The most common types of tape and applications

Adhesive tapes is a generic term under which many types can be classified. The most important division of them concerns the intended use. Each type has a different application – some are useful when bonding parcels, while others are used to seal insulation. What are the most common types of tape? What are the applications for packaging tapes?

What are the characteristics of adhesive tape?

Adhesive tapes have a similar structure. They consist of a characteristic backing, made of plastic, fabric or paper, coated with an adhesive. The adhesive is a very important element – it must maintain a permanent grip. Adhesive tapes are most often coated with rubber or acrylic adhesive.

Adhesivetapes are distinguished by the way they are adhered – no wetting or heating up is needed, pressure with the hand, fist or finger is sufficient.

Basic classification of adhesive tapes. General use of packaging tapes

Adhesive tapes are most often divided according to their purpose. Do you want to know what types of packaging tapes there are? So we have to deal with packing tapes, repair tapes, marking tapes, assembly tapes, construction tapes, double-sided tapes. Repair tapes include:

• Painting paper tapes (renovation tapes),
• Varnishing tapes,
• Repair tapes,
• Teflon tapes,
• Creative tapes – have a decorative function.

Construction tapes are used – as the name suggests – during renovations. The most important of these are:

• Plastering tapes – for fixing insulation, finishing plaster, masking joints and gaps.
• Insulation tapes – for sealing joints and insulating electrical cables, as well as eliminating gaps between acoustic panels.
• Film construction tapes – for the permanent bonding of building films.
• Aluminium construction tapes – for sealing ventilation, heating and air conditioning ducts.
• Strapping tapes – for transporting building materials.
• Strapping tapes – for joining cables.

As far as assembly tapes are concerned, they are mainly used in commerce, on film sets and in the theatre. The most important of these are insulating tapes, duct tapes, magnetic tapes (made of magnetic foil and adhesive), Gaff tapes (made of polyethylene-coated fabric) and Velcro tapes (which allow things to be repeatedly detached and attached).

What are the characteristics of the various renovation tapes?

Paper painter’s tapes are an environmentally friendly product. They can be easily torn by hand. As the name suggests, they are used for various painting jobs, e.g. floor coverings, contacts, window sills. Removal is no problem. The adhesive does not stick firmly to the wall, so it does not leave any residue on the surface. They can be removed after the painting job is finished without any problems.

Varnish tapes, like their predecessors, are used to protect a particular surface from dirt during renovation, painting or varnishing work. They are impermeable and their consistency is not damaged by contact with varnishes, adhesives or solvents.

Repair tapes (duct tape) are useful for, among other things, minor repairs, sealing of ventilation ducts. It consists of a polyethylene fabric, coated with a strong adhesive.

Teflon tapes are suitable for work on heating or plumbing systems. They seal pipes and other plumbing and gas components. They can cope with extreme temperatures, high pressure. They can be found in different thicknesses, widths.

What is worth knowing about packaging tapes?

What are the uses of packaging tapes? First, here’s an overview of the best packaging tapes. Packing tape is particularly useful in the transport industry – for sealing, securing, sealing and packaging various shipments. It is distinguished by its high resistance. Its most popular sub-type is transparent packing tape. They come in different widths and can be manufactured from a variety of materials (it is worth looking for eco-friendly ones). It should not be too difficult to find the right size, material and colour of strip tape (transparent is the most common).

Packaging tapes are divided into:

• Acrylic tapes – these are made from polypropylene material coated with acrylic adhesive. They can be found in a variety of colours, widths and lengths.
• Synthetic rubber tapes – these are manufactured from polypropylene film or paper. The material is coated with synthetic rubber adhesive. Such tapes are most often white, brown or transparent in colour. Decorative, festive versions can also be found in shops.
• Natural rubber tapes – these are made from three materials – polypropylene, PVC or paper. Regardless of the choice, the material is coated with natural rubber adhesive. Such tapes can only be found in 3 colours – transparent, white, brown. An example is an unusual tape for cold stores.

However, these are not all types of packaging tapes. Packing tapes also include office adhesive tape, which is the most common type of adhesive tape – it is the one most often associated with this statement. This transparent accessory is mainly useful in schools and offices (hence the name). It is very durable, although small in size.

Packaging tapes can have a base of various materials. Thus, we distinguish mainly between PVC tape (moisture-resistant), paper tape (eco-friendly). Printed paper tape is a frequent choice among customers and companies wishing to promote their brand.

Slightly less popular types of packaging tape are gummed tape (tough, used for international transport) or filament tape (with additional glass fibre reinforcement, for bonding large volume shipments). For user comfort (elimination of noise during unwinding), a special low-noise tape can be used. In the case of automatic parcel sealing (e.g. in factories), on the other hand, a tape for machine use is used.

Among the paper packaging tapes you can find printed, coloured versions. At RAJA you can find most of the packaging tapes mentioned, as well as dispensers.

Double-sided tapes

Double-sided tape is suitable mainly for renovation work, e.g. for backing, fixing carpets and other flooring materials. It prevents them from moving and levels out unevenness. However, it is also suitable for bonding cardboard.

Warning tapes

This is the most important type of marking tape. Warning tape differs significantly from other types. It has a red and white colour scheme and a considerable length. Such tapes are mainly used at construction sites, when unauthorised areas need to be marked. It can also be used to indicate that an area has an excavation, a hole. The health and lives of many people can then be saved, for example by avoiding a car accident caused by driving into a gap in the road.

Adhesive tape dispenser – the most popular accessory

The use of adhesive tape is much simpler with the presence of a so-called tape dispenser. This is a device with a distinctive design – it has teeth that enable the tape to be torn off the roll efficiently and quickly. The right dispenser can handle almost all types of packaging tape.

Wondering which packaging tape dispenser to choose? The most popular type are manual and universal dispensers, designed for all types of tape. They have a special brake, a rubber knob and a metal housing. Mail order companies often use more professional dispensers that regulate the tension of the tape (thanks to an appropriate mechanism).