Can Blue Tape be Left on The Concrete for Long?
Can Blue Tape be Left on Concrete for Long?
Mainly used for painting concrete, the blue tape gives protection from the painting sliding into avoided parts; blue tape is an excellent and cost-effective marking tool. Their stripes have enough adhesive to firmly stick on the concrete. However, the main concern is- can blue tape be left on the concrete for long. That is what will be discovered in this article plus how long it should be on concrete, tips to take it off, and some adequate ways on how to apply blue tape on concrete.
What is Blue Tape?
Blue tapes are used by painters and constructors for marking the painting and building areas with straight and clean lines. This type of tape is utilized the most on solid concrete and leaves no sign of tape shapes on them by being low-adhesive.
Leaving Blue Tape on Concrete
Blue tape is used during the construction and designing process as a marking tool on the concrete surface. Other adhesives or tapes may not work on porous and harsh concrete surfaces or leave residuals because of the nature of the tape. Blue tape is created primarily to stick to the rough and firm texture of concrete. The adhesive of the tape sticks on the surface vigorously, and when removed, no residual or shape of tape lines are seen on the cement. But can blue tape be left on the concrete for long? The blue tape can be stuck on the concrete for a lengthy amount of time. However, because these tapes are for temporary purposes only, it is a rule to leave them applied only for 14 days.
Leaving the Blue Tape on Concrete for Long
Blue tape is a temporary tool applied to create an outline for painting or sealing the surface that is not meant to be taped for long. That said, leaving it on concrete for an extended time may result in its sturdy and sticky adhesive to leave its residue behind. The adhesiveness makes the cement surface have stains of the tape, adding extra hard work to remove it. Not removing the blue tape in time hardens the strip. As the strip hardens, it gets challenging to take it off as, by now, it will be merged with the concrete surface.
The adhesive can cause the concrete to have an uneven tone. Removing it on time will save it from being left exposed to the sun for too long. Sunlight is the reason behind the blue tape, giving the cement surface an uneven color and a patchy look. The exact can be done with prolonged openness to moisture.
How Long Should the Blue Tape be on and When to Remove It?
For effortless removal of the blue tape and the quality and appearance safety of the concrete surface, it is a requirement that the blue tape should not be stuck for more than two weeks (14 days). Longer than fourteen days will result in some drawbacks for the constructors. If the blue adhesive is used in a construction project that requires paint coats, the preferred time to remove it is when the paint is slightly wet. As a result, can blue tape be left on the concrete for long? Keeping it on the concrete longer than two weeks will cause disadvantages.
Tips on Removing the Blue Tape
When the two weeks are near, do not peel the blue tape off immediately in one swift pull; handle the removal process slowly. If the tape has been left for longer than that, the removal can get challenging, and here are some tips for that.
- Start by taking them off slowly and carefully. If that method fails, heat that surface. The heat will loosen the glue stuck on the concrete in a few seconds, making the hard-to-remove blue tape’s elimination effortless.
- After removal, if there are any residue adhesive stains on the concrete, take the help of adhesive remover to clean it out. The second option is to use vinegar. Apply it on the areas where the stains are, and let it rest for a few minutes before wiping.
- Pulling the blue tape off the cement surface after the due date can result in some traces of the tape strip. A tool called a putty knife is suitable for gently scratching the leftovers for a smooth concrete foundation.
Applying Blue Tape on Concrete
After talking about- can blue tape be left on the concrete for long? It is time to know the application of the said tape on concrete. There are many factors to take into consideration, such as the quality of the blue tape.
The quality of the tape will be different in each store. Go for a brand that is known to design high-quality blue tape with a sturdy adhesive that sticks well on rough concrete. That was one way of application. After quality, you need to remember the date when they were applied so the tape does not stay on the thick concrete foundation for longer than the required duration.
More things to remember about seamless application and discarding are the neatness of the surface and the weather conditions. The surface of the concrete has to be cleaned from rubble. The smoother the foundation, the better the blue tape will cling. Check the weather before going forward with sticking the tape. Weather like rain or heat waves can affect the condition of the blue tape.
Conclusion
We conclude this article with the response- blue tape can only be left on the concrete for two weeks, to the query- can blue tape be left on the concrete for long? For smooth removal and the paint not breaking, 14 days is the most extended duration for the blue tape to stay on. Slowly free the tape, and if required, use putty knives or vinegar to clean the surface. The lines will be straight, and the surface will be slick with proper application, weather check, time check, and careful removal.