Identify Goals For Floor Marking

What is the best floor marking tape for different environments?

The best floor marking tape depends on traffic, exposure, and specific facility needs. For instance, 5S organization tape in a warehouse is not always the right choice for emergency exit guidance in an office building, and both types of tape are different from slip protection on an outdoor ladder. Knowing the goal the floor marking needs to achieve will help identify which type of warehouse floor marking tape will serve the facility best.

Example Goals

• Implement Emergency Egress Marking - Use glow-in-the-dark hi vis tape to indicate the most direct route to an exit in your facility.
• Organize The Facility With 5S Floor Marking - Use different tape colors, floor signs and printed safety floor tape to indicate storage areas, walking paths, forklift lanes, pallet locations, red tag areas, raw material storage, areas to be kept clear, hazards, and other efficiency-based organization initiatives. This also includes 5S floor marking materials.
• Add Traction - Provide a textured surface for areas where slips and falls are a serious hazard, like ladder rungs, ramps, in maritime environments, areas exposed to outdoor elements such as loading docks, or other slippery areas.
• Create A Wayfinding System - Create an interconnected system of directional signs, labels and floor markings to help people know where they are and where they're going in your facility.

Using Floor Marking Tape in Different Facility Environmental Conditions

The conditions within a facility can also affect the type of floor marking tape that needs to be chosen for the best longevity and effectiveness. Floor marking tapes applied indoors which are not subjected to environmental conditions such as repeated exposure to water, large temperature shifts, UV light, and dirt/debris may not require the level of durability and longevity that tape near a freight elevator or loading dock might.

For completely indoor options with little to no environmental exposure, the LITE™ Floor Marking Tape series of industrial floor marking tape is a sufficient, cost-effective choice, providing multiple colors for a multitude of uses.

For mixed-use areas that will see a variety of environmental exposure, like dirt, water, or frequent travel, FLEX™ Aisle Marking Floor Tape is a solid option for floor tape for warehouse surfaces with the durability required to survive low and medium-impact environmental effects. FLEX is easy to clean and can be applied to sloping surfaces like ramps without difficulty, and it has an average lifespan of 5 years even in direct sunlight. In situations where the safety floor tape will be exposed to harsher conditions, such as high forklift traffic, an option like RIGID may be the best choice for optimized longevity.

Floor Marking Tape Expected Wear and Tear

After evaluating expected environmental conditions, it is wise to assess expected wear and tear. If the warehouse floor marking tape will predominately be walked upon it will tend to last longer than tape that is constantly driven over by forklifts.

For low foot traffic areas, LITE and its wide variety of color options is ideal for wayfinding and 5S floor marking. LITE's Laminated series is developed with an additional layer of film for added protection making it more resistant to impact, scratching, and damage which is useful in medium-traffic areas.

For high foot traffic areas and locations with occasional equipment usage like pallet jacks and dollies, FLEX is a more durable safety floor tape that can withstand prolonged use in warehouse facilities. FLEX has a wide variety of color options available and offers more durability than LITE, though it still maintains the low-profile, high-visibility standard expected.

RIGID™ Aisle Marking Floor Tape industrial floor marking tape is designed to be used with forklifts and other machine traffic. It is constructed from an impact resistant PVC film minimizing any potential damage caused by heavy objects striking the tape. In addition, the tape features beveled edges making them less likely to catch on a wheel or an edge of a pallet. This makes it a great option for your concrete tape needs. For a visual representation of how these floor tape options hold up to forklifts, see a demonstration video.

Floor Marking Tape Applications

Summary: Floor Marking Tape by Application

Below are examples of different floor marking applications which DuraLabel Floor Marking Tapes are ideally suited for.

• Aisle Marking Floor Tape: For forklift and pedestrian lanes, available in FLEX or RIGID, with preprinted options.
• 5S Floor Marking Tape: For Lean/5S systems, cost-effective and versatile using LITE tapes.
• Glow in the Dark Tape: For emergency pathways, compliant and UV-resistant.
• Reflective Tape: Enhances visibility day/night, includes DOT-compliant options.
• Anti-Slip Tape (TREAD): For traction in wet/hazardous areas, ADA/OSHA compliant.
• Floor Signs: Durable, ready-made or custom signs for safety and navigation.
• Floor Shapes: Precut visual cues like footprints and arrows for efficient marking.

DuraLabel Resources for Floor Marking Tape

Identifying the floor marking tape that best suits your facility is step one; next it's time to commit to your facility's safety. If your facility could use a combination of signs and safety floor tape to draw extra attention to fire extinguishers, first aid kits, or electrical panels, consider one of the Floor Sign Kits offered by DuraLabel. Give us a call 888.820.4631 or request a free box of floor tape samples.

Download Free Floor Marking and Safety Sign Guides

DuraLabel’s free Floor Marking Instant Action Guide can help create safe pathways for pedestrians and vehicular traffic, reduce confusion and improve efficiency, as well as guide workers to the tools they need. Download a free copy of the Floor Marking Instant Action Guide today.

Want to learn how to implement OSHA and ANSI-compliant safety signs? The guide helps readers understand the regulations and standards and improve safety and efficiency. Request your free OSHA Safety Signs Best Practice Guide.