Next to the invention of the wheel, tape is one of the most important inventions that is used globally. Adhesive-Tape literally holds the world together. In fact, It is used in every industry around the world and on any project imaginable, big or small. Let’s take a look at some of the varieties of adhesive-tape on the market today.Definition of Adhesive-Tape– A strip of material, used to bind or fasten objects.

PSA– Pressure Sensitive Adhesive-tape is self sticking or also referred to as sticky-tape or self-adhesive. It is made of a flexible material, usually of cloth, metal, plastic or foam. PSA adheres by the use of pressures as, opposed to using a solvent like water or heat. This type of sticky adherent can be single-sided, double-sided or a transfer-tape. PSA is the most popular types used and covers many varieties.

PSA-Tape Varieties

1. Archival-tape is the used for legal documents. It adheres to important legal without causing degradation of the paper fibers.

2. Packing-tape or parcel-tape is widely used for sealing boxes moving boxes or other purposes. It is usually clear and backed with a polypropylene or polyester for stickiness.

3. Drafting-tape resembles duck-tape in appearance, however it is specially designed with a PH balance of 7 so that it adheres to blueprints, drawings and other delicate type of documents without causing damage.

4. Duct tape is one of the most well-known varieties of PSA. It usually has a plastic backing and extremely strong adhesive, making it durable and useful for a broad range of projects requiring durability. A little known fact is that duct-tape was invented during WWII and it was given its peculiar name because of the plastic backing that gave it the ability to resist water. It was designed with a gray coloring since it was originally used to secure metal air ducts.

5. Electrical-tape is the perfect accompaniment for electric wiring since the vinyl backing lends to its flexibility and it conducts electricity, controls moisture and resist corrosion.

6. Filament-tape also known as strapping-tape is embedded with Fiberglass materials making it a formidable instrument. It is used for a variety of purposes such as sealing fiberboard boxes, reinforcing heavy duty parcels and for many other hearty projects.

7. Gaffer-tape or Gaff-tape is not to be confused with duct-tape, since it is manufactured with completely different properties. Gaffer-tape is a made with heavy cotton material, creating a strong adhesive hold. It is commonly used in television, theatre and the filming industry for staging projects. Gaff-tape is a much more desirable product than its counterpart duct tape, in the filming industry since it is heat resistance and is removable from surfaces without causing damage.

8. Hockey-tape or otherwise known as Friction-tape is used in the game of hockey. Players find that the hockey-tape is instrumental in helping them maintain better control of the hockey puck.

9. Masking-tape is commonly used in painting and is designed to protect areas and edges that are not to be painted. It has a paper backing and should be removed within a short period of time after application for complete removal.

10. Security-tape is made with tamper resistant materials and acts as a security measure against product theft in the shipping process, tampers off evident containers, protects food from contamination and tampers evidence boxes acting as a security seal. It comes in a variety of colors such as red, yellow and white.

11. Speed-tape or aluminum foil-tape is an aluminum PSA and is capable of adhering to aircraft mechanical parts at a high rate of speed and altitude. It is used in aircraft and racing car repairs because it can endure adverse conditions that an airplane fuselage endures during flights such as moisture, wind and high temperatures.

12. Spike-tape is another variety used in the filming and theatre industry. Spike-tape is waterproof and flexible adhering to uneven surfaces. It is used in theaters to mark out areas of the stage, color code and to highlight prompts in dimly light areas. It comes in a wide range of bright fluorescent colors.

13. Surgical-tape or also known as medical-tape is used in the medical industry to bind wounds and dress injuries. This type of adhesive-tape holds firmly to the skin with a hypoallergenic adhesive dressing also it contains zinc oxide to fight infection. Medical-tape is engineered to pull away from the skin after use without ripping or tearing the patient’s skin. It is made with Kinesiology which is a breathable material.

14. Transparency-tape or sometimes known as invisible-tape is found on desktops around the world. Even though, it was invented in 1961, today this is probably the most popular varieties of all the PSA’s, since it is highly versatile and has thousands of uses around the home and office. Invisible-tape is usually found nestled in a handy tape dispenser that not only offers support but convenience of use. The Adhesive Tape dispenser comes in a variety of shapes designed for specific uses. For example, one form is called a gun, which is a hand held device that resembles the shape of a gun but makes unrolling packing-tape a much easier process.

15. Drywall-tape (also known as Joint Compound, Mastic or Mud) is a mix of gypsum dust and water that is stirred into a mud-like consistency which is spread upon a joint-tape to seal the gaps in drywall sheets.

16. Carpet-tape is used as a uniting bond between carpet seams. This is a double-sided PSA and create an amazingly strong bond that not only joins carpeting seams but adheres to the floor.

17. Carpet Protection-tape comes in wide, thin sheets that offer temporary protection to carpeting. Many times, you can find this type of PSA used in newly constructed homes or Realtor’s open house events.

18. Paper-tape is used in the medical industry. It is a lightweight breathable material that is often used on fragile, damaged skin that require frequent bandage changes.

19. Athletic-tape adheres to the skin and is used for sport injuries. Athletic-tape holds the bones and muscles in place to reduce pain and restrict movement of the injured joint and to control soft tissue swelling. Also, it protects an athlete’s joint from overuse and injury.

20. Kinesiology-tape was invented in the 1970’s by a Japanese chiropractor named Kenzie Kase. This PSA claims to not only alleviate athletic pain, but enhance a player’s workout. Kinesiology-tape comes in attention getting loud colors so it is hard to miss since some athletes have taken to wearing it as a fashion statement.

21. Automotive-tape is a vehicle’s friend since it is used for repairing, finishing, mounting and attaching. This PSA is designed to endure the same harsh elements that cars are exposed to in their lifetime.

22. Print Adhesive tape is a fun and effective way to communicate a company’s brand to their customers by the packaging. Print adhesive tape is actually packaging-tape with a custom design. This is a custom ordered product and come in a variety of colors and styles decorated with a company’s logo and branding.

23. Mounting-Tape is a double sided foam-tape used for hanging wall objects such as pictures and small art decor. Mounting-tape is especially useful to homeowners that want to avoid creating nail holes in the wall. It also makes possible the ability to hang pictures on surfaces that do not accommodate nails such as ceramic tile.

24. Dicing-Tape is used in the manufacturing of semiconductors in electronics. The backing adhesive can contain the chemicals Polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene. The sticky backing holds the ‘die’ in place for the cutting and mounting process. Later in the process the die is removed from the dicing-tape.

25. Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical-Tape is FDA approved-tape, specialized in the packaging, transportation and handling of products such as packaged foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals. These varieties of PSA-tape are approved for direct and indirect contact with products for human consumption.

26. Book Binding-tape is a clear, conforming PSA that repairs, restores and reinforces book edges and surfaces. There are more than one of these types of acid free book, repair-tape products on the market. Some book bindin-tapes are made of linen material that can be sewn on, PSA with a sticky backing or water and heat activated repair-tapes.

27. Cat Training-tape is an effective deterrent in preventing cats from scratching and damaging furniture since, they dislike sticky substances. It can be used on many surfaces in the home that may be damaged by feline pets scratching such as window screens and carpets.

28. Equine Bandaging-tape (also known as Coban) is used to bind limbs. It is very useful on horses because it is flexible and wraps well, but does not stick to the horse hair. This type of PSA can also be used on humans however, certain brands cater to the animal market.

29. Nasal Strip-tape is an adhesive bandage that keeps the nose airways open. This helps with congestion and prevention of snoring. Nasal strip-tape is also used on horses for similar purposes during a race. It is thought to improve athletic performance.

30. NonSurgical Face Lift-tape is an alternative to surgery for people desiring a facelift. It works by attaching strategically placed strings to lift-tape. The strings are pulled back to lift the facial skin, causing a tightening effect. The Lift-tape is also used to lift the eyes, jaw and neck areas.

31. Fashion-tape is designed to keep clothing or accessories in place. It can be used to adhere clothing directly to the skin or to bind fabric together in order to make wearing fashionable clothing easier.

32. Luggage Wrapping-tape is used as a theft deterrent. It is used by travelers to keep their luggage safe, dry and intact. Many times travelers find that their luggage arrives at their destination damaged with scratches or items missing, luggage wrapping offers a measure of protection. A thief may think twice about going through the trouble to pilfer wrapped luggage.

33. Safety Grip-tape (also called Grip-tape or skid guard) protects against slips and falls on slippery, smooth or slanted surfaces. This PSA can be used on any adherent surface, indoors or outdoors such as stairs or ramps.

34. Kentucky Sole-tape protects a horses’ sole from infection. This adhesive-tape quickly adheres to the bottom of the horses’ foot and provides a barrier from wetness creating a seal that protects an injured horse.

35. NonSlip Shoe-tape is designed to cover the bottom of a shoe to prevent sliding and slipping. This foot protection can provide a measure of security when walking on smooth surfaces.

Other Types of Adhesive-Tapes

Heat Activated-Tape (HAT)
HAT is not a PSA. The stickiness is activated by a heat source. Thermoplastics are a type of HAT. It is a highly flexible material before heat is applied and can be reshaped making it an excellent tool to create bonds between parts. Fusible-tape
Fusible-tape (also known as Basting-tape, Iron On-tape and Fabric-tape) is a man made fiber that melts when heated to fuse two pieces of fabric together. Using fusible-tape is a handy tool for a seamstress and give garments a professional look. Water Activated-tape (WAT)
WAT also known as gummed-tape uses a starch based adhesive backing or an animal glue based backing. WAT is moistened to activate the stickiness. It is usually used for sealing corrugated boxes or cartons. Once moist the gum-tape forms a durably strong seal that can endure rough handling experienced during the shipping process. Bias-tape
Bias-tape is also known as bias binding is an aid to seamstress. It is a slim tapered piece of fabric without a sticky backing. It can be found as single or double fold. The material of the bias-tape is cut on the bias and is used in sewing to create piping, seams and to complete edges. Velcro-Tape

Velcro-Tape is a widely used product from multi-purposes. Instead of a sticky backing, Velcro employs the use of tiny hooks and loops as fasteners. Adhesive-Tape Comes to the Rescue
PSA-Tape encourages recycling. Instead of tossing an item the ability to repair and rebind a rip, tear or broken seal may lead to reuse of an item that otherwise may end up in the land fill.

PSA-Tape is used in forensic science to solve criminal cases. Tape-sampling in forensic science is crucial in obtaining delicate evidence such as DNA. It is used in the collection process of biological evidence from surfaces, clothing and etc. The correct choice of tape* is very important since not every variety would be suitable in lifting DNA samples.

Types of Adherents

There are three main types of adhesives used as backing for single or double-sided PSA’s. Rubber based adhesives are best used indoors because they offer a low temperature range and UV exposure ranges, in their favor they offer chemical resistance. All rubber adhesives are not equal. There are Natural, Synthetic, Solvent and Butyl rubbers each with their own pros and cons. Acrylic based adhesives offer more versatility and tends to cost more. There are a few types of acrylic adhesives Water based, Emulsive, Dispersion and Solvent based. Water based acrylic solvents tend to be slow drying while acrylic based solvents offers better resistance to degradation from water and chemical exposure. Silicone adhesives are the most expensive option out of the three acrylic’s but have a higher temperature exposure rate and chemical resistance. Due to these desirable features silicone adhesive is much more useful product to professional industries.

Adhesive-Tape For Every Project

For every project and in every industry across the board there is a specialized adhesive-tape on the market to perfectly suit your task. A little research may go a long way into discovering an adhesive-tape product that an be the perfect compliment to your project.