backing material.
Common types of industrial tape include non-adhesive tape, adhesive tape, and transfer tape. Transfer tapes are used to apply adhesives precisely where they’re needed.
Although non-adhesive industrial tapes don’t carry an adhesive, they may be self-adhering, and are used in the electrical and plumbing trades. Often used for protective applications, they may be coloured, or transparent.
Adhesive industrial tapes may be single-sided, with an adhesive on one side of the tape, or double-sided, with two coats of adhesive.
Transfer industrial tape is also known as application tape, because it’s used to apply adhesive to a surface.
Let’s look at some popular types of industrial tapes, as well as their features.
Popular types of industrial tapes: duct tapes, masking tapes, and more
Popular types of industrial tapes include:
Let’s look at these popular types of tapes, their features, and some applications.
Duct tapes for every emergency
Duct tape is manufactured of simple components: a waterproof backing combined with a super-strong adhesive. Designed for both indoor and outdoor use, it’s available in many different types, widths, and grades.
Not only is duct tape used in many trades, as well as in factories, and in shops, most homes have at least a couple of rolls for emergencies. Did you know that duct tape was originally developed in World War II, precisely for emergency seals and repairs?
Supremely versatile, duct tape is not only waterproof, it’s easy to tear, and flexible enough to seal and repair almost anything. Commonly available in silver and black, you can find it in other colours too.
Widely used, duct tape is used for applications such as waterproofing, sealing, and repairs in the building, automotive, transport, and electronics industries.
Masking tapes: easy to remove without damaging surfaces
Masking tape is often called “painter’s tape”—an indication of its original use. It’s made of a paper-based backing material, with a pressure-sensitive adhesive which is designed to be easy to remove without causing damage, or leaving any residue.
As with duct tape, masking tapes are available in different types, widths, and grades. However, masking tape is also manufactured for special uses.
For example, high-temperature masking tapes are manufactured with a polyester backing and a silicon adhesive to resist heat up to 200 degrees Celsius. Another high-temperature masking tape, with a fibreglass backing, can resist heat up to 260 degrees Celsius.
Used in many applications in the automotive and construction industries, masking tape is commonly available in white, as well as in colours for special purposes.
Filament tapes: super-strong and tough
As the name suggests, filament tapes include filaments of fibreglass in their polypropylene backing film to make them super-strong and tough. They’re commonly manufactured with a rubber adhesive for heavy duty packaging and other applications.
Not only are filament tapes tear-resistant, they resist splitting, maintaining their strength over time.
The special benefits of filament tapes include:
- Ease of use: they’re easy to apply, and can be removed cleanly from a surface, without damaging products;
- High tensile strength;
- Moisture resistance.
Commonly used in the packaging industry to bundle items for transport and storage, filament tapes have many other applications as well. They’re widely used in manufacturing, as well as in the construction industry.
Heavy duty packaging tapes offer high protection and security
Heavy duty packaging tapes, also referred to as box or carton sealing tapes, have a wide range of uses. They’re manufactured with a backing of materials such as polypropylene or polyester, combined with a strong adhesive.
Most commonly used in packaging, heavy duty tapes are available in different grades and widths, and may be used to seal cartons, as well as bundle products and cartons together for transport, across the country, or around the world.
Gateway Packaging offers a tough and reliable Heavy Duty Packaging Tape of 50 microns (the thickest available), with a premium grade rubber adhesive.
Get advice about industrial tapes for your applications
Not certain of the type of industrial tapes you need? Get in touch with Gateway Packaging today. We offer premium tapes for many different applications.