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Specialty Tapes Selection Guide:  Types, Features, Applications


There are a wide variety of specialty tapes that are used in industrial, manufacturing, and warehouse settings. There is almost no limit to the number of uses for specialty tapes, and most specialty tapes can be a solution for multiple different applications. Four popular types of specialty tape are flatback tape, strapping tape, printed tape, and floor marking tape. All four of these tape styles are detailed below.

 

Flatback Tape

Flatback tape is a practical tape that can be used for carton sealing in an environment where the user needs to quickly seal some boxes. Flatback tape is not especially thick. This tape can be easily ripped by hand which makes it a quick and easy solution, even if there is no tape dispenser available. Aside from using flatback tape to seal cartons, it is also a great solution for splicing/joining two pieces of paper together. Oftentimes in a warehouse, two pieces of kraft paper need to be joined together, or a roll of kraft paper needs to be extended. In those situations, the paper is often spliced or joined together with flatback tape.

Additionally, flatback tape is commonly found in art rooms or art classes. The adhesive on flatback tape is weak enough that when stuck onto paper, it can be peeled off without ripping or scuffing up the paper. This makes the tape especially useful for artists when taping a canvas onto an easel while painting. The adhesive is strong enough to stick/hold a piece of paper onto an easel, but weak enough that it does not ruin the artwork when removed. Shurtape is one of the most popular brands of flatback tape on the market. Benchmark Industrial carries Shurtape Flatback tape in both 2” and 3” width. The tape is made from a combination of Kraft Flatback paper, and synthetic rubber.


Benchmark Industrial - Shurtape Flatback Tape

 

Strapping Tape

Strapping tape can be a great short-term substitution for steel/polyester strapping & banding. Strapping tape in most cases is a low volume seller but can be extremely effective for companies who have a need for it. It is an especially strong tape that cannot by ripped by hand. Strapping tape requires a sharp knife or industrial strength scissors to cut. It is commonly used by those who need to group multiple boxes together so they can be moved all at once.

Strapping tape is extremely effective in a situation where you have multiple boxes on a pallet that you need to move across the warehouse with a forklift, but you do not want to run the risk of the boxes falling off the pallet/shifting during transport. It would be a waste of time and money to use steel/polyester strapping or banding to hold them together for such a short period of time. In this case, strapping tape is the perfect solution. In most cases, strapping tape not strong enough to hold together a pallet full of boxes for long distance transport in the back of a box truck. It is however plenty effective for moving them across a warehouse. It is great solution for keeping a pallet full of boxes neatly grouped together while in storage as well.

Benchmark Industrial sells a premium grade white strapping tape with a high strength adhesive. It can bear significant weight and is ideal for palletizing & bundling material together.


Benchmark Industrial - ¾” x 60yrd White Strapping Tape

 

Printed Tape

Printed tape is simply any tape with a logo or writing printed on the top side. Printed tape is an interesting solution for those who need to label a box. There are 2 main reasons that people use printed tape.

  1. To send a message regarding the contents of a box
  2. The brand/advertise with a company name on the box

Custom printed tape is available for purchase. The buyer can typically have whatever message or logo they would like printed on the tape, as long it will fit on the tape’s surface. Printed tape comes with an additional cost but can save time and money in the long run so that the user does not have to constantly be writing messages on their boxes by hand.

One of the most popular styles of printed tape is Tamper Evident Pulsetape. The tape is used as a carton sealing tape. The purpose of tamper evident tape is to seal a box in a way that the user can tell if the box has been tampered with. It is impossible to realign the tape once the box has been opened making it easy to identify tampered goods.


Benchmark Industrial – Tamper Evident Pulsetape Nitrogen Hot Melt Hand Tape

 

Floor Marking Tape

Floor marking tape is similar to printed tape in the sense that it is used to convey a message. However, floor marking tape is designed specifically to mark industrial floors. Companies use floor marking tape to help signal or mark off different areas of a warehouse. This helps keep a warehouse safe and adhering to OSHA regulations. It can be used to mark safety areas, mark areas of the warehouse where safety glasses/hard hats are required, areas where forklifts are allowed to drive, areas where electrical boxes are located, and any other area of the warehouse that needs special designation. Floor marking tape is available in all different colors. In most cases it is brightly colored or striped so that it sticks out and can be easily seen.

It is important to thoroughly clean the warehouse floors before laying down floor marking tape. The cleaner and smoother the floor is, the better the floor marking tape will stick and the longer it will last. Foot traffic and forklift traffic will wear down the tape over time, and it eventually will need to be pulled up and re-marked. A more permeant solution for marking warehouse floors would be to use a type of paint. However, if you ever need to change up the markings, or restructure the layout of the warehouse, it is easier to remove and relay marking tape than it is to paint over and remark a floor paint.

Benchmark sells a 100 yard roll of Yellow Mighty Line Floor Marking Tape. It applies to floors in minutes to clearly help identify intersections and equipment areas of the warehouse. It has beveled edges to improve durability, is easy to clean, and scuff resistant.


Benchmark Industrial – Yellow Mighty Line Floor Marking Tape

 

 

These are just four of the most popular styles of specialty tape that are available. For more information on any of the above listed tapes, or any of our additional specialty tapes, feel free to reach out to a Benchmark Product Expert at 844-423-6246.