Vinyl & application
What is transfer tape?
Also called: Application tape, pre-mask, app tape
Transfer tape is the low-tack film applied over weeded vinyl lettering to lift the whole layout off its liner in one piece and carry it onto the sign, keeping every letter in position.
Without it, applying cut vinyl would mean placing each letter by hand. The tape grabs the face of the weeded graphic, the liner peels away, and the layout goes onto the substrate with the spacing exactly as cut. Paper tape suits most lettering; clear film tape lets you see position on layered work.
Tack matching is the craft: tape that grips harder than the vinyl's adhesive pulls the job back off the sign, and tape too weak won't lift fine text off the liner at all. If letters lift when you remove the tape, squeegee harder and pull the tape back on itself at 180 degrees — not up.
Related terms
Software that speaks the trade
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