Tape Glossary

Students From The Tapeworks.com

Tape has its own vocabulary.

Here are a few useful terms if you want to “talk tape“.

Adhesion to Steel A test for measuring the “stickiness” of tape, based on force required to remove it from a stainless steel plate
Acrylic A type of adhesive which uses synthetic polymers instead of natural rubber
Backing The top “layer” of tape to which the adhesive is applied
Release Coat A coating on the non-sticky side of a roll of tape that keeps the tape from sticking to itself when unwinding
Bi-Directional Woven tape that has fibers running at right angles to each other
Creep The natural tendency for tape to slowly move when stretched while applying
Delamination The separation of the tape backing from its adhesive layer
Edge Curl This is when the edges of a piece of applied tape come loose from the surface it is applied to before the center of the tape loosens
Gaffers Tape A woven cotton cloth tape with a synthetic rubber adhesive
Matte Finish The non-reflective surface of a woven cloth tape like gaffers tape
Holding Power The ability of tape to resist removal
Latex Adhesive Adhesive made from natural rubber, derived from the rubber plant
Pressure Sensitive Descriptive term for tapes that are applied by pressing them against the surface being taped
Slitting The machine process by which large rolls of tape, called “jumbos”, are converted to usable sizes
Neon Tapes Brightly printed cloth tapes that use a dye that will glow when exposed to black light
Console Tape Paper tape used for labeling sound equipment
Painters Grade Tapes like masking tape which can be removed without damaging fragile surfaces
Tensile Strength Measure of force required to tear a piece of tape
Unwind The amount of force needed to unroll a roll of tape
Synthetic Rubber Adhesive Adhesives made from petroleum based distallates

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