Tape, it comes in all shapes, sizes and colours, and who doesn’t have a roll of masking tape lurking in the back of the cupboard that we use for just about everything. When we refer to masking tape we think of the brown coloured tape that appears to have 101 uses, or we think of the blue tape we all reach for when painting, in fact we assume masking tape is only used for painting applications. But there is more to the humble roll of masking tape than meets the eye, particularly when used in industrial applications. For almost 100 years, masking tape has been a toolbox staple. Like a second set of hands, this sticky companion has been there to help with a variety of tasks, from bundling cords together to masking off highly-detailed paint jobs.
The Evolution of Masking Tape
Masking tape is a pressure-sensitive tape made of thin easy-to-tear paper and an easily released pressure-sensitive adhesive. The adhesive is the key element to its effectiveness, allowing the tape to be easily removed without leaving residue or damaging the surface to which it is applied.
Masking tape was invented in 1925 by 3M employee Richard Drew after he told a client he could solve his painting problem. In the early 1920s the fascination with two-toned cars became the bugbear of the automotive industry. This effect required that one section of the vehicle be masked off while the other was painted, the only issue was, that at the time, nobody knew how to do this well...so they improvised. The craftsmen glued old newspapers and butcher paper to the body and windows with library pastes, homemade glues or surgical adhesive tape to create separations between the two colours. Drew observed auto body workers growing increasingly frustrated when they removed the paper they had taped to cars they were painting. The adhesives stuck so firmly that trying to remove them peeled off some of the paint they had just applied ruining their paint job. Touching up the damaged areas increased their costs, Drew immediately realised the need for tape with a gentler adhesive and the masking tape was born.
With all of the options, how do you pick the right industrial masking tape for your job?
Length, width, colour, thickness, adhesion, strength: when it comes to industrial masking tapes, the options are almost endless. We know it can be overwhelming to understand the differences between them - and the
impact they will have on your job.
That’s why 3M have made masking simple.
Five tapes. Five colours. Five levels of performance.
3M have refined a broad range of industrial masking needs into a single line of easy-to-choose tapes. Ranging from 101+ to 501+, each product level offers an increasing level of performance – from basic, everyday jobs to specialised, demanding applications.
As the full understanding of adhesion and tapes continued to evolve from the 5 cm wide tan paper tape introduced in 1925 into the industrial masking tapes of today, it can be difficult to understand the differences between them. There is now such a wide choice available that it can become somewhat bewildering to select the right tape for the right use, and the impact they will have on your job. Length, width, colour, thickness, adhesion and strength, the options are almost endless, just walk the tape aisle of your local hardware or flip through the pages of your suppliers’ catalogue.
Choosing an industrial masking tape should be simple, but with all of the available options how do you pick the right industrial masking tape for your job? All too often, the same level of masking tape performance is used for painting a vehicle as is used for hanging up a piece of paper on the wall. We invented masking tape almost a century ago. In the time since, we have continued to evolve the technology in our products and have refined a broad range of industrial masking needs into a single line up of 5 easy-to-choose tapes, with performance levels and applications differentiated by colour. Each product level is built on increasing levels of performance and engineered to perform in most all industrial jobs that require a masking tape – from basic, everyday jobs to specialised, demanding applications. Now it’s easy to choose the best tape to get the job done right, refer to the guide below.
From the inventors of masking tape.
Since 1925. 3M invented masking tape almost a century ago. In the time since, 3M have continued to evolve the technology in their products based on your needs. Today 3M proud to help you explore new and better ideas.
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 3M™ General UseMasking Tape 201+ |
3M™ Performance |
3M™ High Performance Green Masking Tape 401+ |
3M™ Specialty High |
| For light duties you don’t take lightly. | For everyday jobs that need some extra gusto. | For jobs between tough and typical. | For paint jobs worth envying. | For paint jobs that demand royal treatment. |
Find your industrial masking tape.
