Temporary Stainless Steel Protection Film

Do you need quality protection for your stainless steel products? Turn to TapeManBlue. Our surface protection film has your stainless steel covered and protected from nicks, scratches, blemishes and rust. Ensure your stainless steel keeps its factory-fresh finish during projects or moves by using high-quality protective film.

Our self-adhesive film for stainless steel is designed specifically for No. 3 semi-polished or No. 4 brushed/satin stainless steel. This film will help protect those finishes from being marred by outside hazards during shipping, installation or construction.

Jagged edges, gritty surfaces and pointy objects can all cause damage to stainless steel. Because the cost of fixing or refinishing stainless steel can be costly, it pays to use an effective form of prevention. Our stainless steel protection film is the ideal preventative measure. It absorbs the scratches and dings that can occur in the transportation process or during projects. Plus, it can be applied to the surface of steel without causing damage. Then, remove it easily without leaving any residue.

At TapeManBlue, stainless steel film is just one of the many products we have in store. We offer bulk surface protection films for floors, carpeting, countertops and more. Check out more of our surface protection products

Stainless steel can be ordered from Austral Wright Metals with one of three different plastic films applied for temporary surface protection. There are significant differences in the purpose and performance of the plastic films.

The stainless steel protective filmstainless steel protective films are intended to protect the surface of the stainless steel from scratches and scuffing during storage, handling and working prior to and during installation. They should be removed once in service.

Types of Stainless Steel Protective Film

1. White Polyethylene (PE) Protective Film

The appropriate protective film for most applications is polyethylene (PE), with a rubber adhesive layer. This film is applied by default as to the protected surface when the quality of the film to be used is not specified.

The sheet plastic material is nominally 80 micrometres thick. It is white and may have two blue stripes printed at intervals across the width. The stripes have no significance.

The adhesive may be clear or black. Clear adhesive looks white on the film.

To prevent adhesive transfer, film with clear adhesive should not be exposed to the sun for more than a few hours to avoid breakdown of the adhesive, which will leave a residue on the surface of the stainless when the film is stripped off. Film with a black adhesive should be stable in the sun for a few months as they absorb heat.

The protected surface may be plasma or laser cut with the film in place, as it does not produce toxic or corrosive products when burnt. When laser cutting, for best results cut from the side which does not have the plastic applied, or use oxygen to assist and cut from the protected side.

2. Light Blue Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Protective Film

This film is appropriate for deep drawing application, particularly multi-stage deep drawing. It is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, with a rubber adhesive layer.

The film is nominally 70 micrometres thick, and is light blue in colour.

The film should be used at a temperature between 15°C and 40°C.

The film should not be exposed to the sun for more than a few hours to avoid breakdown of the adhesive, which can cause adhesive transfer, which may interfere with deep drawing or leave a residue on the surface of the stainless when the film is stripped off.

The steel should not be plasma or laser cut with the film in place, as the film will produce fumes containing hydrochloric acid which are toxic and corrosive.

The film should be removed from the steel after pressing, at a temperature between 15°C and 40°C.

3. Black Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Protective Film

This stainless steel protection film is appropriate for heavy roll forming and other applications requiring heavy surface protection. It is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, with an acrylic adhesive layer, and a very high level of adhesion.

The film is nominally 120 micrometres thick, and black in colour.

The film should be used at a temperature between 15°C and 40°C.

The film is weather resistant, and can be exposed to the sun for several months while offering reliable protection.

The steel should not be plasma or laser cut with the film in place, as the film will produce fumes containing hydrochloric acid which are toxic and corrosive.

4. Protective films for Laser Cutting

Austral Wright Metals are able to supply sheet coated with a polyethylene film specially formulated to work well in the demanding process of laser cutting. Special films are required for both CO2 and fibre optic laser cutting technologies. Appropriate laser absorption and resistance to cutting gas pressures have always been the main prerequisites needed for these films. Contact Austral Wright Metals for what is needed for your specific application.

5. Other Protective Films

Other suppliers may use white PVC films for general surface protection. This is less likely than hitherto as PVC films are significantly more expensive than PE films.

6. Stripping The Protective Film & Cleaning The Stainless Surface

On occasions, the stainless steel protection film is left in place for too long. It may become very hard to strip, and may also leave a gummy or friable residue of degraded adhesive on the steel surface require extensive cleaning time on the protected surface side.

The residue is unsightly, makes achieving smooth surfaces difficult, and may also impair corrosion resistance by retaining atmospheric corrodents which settle on the steel surface.

Even if the stainless steel protection film is stripped promptly, there may be small amounts of this residue left, although they may not be visible. It is prudent to clean the surface after stripping the film.

The adhesive residue can be cleaned from the surface of the steel with a solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), eucalyptus oil or a similar solvent.

The surface should be swabbed with the solvent on a clean, soft, grit free cloth, left to soak in, then the solvent wiped off (and use elbow grease). The intent is to dissolve the adhesive into the solvent, then wipe off the solution. Hence the solvent chosen should not evaporate too rapidly. Consideration should also be given to the flashpoint and toxicity of the solvent.

Care should be taken to avoid marking the stainless &#; check a small area after the solvent has dried, as fine scratches may not be visible while the surface is wet.

Highly adherent films which have baked onto the steel may require an extended soaking period with the solvent, preferably after pulling away strips of film to allow access of the solvent to the adhesive.

The solvent may leave tide marks, which can usually be removed with an alkaline detergent and hot water, well rinsed. Allow the steel surface to dry naturally, blot dry with a clean rag, or blow dry with clean air.

Our self-adhesive film for stainless steel is designed specifically for No. 3 semi-polished or No. 4 brushed/satin stainless steel. This film will help protect those finishes from being marred by outside hazards during shipping, installation or construction.

Jagged edges, gritty surfaces and pointy objects can all cause damage to stainless steel. Because the cost of fixing or refinishing stainless steel can be costly, it pays to use an effective form of prevention. Our stainless steel protection film is the ideal preventative measure. It absorbs the scratches and dings that can occur in the transportation process or during projects. Plus, it can be applied to the surface of steel without causing damage. Then, remove it easily without leaving any residue.

At TapeManBlue, stainless steel film is just one of the many products we have in store. We offer bulk surface protection films for floors, carpeting, countertops and more. Check out more of our surface protection products

Stainless steel can be ordered from Austral Wright Metals with one of three different plastic films applied for temporary surface protection. There are significant differences in the purpose and performance of the plastic films.

The stainless steel protective films are intended to protect the surface of the stainless steel from scratches and scuffing during storage, handling and working prior to and during installation. They should be removed once in service.

Types of Stainless Steel Protective Film

1. White Polyethylene (PE) Protective Film

The appropriate protective film for most applications is polyethylene (PE), with a rubber adhesive layer. This film is applied by default as to the protected surface when the quality of the film to be used is not specified.

The sheet plastic material is nominally 80 micrometres thick. It is white and may have two blue stripes printed at intervals across the width. The stripes have no significance.

The adhesive may be clear or black. Clear adhesive looks white on the film.

To prevent adhesive transfer, film with clear adhesive should not be exposed to the sun for more than a few hours to avoid breakdown of the adhesive, which will leave a residue on the surface of the stainless when the film is stripped off. Film with a black adhesive should be stable in the sun for a few months as they absorb heat.

The protected surface may be plasma or laser cut with the film in place, as it does not produce toxic or corrosive products when burnt. When laser cutting, for best results cut from the side which does not have the plastic applied, or use oxygen to assist and cut from the protected side.

2. Light Blue Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Protective Film

This film is appropriate for deep drawing application, particularly multi-stage deep drawing. It is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, with a rubber adhesive layer.

The film is nominally 70 micrometres thick, and is light blue in colour.

The film should be used at a temperature between 15°C and 40°C.

The film should not be exposed to the sun for more than a few hours to avoid breakdown of the adhesive, which can cause adhesive transfer, which may interfere with deep drawing or leave a residue on the surface of the stainless when the film is stripped off.

The steel should not be plasma or laser cut with the film in place, as the film will produce fumes containing hydrochloric acid which are toxic and corrosive.

The film should be removed from the steel after pressing, at a temperature between 15°C and 40°C.

Are you interested in learning more about protective tape for aluminium? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

3. Black Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Protective Film

This stainless steel protection film is appropriate for heavy roll forming and other applications requiring heavy surface protection. It is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, with an acrylic adhesive layer, and a very high level of adhesion.

The film is nominally 120 micrometres thick, and black in colour.

The film should be used at a temperature between 15°C and 40°C.

The film is weather resistant, and can be exposed to the sun for several months while offering reliable protection.

The steel should not be plasma or laser cut with the film in place, as the film will produce fumes containing hydrochloric acid which are toxic and corrosive.

4. Protective films for Laser Cutting

Austral Wright Metals are able to supply sheet coated with a polyethylene film specially formulated to work well in the demanding process of laser cutting. Special films are required for both CO2 and fibre optic laser cutting technologies. Appropriate laser absorption and resistance to cutting gas pressures have always been the main prerequisites needed for these films. Contact Austral Wright Metals for what is needed for your specific application.

5. Other Protective Films

Other suppliers may use white PVC films for general surface protection. This is less likely than hitherto as PVC films are significantly more expensive than PE films.

6. Stripping The Protective Film & Cleaning The Stainless Surface

On occasions, the stainless steel protection film is left in place for too long. It may become very hard to strip, and may also leave a gummy or friable residue of degraded adhesive on the steel surface require extensive cleaning time on the protected surface side.

The residue is unsightly, makes achieving smooth surfaces difficult, and may also impair corrosion resistance by retaining atmospheric corrodents which settle on the steel surface.

Even if the stainless steel protection film is stripped promptly, there may be small amounts of this residue left, although they may not be visible. It is prudent to clean the surface after stripping the film.

The adhesive residue can be cleaned from the surface of the steel with a solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), eucalyptus oil or a similar solvent.

The surface should be swabbed with the solvent on a clean, soft, grit free cloth, left to soak in, then the solvent wiped off (and use elbow grease). The intent is to dissolve the adhesive into the solvent, then wipe off the solution. Hence the solvent chosen should not evaporate too rapidly. Consideration should also be given to the flashpoint and toxicity of the solvent.

Care should be taken to avoid marking the stainless &#; check a small area after the solvent has dried, as fine scratches may not be visible while the surface is wet.

Highly adherent films which have baked onto the steel may require an extended soaking period with the solvent, preferably after pulling away strips of film to allow access of the solvent to the adhesive.

The solvent may leave tide marks, which can usually be removed with an alkaline detergent and hot water, well rinsed. Allow the steel surface to dry naturally, blot dry with a clean rag, or blow dry with clean air.

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