My Preferred Tape Option For Paint Correction Detailing
by Rodney TatumI have played with a few options. Yet have come back to an imperfect but much preferred automotive tape option. The 3M Precision Masking Tape has consistently been the best tape that I have used. I have tested many others, that have not performed as well or poorly.

For those that want to understand the importance of tape and also equally important choosing high quality tape, check out this article that has already been put together: Tape Its Importance To Detailing. I also want to highlight the article, How To Remove Tape Residue, which is a great read while we are on the subject.

Application
This may seem like a non-issue. Not all automotive tape that I have used has held on to the car surface. Some automotive tapes have required excessive effort in application.

Bend
It is not the most bendable tape option available. But it carries enough flexibility to maneuver 5 to 10 degrees around the contours of a car.

Removal
It comes off easy. This is important for safety as well as convenience. You are pulling an adhesive from a porous surface. In terms of convenience, even when the tape remained on the car much longer than I would like, removal had minimal complications.

Stability
It stays on the car, even with the polisher going over the area. But the bond is not too strong, where removal potential damage is a concern.

I found in these four areas, for every other tape option, I am sacrificing one of the categories a little more than I would like. With 3M Precision Masking Tape, there are no weaknesses in terms of use.
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I much prefer the green 3m performance automotive tape to all others for paint correction. The purple 3m poly tape is probably my next favorite followed by orange rustoleum/intertape auto masking tape.