When you first think of tape, what comes to mind? It’s likely that you think of household tapes like, gift wrap tape, duct tape, and masking tape. But there’s so much more to tape than those simple, yet convenient, uses.
In all reality, tape can be used for just about every industry. It’s used in all kinds of products and equipment that you may have never considered, including things you use every day. Phones, cars, and buildings are just a couple of examples of things that are held together with tape.
But what are some of the other ways that tape is used? Let’s explore it together.
Clothing and Body Tapes
One common use that you may already be familiar with is clothing tape (often also called fashion tape). These tapes are designed to go on skin and fabric for around eight hours or more. As a result, they are often made with skin safe adhesives.
These tapes are used for holding:
- Scarves in place
- Ties down
- Collars down
- together button-up shirts that gape at the chest
- together a shirt that’s missing a button
- A false button right where you need one
- A quick hem or repair
- Last minute adjustments to size or fit of clothing
- Strapless dresses or blouses up
- Holding swimsuits in place
- Holding accessories securely
- Holding up no-show socks
Wigs, Toupees, and Hair Extensions
If you’re at all familiar with our sister companies, Walker Tape and Beautify, you may already know all about this use. It’s where we got our start! Tape is a fantastic alternative for people who want to wear hair systems or extensions, but don’t want to use liquid adhesives or clips.
Tapes for hair pieces need to be kind on skin, but able to hold for anywhere from one day to six weeks. Plus, they have to be resistant to the temperature and moisture changes that happen in hair and on scalps
If you’re curious about what kinds of tapes are used for this, check out the Walker Tape site. You can take a look at all the different hair system tapes we have to offer.
Furniture
For a long time, furniture was held together with screws, nails, and other mechanical fasteners. While they are strong, these can wear out over time.
A potential replacement is wood glue. But it’s messy and can be difficult to deal with.
So, to create clean, long-lasting pieces more and more woodworkers have been turning to tapes. They are easy to use, can last a long time, and can be cut to fit even the most complex shapes.
Furniture tape is used for:
- Installing drawer fronts before permanent attachment
- Positioning templates
- Holding parts in place while nailing or screwing
- Holding wood in place for shaping or sawing
- Turning bowls without having to drill holes
- Clamping
Construction
Much like with furniture, tape has come to replace several different kinds of fasteners in construction. Tape is much faster to work with than screws or nails. It’s also easier to fix if a mistake is made.
Plus, the right tape can make connecting two different substrates, like glass and metal, so much simpler. It can also help create a thinner bond than most other fasteners.
Those thin bonds that only tape can achieve are the reason why so many buildings have glass walls. The tape used is able to hang on the glass and frame of the building, while staying thin enough to create a seamless effect.
Tapes made for construction have to be ready to handle just about any conditions. They also have to hold until the building comes down. Luckily there are a lot of tapes out there that can do it!
Construction tapes are used for:
- Installing carpet, vinyl, and other flooring options
- Holding together metal framing
- Holding windows in place
- Creating seamless glass walls with multiple glass pieces
- Weather stripping and other air sealing applications
- Installing roofing
- Joining and sealing ducting
- Protecting delicate surfaces
- Electrical insulation
- Sound dampening and absorption
These are just a few examples of the ways that tape can be used. Other uses include automotive and aerospace manufacturing.
Pretty mind blowing, right?
If all of this has convinced you that you need tape for your next project, reach out to us. Walker Tape Converting is here to match you with the tape you need and customize it to your specifications.
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