UV radiation can reduce the time you can leave painter’s tape up.
When you’re working on an outdoor project, paint can often play a crucial role — and nothing helps ensure smooth, clean lines like painter’s tape. But what many people don’t know is that the type of painter’s tape they choose matters, and that outdoor projects might require a particular type — UV-resistant painter’s tape. But what is this tape, and why is it important to use it for projects that will be exposed to sunlight?
Clean removal impact
Clean removal is the ability to remove tape from a surface without damaging the surface or leaving residue. Painter’s tape is designed to be cleanly removed from surfaces within a certain time window; this is the clean removal period, which is usually indicated on the packaging of the tape. The amount of time a tape can be removed begins when the tape is applied to the surface; painter’s tapes can last anywhere from one day to 60 days.
However, this period can be reduced by ultraviolet light, resulting in a clean removal period less than advertised. Why does this happen? It’s because the UV radiation emitted by the sun breaks down the adhesive that binds the tape to the surface. If enough damage is caused to the adhesive, the tape won’t remove cleanly.
What to look for
If you’re going to be using painter’s tape outdoors, or in an environment where it will be subjected to ultraviolet radiation, choose a UV-resistant painter’s tape — especially if you plan to leave the tape up for an extended period of time. The last thing anyone wants during their painting project is damage to a surface.
Find all of your UV-resistant blue painter’s tape needs at shurtape.com.