The adhesive tape is a very potent tool that has its origin in the last century, thanks to the American researcher Richard drew. The invention was due to industrial needs, but from 1930 to today, its use is no longer sectoral because it has now become a commonly used product.
They are designed to glue objects together, thanks to simple contact with the adhesive substance. After choosing the best adhesive tape on the market, it is equally important to know some tips to use it most appropriately.
Each typology has advantages and disadvantages that make it ideal only for specific activities: discover with us, reading the following paragraphs, the correct universal methods of use.
ere we had selected some of the best adhesive tapes you can choose the one that suits your needs.
Adhesive Tape Buying Guide
Different Types
Among the items sold online or in the shop, the choice is extensive, and for this reason, it can be challenging to understand which model to buy. a single and simple internet search is enough to realize the many types of adhesive tapes that are on the market.
But in this paragraph, we discover the main ones together. Perhaps the best known is scotch, or one of the best-selling products because it is suitable for young and old and ideal, especially for work in the office or at home and school.
You will also have heard of the models for packaging or insulating tape: both are more specific and indicated respectively for cartons and boxes, but also for joining wires and electronic devices. In any case, if you don’t know which adhesive tape to buy, start choosing among these first three types based on what you have in mind to do.
Adhesive Substance and Support
Two other elements to consider in your comparison between the different models are the support material on which all the tape is wrapped and the quality of the adhesive substance.
In particular, the latter must be suitable for the work you have to do, but to simplify it, it can be classified into three levels of adherence: durable, medium, and low.
An example of the first type is the cloth adhesive tape, which often consists of a denser and more robust texture. Therefore it boasts better tensile strength on almost any surface. Instead, as regards the support, this is different for each product, even if materials such as paper, plastic, rubber, and metal are usually used.
This is the part located in the center of the roll, which has the task of improving the elongation characteristics of the tape. In a nutshell, the more the support is resistant and has a more exceptional thickness, the better the practicality of the offer you have chosen.
Specific Uses
Those who love DIY or work in a shop and, therefore, usually make gift packages will have had at least once the need to find a colored adhesive tape or, even better, with designed decorations.
This type exists and is called “washi,” it is also one of those models that receive the most positive opinions among buyers, precisely because it is suitable for such particular uses.
But the list of adhesive tapes and the various uses does not end here, because there are also non-slip products used mainly for floors. After all, they avoid the risk of slipping.
There are also warning tapes, ideal for delimiting particular or danger areas, or even double-sided tapes, in which the adherent substance is spread on both sides of the tape. By the way, the latter is indicated if you need to join several parts together, but know that they do not have a particular resistance.
How to Use Masking Tape?
Close a Box
The exact mechanism for properly closing a box is not always known. Who among you has never received a package that is a bit broken and with the adhesive tape detached? A practical and precise closure is essential for whatever you have in mind, even if it were to cram the box in the garage, where there is still dust.
In general, there are several solutions to choose from, but the main ones are the u-shaped and the l-shaped closure. The first is the simplest because it includes a single strip of adhesive tape that closes the pack along the length.
But in the case of packages weighing up to 40 kg, then it is advisable to use the second method, which also includes the previous one but to which adhesive tape is added along the openings, forming, precisely, an “l.”
Increase the Seal
Among the weak points of the offers of medium quality adhesive tapes is the reduced impact and time resistance. This characteristic is mainly due to the type of adherent substance, which is not always explicitly designed for the use you have in mind.
Many people, in fact, involuntarily purchase adhesive tapes with a poor seal, which therefore proves to be of little use in any operation, even if sticking a sheet to the wall.
However, there is a method to increase the tightness of the product you have chosen, and it is to clean the surface on which you will attach the adherent face of the tape.
Beyond this, it is equally essential to avoid humidity and, although it may seem obvious, choose the best product based on the use you have in mind. So, opt for a scotch tape instead of a cloth tape if you have to work with paper or cardboard, and so on.
Some Creative Ideas
Using adhesive tape does not mean abandoning the idea of giving vent to your creativity, especially if the model you have chosen is a washi or a personalized one. both boast decorations, color contrasts, and often even illustrations on the non-adherent face. Therefore they can be a useful tool for decorating everyday objects.
Have you ever thought about wrapping the pen with which you write in the office or at school with a similar accessory? If it has never happened, this is the time to do it and give your work a nice touch.
All you have to do is get the adhesive tape you like best, attach the end of the latter to the bottom of the pen and start winding it obliquely to avoid air bubbles. This method can be used for all objects, therefore also for laptops or smartphone covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Remove Adhesive Tape Residues?
It will have happened to everyone at least once to open a package that had been closed with adhesive tape and, even after several days, to notice some viscous residue on the surface. In these cases there is little to do, you need to arm yourself with elbow grease and start rubbing with a damp cloth.
If the sticky feeling of the glue persists, they also equip yourself with ethyl alcohol and gloves, to be sure you can do it, continuing to rub on the affected part. We recommend using a few quantities of liquid. Otherwise, you risk moistening the surface too much, ruining it irreparably.
When Was Adhesive Tape Invented?
This is not a product with very ancient origins, because its birth dates back to the last century, practically just over 50 years ago. in 1965, Richard drew, then an engineer at 3 m (a large American manufacturer of sandpaper), found a solution to the problem of finishing and dye smudging: a paper tape with one of the adhesive sides.
It was a prototype of the current model, which took the name, with which we know it today, thanks to a suggestion of some workers who, used as guinea pigs, told him not to be stingy in adding adhesive substance, therefore not do like the scots (translated into English as “scotch”).
What Is the Aluminum Adhesive Tape For?
There are numerous models sold online or in the shop, but in addition to the simpler ones and for everyday use, there is also the aluminum adhesive tape. It is a product that resists high temperatures and is designed above all to guarantee more exceptional sealing and efficiency in closing packages or other similar packages.
Also ideal for masking, where the use of a metallic material is recommended, therefore even for sealing and further protecting thanks to the adhesive strength combined with the thin aluminum foil. This tape is used in particular in the building field since it manages to make high thermal insulation.
How Do You Use Nail Adhesive Tape?
In addition to the best-selling adhesive tapes, which are, however, used for packaging and other similar operations, there are also models designed for nail technology, which are used to protect the fingers during nail reconstruction.
Every self-respecting professional cannot fail to have this tool in his inventory because it is an indispensable accessory for the trade. Using it is very simple, especially for the most imaginative of you, since, dividing it into small pieces or thin strips, you can apply it so as also to create detailed nail art.
What you need to do to get more unique nails is to go over the nail polish on the surface, then also on the adhesive tape, and finally peel it off to cover the parts that were previously wrapped with another color.
