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.

Do you know if you’re using the right masking tape for your job?

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.

Type	3M™ Value Masking Tape 101+ The basic tape for basic jobs	3M™ General Use Masking Tape 201+ The tough tape for everyday jobs	3M™ Performance Yellow Masking Tape 301+ The dependable choice for industrial performance	3M™ High Performance Green Masking Tape 401+ The industrial strength GREEN coloured performanc	3M™ Specialty High Temperature Masking Tape 501+ The highest degree of industrial performance
Applications	Indoor use Light-duty applications Ideal for marking, temporary holding, wrapping and sealing	General indoor use Light-to-medium duty Smooth and conformable Sticks with confidence to a wide variety of surfaces Easy to handle, apply and remove in one piece Ideal for bundling, labelling and identifying	Good conformability to irregular surfaces Resists paint bleedthrough Great paint lines Yellow backing ensures good visibility Ideal for industrial paint masking, bundling, holding, marking, colour coding and sealing. Withstands surface temperatures up to 107°C for 30 minutes.	Highly conformable to many surfaces Superior adhesion to metal, rubber, glass and plastic Removes cleanly in one piece with no residue Resists paint bleed-through Creates super-sharp paint lines Green backing improves visibility and accuracy during paint masking Ideal for high performance industrial painting, including two-tone colour application on trucks, buses, trailers, trains, fire trucks, ambulances and airplanes Withstands surface temperatures up to 121°C for 30 minutes	Exceptionally conformable to irregular surfaces Superior adhesion to metal, rubber, glass and plastic Removes cleanly in one piece with no residue Extra-strong backing resists bleed-through from most industrial paints. Creates super-sharp paint lines Ideal for all high temperature paint baking, fascia painting and pipe coating applications. Withstands surface temperatures up to 149°C for 30 minutes.
Job Duty	Light	Light - Medium	Medium	Heavy	Heavy
Paint	✘	✘	✔	✔	✔
Temperature	Low 66°C	Low 93°C	Moderate 107°C	High 121°C	High 149°C
Conformability	Low	Fair	Good	Excellent	Best

3M masking solutions...choosing the right tape is easy.

Manufacturers of high-quality equipment, machinery and automotive expect perfection and precision at every step of the way; this includes getting that paint job done right. Risking the quality of an exceptional product with a masking tape that does not ensure clean removal, temperature resistance or effective bleed resistance can result in reduced customer satisfaction and ultimately hurt your bottom line. Five tapes. Five levels of strength. 3M has made masking simple. From high temperature paint baking and pipe coating to marking and temporary holding, there’s a 3M Industrial Masking Tape for your application. View the video below to learn more.

Whether you’re taping off an industrial paint job or need a light-duty tape for occasional use and repetitive tasks, 3M offers a full line of Masking Tapes with a variety of backings, adhesion strengths, clean removal properties and temperature range performance. With our range of easy-to-choose Masking Made Simple products, you can select the right tape for your job, faster than ever. From basic, everyday jobs to specialised, demanding applications, we’ve made masking simple.

Reach out to a 3M Industrial Adhesive & Tape Specialist for more information.