Artist Highlight: Isabelle Leclerc - PaintPro masking tape

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When it comes to tape, we like to always keep track of the market and its needs. This is why we collaborate with professionals in their respective field of work to make sure our products exceed their expectations. With our PaintPro® painter's masking tape, this is no different. 

For many years, we have sent tape to Isabelle Leclerc, decorative artist, to try out and give feedback on. She has an incredible talent with very specific needs for painter's tape, and our PaintPro® masking tapes have always been by her side.

Here is her artist highlight with regards to using our PaintPro® masking tapes:

Be sure to follow our Cantech Facebook page.

For more information on Isabelle's work, please visit her Facebook page.

Written By: Marc-André Tremblay-Robitaille, Cantech, Marketing & Product Specialist

Masking Tape Part III: Rolling Out the Next Generation

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A 3-part series designed to help you make the right tape choice for your next big project.

Over the past couple months we’ve learned what masking tape is and how it’s made. We also talked about some additives that can be introduced to enhance the tape’s physical properties. In Part three of this series, we will briefly recap what we have already covered and discuss some new technologies that are trending in the industry as we move to the next generation of masking tapes that will help you achieve great results on the jobsite.

In Part one we talked about the composition of masking tape from a fundamental understanding.  “Masking Tape” (a term most often used categorizing paper tapes) comes from the act of protecting or masking an area prior to the application of painting, coating or surface treatment. The composition of masking tape is made up of three layers: Backing, adhesive and release coat. The backing is generally made from a saturated crepe paper. The two types of adhesives used are Acrylic and Rubber (or Synthetic Rubber). The release coat controls the tape’s unwind values, its adhesion to backing values and adhesive consistencies. In other words – the release coat allows the tape to come off the roll easily and not stick to itself.

In Part two we learned about chemical additives that enhance the tape’s physical characteristics, allowing the tape to be used for specific applications. We discussed clean line technology, UV inhibitors and operating temperatures. Clean line technology is an additive applied to the edge of the roll, forming a barrier or blocking agent so paint cannot seep under the tape. UV inhibitors are additives necessary for a tape to properly perform outside or directly on windows exposed to sunlight. Generally speaking, your painter’s masking tape will work at its optimum around +21°C (+70°F) but will do the job properly between +10°C - +38°C (+50°F - +100°F).

Paint and all related accessories go hand-in-hand

Next Generation
New technologies will continue to be a priority for tape companies. In recent years you have probably noticed more specialized products designed for very specific applications. Some of these new masking tapes are made for delicate surfaces, textured walls and outdoor use among other things. Some tape has been developed with different kinds of adhesive and non-traditional backings.

The paint industry is constantly evolving and more and more new products will be introduced in the coming years. Paint and all related accessories go hand-in-hand and need to work in conjunction with each other. As Low VOC paints are gaining popularity and more legislation in certain states are requiring their use, painter’s tape needs to be compatible.

The tape aisle at your local big box or hardware store will continue to add new and different masking tapes to their shelves. But don’t stress - in the past few months you’ve learned about masking tape and should be more comfortable walking through the daunting tape aisle and making your purchase decision.

Masking Tape Part II: The Sticky Details

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Earlier this year, we learned how acrylic and rubber/synthetic rubber masking tapes are made. This month, we’ll focus on chemical additives that can change or enhance the tape’s physical properties and characteristics. The importance of these minor differences are critical as they give the tape its application qualities. There are many characteristics of tape that can affect your project, but let’s take a look at three important areas: clean line technology, UV inhibitors and operating temperatures.

Clean Line Technology
Edge treatment has been an industry trend for over a decade. Clean line technology is an additive applied to the edge of the roll, forming a barrier or blocking agent so paint cannot seep under the tape. Edge-treated tapes are usually very forgiving and provide a good option when the job requires a perfect line. Look for IPG’s patented Bloc-it™ Clean Line Technology, a proprietary edge treatment that delivers clean, crisp paint lines.

UV Inhibitors
UV inhibitors are additives necessary for a tape to properly perform outside or directly on windows exposed to sunlight. If you’ve ever applied tape to a surface outside on a hot summer day, you might have noticed it falls down in a matter of minutes. When working outside in the sun, make sure your tape has built in UV Inhibitors to help it adhere and work properly.

Operating Temperatures
Extreme heat, cold and humidity can all affect the tape’s adhesion, causing potential failures. It is important to understand your working conditions when purchasing tape. Generally speaking, your painter’s masking tape will work at its optimum around +21°C (+70°F), but will do the job properly between +10°C - +38°C (+50°F - +100°F).

Keep in Mind
There are still some challenges that may arise even when you have the perfect tape for the job. Remember to make sure the surface being taped is free of dust and debris prior to application. When applying any pressure-sensitive masking tape, be sure to press down firmly and use your thumb on the edges. This will ensure thorough adhesion coverage, helping eliminate bleed through.

1. Textured walls – orange peel type walls always present a unique challenge as the tiny bumps and crevices make it difficult for a low-tack masking adhesive to flow through and adhere.
Tip: Use a higher adhesion performance 1-day masking tape if you are planning to finish the job quickly. This will allow the adhesive to move into the crevices of the textured surface and will still pull off cleanly if done within 24 hours.

2. Freshly painted surface – If paint has not fully cured, your tape may not stick to the surface. The chemicals in the tape react with the chemicals in the paint causing the tape to fall off as you apply.
Tip: All paints are different, but the tape should have a better reaction after 24 hours. Low VOC paints present a different challenge and may take longer for the tape to properly react.

3. Pulling off tape– Sometimes, when removing tape from the wall after the paint has dried, you will notice the paint has formed a plastic like coating (mainly latex paints) over the tape. When this happens, achieving a straight line by pulling the tape off is impossible.
Tip: To avoid this, pull the tape right after the painting is complete, even if not fully dry. If it’s too late, score the edge with a blade. This will break the seal and allow for a perfect tape peel off.

I know it can be tedious, time consuming and sometimes frustrating, but take the extra few minutes to properly apply the correct tape and then check out your end result. I guarantee you it will be worth it!

Written By: Brandon Paas, Intertape Polymer Group, Consumer Marketing Manager

Masking Tape - The Core Basics

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We have all experienced masking tape problems at some point, whether a weekend project at home or out on the job site. Having experienced issues in the past, we’ve learned that it all comes down to buying the right tape for the job. Easy, right?  Not exactly! I work in the tape industry and I still get confused walking through the tape section of a big box store. I can’t imagine how overwhelming it must be for a DIYer or contractor searching through an entire aisle of different brands, colors, sizes, prices, etc…where to begin?!

Understanding Painter’s Masking Tape

“Masking Tape” (a term most often used categorizing paper tapes) comes from the act of protecting or masking an area prior to the application of painting, coating or surface treatment. But are all masking tapes created equal? Let’s take a closer look.

The composition of masking tape at its most fundamental level is made up of three layers: backing, adhesive and release coat. (See illustration, top of page.) The backing is generally made from a saturated crepe paper. Crepe paper is known for its ability to stretch, allowing the tape to bend and conform around curves. Saturation helps enhance the paper’s physical properties and can also add color if preferred. The paper can be smooth crepe or coarse crepe—smooth crepe is used on high performance products, leaving a clean paint line and no bleed-through. Coarse crepe has a rough finish and is commonly used in general purpose applications where a clean line is not necessarily required.

The two types of adhesives used are acrylic and rubber (or synthetic rubber).  Acrylic adhesives can be water-based or solvent-based and use synthesized polymers to formulate an adhesive structure that is applied to the tape. Acrylics have medium initial adhesion, temperature resistance, solvent resistance, UV resistance and durability.  Rubber adhesives can consist of natural or synthetic rubber. Natural rubber adhesives have a medium to high tack and are used for general purpose applications. Synthetic rubber adhesives are formed by mixing synthetic compounds with rubber.  These are medium tack and intended for indoor and outdoor painting applications. Rubber and synthetic rubber adhesives have medium-high initial adhesion, temperature resistance, UV resistance, and durability.

The release coat controls the tape’s unwind values, its adhesion to backing values and adhesive consistencies. In other words—the release coat allows the tape to come off the roll easily and not stick to itself.  There you have it, lesson one in the books! Learning what masking tape is and how it’s made is key to understanding how it works and why it works (or doesn’t work—we will cover this later). In Part II we will learn about applications—what to use, why to use and how to use—and break down acrylic and rubber masking tapes further, discussing chemical additives that can give the tape new properties and

characteristics.

Written by Brandon Paas, Consumer Marketing Manager, IPG