3M Tape Type & Typical Width?? - Polishing Preparation

[tenorplayer23]

TAPE ,............a mundane topic, to say the least, BUT:

Have done a search in the forum on what specific type of 3M tape is best for car detailing & the typical width people use to prepare for polishing. A million posts that mention "tape".............very few with any specificity.

> What type of 3M Painters Tape should be used? Their are 2-3 types, looks like the differences are in adhesive aggressiveness. Or should I go out to an autobody supply store and buy 3M tape specifically made for car painting/masking, etc.?

> What width does everybody use? By the looks of photos here, it would appear that 1 -1.5" is the usual. I would think any wider would be harder to handle around bends/curves, even if the extra width was warranted.

> Best/cheapest source for 3M tape recommended..........big box stores/Home Depot/Lowes/???? Any suggestions.........or just buy a few rolls at the Depot down the street (BTW, will a single roll of 1" do an entire, say, full size car....just checking needed quantities)??

Thanks for the info.

See ya.

[HighEndDetail]

The 3M tape I have is green in color. I have both the 1 inch and 2 inch tape width. And a role will last for a while. You will learn over time what you need to tape, on a vehicle. i did use more in the beginning, kind of like a learning curve.

[tenorplayer23]

Ed, thx for the info.

I assume that your tape is specifically for "autobody/paint masking"? The homes tores have only blue, that i could see. Could you post the actual name or model/number for me? Also, thanks for the width/usage comment.

See ya

The 3M tape I have is green in color. I have both the 1 inch and 2 inch tape width. And a role will last for a while. You will learn over time what you need to tape, on a vehicle. i did use more in the beginning, kind of like a learning curve.

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

I use the green 3m tape, the sizes I use are 1/2, 3/4 and 1 1/2 inch sizes.

[Fred114]

3M makes green tape and calls it auto tape. The blue 3M tape is painters tape which you find in paint stores and paint section of Wal-Mart. I used both on my car. Can't say for sure, but the green tape's adhesive did seem easier to clean up where needed.

You can usually find the green tape in the auto section of Wal-mart, and of course Autogeek sells it as well. I used the 2" for masking larger areas like my headlights. Used the one inch tape for smaller spaces around my trim.

[tenorplayer23]

If you've used the blue tape, as well, did you see any differences between that and the green automotive variety?

Thx.

See ya. :wavey:

I use the green 3m tape, the sizes I use are 1/2, 3/4 and 1 1/2 inch sizes.

[Rsurfer]

The green leaves less residue behind.

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

If you've used the blue tape, as well, did you see any differences between that and the green automotive variety?

Thx.

See ya. :wavey:

Yes, like Ron said the blue leaves more residue, green barely has any.

[Mike Phillips]

For the Lexus detail we did last Friday we used the 3M tape that's available via the Autogeek store here. It seems to have much stronger adhesion in my opinion than the blue painter's tape also made by 3M and works well especially if you need some extra sticking power. I've used this green tape a lot when I was younger because that's what the local PBE store always had in stock where I bought my supplies.

I've also used both strengths of the blue painter's tape and out of the two I usually prefer the stronger one, the one with the white colored cardboard inner roll and the orange colored cardboard inner roll and usually out of these two I prefer the stronger of the two because sometimes the least aggressive adhesive just isn't sticky enough.

That said, when I'm buffing out a car I use whatever's available!

As for widths, it's really nice to have a variety of widths on hand just so you can tackle anything that comes your way. This would include the very thinest of painter's tape to the very wider painter's tape. Thin tape for thin, hard body lines or thin gaskets and a collection of the rest just to make it fast to tape-off a car.

Lowe's and Home Depot are usually pretty good places to pick up the blue painter's tape and a PBE store is generally stocked with the green automotive painter's tape.

If you don't know where your PBE stores are then do a little research and find out and then pay them a visit to see what they stock.

I like to have a variety of thicknesses on hand for taping things off as well as 2 mil drop cloths, a soft flannel bed sheet, (not the fitted type with elastic in the corners but completely flat style), a beach towel, tin foil and newspapers.

You just never know what's going to come in handy.


In a perfect world you wouldn't have to tape-off or cover anything up but alas that's not the case. Anything with pebble textured black plastic should be taped-off or covered up however as once you get an kind of polish or wax residue on textured plastic surfaces it can be very difficult to remove 100%

My favorite cars to buff out are any car that was built before pebble textured plastic was invented.

Also, try not to leave any kind of painter's tape on for too long as the longer it's left on, especially if it's warm or the car is in direct sunlight, the more difficult it will be to remove.

I saw a 1957 Chevy last summer in the parking lot of a body shop all taped-off for painting but it never went into the booth and instead was parked outside and the tape looked like it was old and weathered, it didn't look like it was going to come off without a fight.


Back in 2005 I shot some video with Richard Lin where we used a Lotus Elise and Lotus went a little overboard on the black plastic trim.

[gumball]

Sweet Elise