When you’re dealing with smooth and glossy surfaces like glass, bare metal, certain plastics and glassy laminates, protective film is the last line of defense between your products and the hazards of the outside world. This film can keep dirt, paint and other forms of contamination such as scratches and dings from affecting surfaces, preventing costly returns and helping the items get to their destinations, clean and blemish-free.

What is surface protection film?

Surface protection film is a thin, self-adhesive covering that comes in a variety of colors and performance capabilities. Its purpose is always roughly the same — to protect surfaces from any harm that may befall them, typically including dirt, scratches and contaminants like paint.

Surface protection film is temporary, with a high-tack adhesive on one side. That means once the protected item reaches its destination, the film is peeled away, leaving no traces or sticky residue. Protective film may be in place while an object is transported from a factory to a job site for example, or while that item is left in storage awaiting use.

Manufacturers can even apply protective film during the production process to ensure that vulnerable surfaces don’t pick up dirt, scratches or other imperfections as they move along the assembly line.

The exact type of surface protection film used in a particular job will depend on the kind of substrate that needs defending. LAMATEK offers customized films based on your application, however, some of the primary protective films include:

• PROTEK™ Black & White Film:

  This 2.8mil thick, opaque film has a rubber-based adhesive and is suitable for use on architectural metals, stainless steel, decorative laminates, plastics, PVC and aluminum profiles, as well as pre-coated metals and skin plates. It is best suited for outdoor applications and its UV protection lasts up to 6 months.

• PROTEK™ Blue Film:

  This film is translucent and thinner than the black and white film at 2mil, and is meant for both indoor and outdoor use. It uses an acrylic adhesive and its UV protection lasts up to 2 months. Good substrate matches for blue film include bare and anodized aluminum, pre-coated metals and decorative laminates.

• PROTEK™ Clear Film:

  The transparent clear film option is variable in thickness, ranging from 2-4mil. It uses an acrylic adhesive, is suitable for use indoors and outdoors and offers up to 6 months of UV protection. It is most suitable for use with bare and anodized aluminum, pre-coated metals, painted aluminum profiles and glass.