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To determine which flooring tape product is best for your project, it is important to know what options are available & what qualities each of them offer.
This article is an Introduction to floor marking tape. We will explore the various types of products and performance attributes that can be used to ensure the right specification.
What is floor marking tape used for?
Floor marking tape is a highly effective tool used in various industries to designate pathways, work zones, safety hazards, and storage areas. It is typically constructed from durable materials such as vinyl or PVC that can withstand heavy foot traffic in industrial environments. The bright colours of floor marking tape, such as yellow, red, blue, or green, help to clearly define different areas within a facility and improve visual communication for employees and visitors alike. Additionally, the adhesive backing ensures that the tape stays securely in place on smooth surfaces like concrete or tile floors. In environments where traditional signage may not be practical or visible enough, floor marking tape serves as a reliable means of conveying important information quickly and efficiently. Its versatility allows organisations to customize their floor markings according to specific needs and create organized and safe spaces for all individuals present in the area. Ultimately, null provides an invaluable wayfinding solution that enhances overall workplace efficiency while promoting safety awareness throughout the premises.
What types of floor marking tape are available?
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Homogenous floor tape with print layer
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Heterogeneous tape with print encapsulated in the matrix
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Anti slip
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General use
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Heavy Duty
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Freezer grade
Homogeneous Floor tapes
Described as a heavy-duty PVC tape consisting of a single layer of material where the colour and design is visible through the entire thickness of the material. It extends itself to being durable because of its design.
Ideal for: Light traffic warehouses and factories.
Heterogeneous Floor marking tape
This is a multi-layer vinyl floor marking tape made up of a printed layer laminated to a self adhesive layer with an intergel reinforcement scrim, finished with a protective wear-layer. The printed layer allows an endless variety of design possibilities. It eliminates the problem of print wearing away, especially for multi colour tapes. These tapes are designed to offer excellent adhesion to most floor surfaces, and when the tape is removed, they are also designed to leave no history or residue behind in the event of a change of layout/design.
Ideal for: Very heavy duty commercial, retail and warehousing that require a high-end design, hygiene and durability.
Anti Slip Floor marking tapes
As the name infers, these tapes have a coating or a tactile finish on the top to prevent slip hazards. These tapes are particularly well suited to factory environments which may get wet and slippy, especially those with mostly pedestrian traffic. Anti-slip tapes may be harder to clean depending on the design.
General purpose floor tapes
These tapes are usually much thinner than the heavy duty floor tapes however this is advantageous on curved or irregular surfaces. These tapes offer high adhesion to a wide range surfaces but are not really designed to be removable and so you may find that in the event of replacing it, they leave a lot of residue behind. General purpose floor marking tapes, can be found in most factories and warehouses and even in retail environments etc.
Heavy duty floor tapes
While many manufacturers claim their floor marking tapes to be heavy duty, we have clarity of the full range of floor marking tapes and know how to differentiate between a general purpose tape and a heavy duty tape. We refer to the heavy duty tape being a solid PVC tape which is at least 1 mm thick and having a shore hardness of over 90. Whilst most sales sheets do not offer this level of detail, once you've seen a heavy duty floor marking tape then it will be very apparent whether it is heavy duty just another vinyl tape with an aggressive adhesive. Most heavy duty floor marking tapes also have a chamfered edge to prevent the tape becoming a trip hazard also to encourage anything being tracked over to ride over it rather than catch the edge of the tape and lift it.
Freezer grade floor tapes
Freezer grade floor Tapes from Clarity available in a wide range of thicknesses but instead of having a rubber-based adhesive, and a freezer grade tape this adhesive is based on acrylic. Typical floor marking tape will work well down to 10°C, but below this the rubber based adhesive will struggle to wet out and bond to the surface. It may be possible to get a rubber based adhesive which does cope with much lower temperatures however there is also the additional problem of damp.
So now you know there are a range of floor marking tapes available and if you are still undecided which tape is best for you samples from your supplier. To request a sample of the Clarity heavy duty heterogeneous tape - simply click the button below and fill in the form.
